The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building a fairer economy in neighborhoods across the five boroughs.

The New York City Department of Small Business Services seeks a supportive and entrepreneurial strategic leader to join the newly formed Cannabis NYC initiative as Strategy and Outreach Associate.

The Strategy and Outreach Associate will support the Founding Director in implementing overall Cannabis NYC strategy, largely focusing on business services programming, public education outreach and strategic marketing. They will help manage Cannabis NYC’s overall outreach strategy to support aspiring entrepreneurs in the emerging cannabis industry with a goal of ensuring equity of opportunity across the sector. The Strategy and Outreach Associate will lead coordination across SBS divisions and NY State’s Office of Cannabis Management to deliver curated Cannabis NYC programming and services in a culturally relevant and linguistically competent manner.

The qualified candidate will be detail-oriented, excel in verbal and written communication, and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment.

Primary responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Support the equitable execution of Cannabis NYC’s five-borough marketing, outreach and engagement strategy with a focus on informing and educating industry entrants about the cannabis industry and available services through SBS;
• Manage Cannabis NYC marketing, outreach and engagement coordination, working closely with the Founding Director and the agency’s Communications, Intergovernmental, and Outreach teams, among others;
• Facilitate and synchronize consistent and compelling messaging, including coordinating across SBS divisions to communicate services provided to the emerging cannabis industry via Cannabis NYC;
• Build and maintain strategic relationships and partnerships with external community stakeholders, including creating and managing a database of community-based organizations, business support groups, industry associations, etc;
• Plan, manage, and staff large-scale external events, workshops, information sessions, roundtables, webinars, site visits, and other events;
• Accurately track identified key performance indicators and report regularly on Cannabis NYC marketing and outreach efforts;
• Develop and manage workplans, including tools to coordinate across SBS divisions to ensure delivery of Cannabis NYC services and programming in a culturally relevant and linguistically competent manner;
• Represent Cannabis NYC at public-facing meetings and events; and,
• Perform other duties as needed.

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, accredited by regional, national, professional or specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U. S. Secretary of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and four years of satisfactory, full-time community liaison, community organization or community relations experience, at least two years of which must have been in a broad administrative or policy-making capacity with responsibility for planning, organizing, coordinating, developing, evaluating and/or administering a large community service program or activity; or
2. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization and eight years of satisfactory, full-time experience as described in "1" above, at least two years of which must have been in a broad administrative or policy-making capacity with responsibilities as described in "1" above; or
3. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" or "2" above. Undergraduate education above the high school level may be substituted for the community liaison, community organization or community relations experience, but not for the two years of broad administrative or policy-making experience described in "1" above, at the rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college or university (as described above) for each year of experience, up to a maximum of 4 years. Graduate education beyond the baccalaureate degree may be substituted for the community liaison, community organization or community relations experience, but not for the two years of broad administrative or policy-making experience described in "1" above, on the basis of 30 graduate credits from an accredited college or university (as described above) for each year of experience, up to a maximum of 2 years. However, all candidates must possess a four-year high school diploma or its educational
equivalent approved by a State’s Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization and two years of full-time experience in a broad administrative or policy-making capacity with responsibilities as described in "1" above.

• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to work in team environment
• Proven organizational, project management and time management skills, including the ability to plan, coordinate, implement, and finalize projects according to deadlines and budgets
• Strong partnership development experience
• Experience in community organizing and/or program administration of services to New York City neighborhoods
• Experience working with small businesses, workers, and/or neighborhood stakeholders
• Preference for candidates with demonstrated interest or experience in business services, economic development, workforce development and social justice policy issues.
• Demonstrated discretion and excellent judgment to handle sensitive and confidential matters
• Experience using social media and other forms of written communication to market events
• Excellent MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook skills+
• Proficiency in customer relationship management (CRM) software, as well as Eventbrite, Zoom, Teams, GoToMeeting, and/or WebEx
• Language skills, a plus
• Driver’s license, a plus
• Experience in vendor management preferred

THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO CANDIDATES WHO ARE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST TITLE (OR OTHER COMPARABLE TITLES), THOSE WHO ARE REACHABLE ON THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST AND THOSE IN THE 55-A PROGRAM. PLEASE INDICATE IN YOUR COVER LETTER IF YOU ARE PERMANENT IN THE TITLE OR ARE REACHABLE ON THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST.

City Employees: Apply through Employee Self Service (ESS) at www.nyc.gov/ess search for Job ID: # 564942

Current SBS Employees: Please email your resume and cover letter including the following subject line: STRATEGY & OUTREACH ASSOCIATE, CANNABIS NYC and send to HRHelp2@sbs.nyc.gov

All Other Applicants: Go to www.nyc.gov/jobs search for Job ID: # 564942

Salary: $75,000 - $100,000

NOTE: Only those candidates under consideration will be contacted.

If you are unable to apply via NYC Jobs or ESS, you can email your cover letter and resume to careers@sbs.nyc.gov with the following in the subject line: STRATEGY & OUTREACH ASSOCIATE, CANNABIS NYC.

If you do not have access to email, mail your cover letter & resume to:
NYC Department of Small Business Services
Human Resources Unit
1 Liberty Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10006

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.