Senior Policy Advisor

Salary: The Office of Equity & Racial Justice LGBTQIA+ Affairs compensation package includes a competitive market salary, equity for all full-time roles and exceptional benefits. Our cash compensation range for this role is $100,000 - $110,000. The Agency You’ll Join: The NYC Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice (MOERJ) was established in October 2023 as the City of New York’s centralized agency to advance equity. Our mandate is rooted in a simple but powerful belief that every New Yorker deserves the chance to live, work, and thrive with dignity.

To realize that vision, MOERJ brings together several key initiatives and offices, including the NYC Commission on Gender Equity (CGE), NYC Her Future (NHF), the NYC Young Men’s Initiative (YMI), and the LGBTQIA+ Affairs unit, as well as cross-agency bodies like the NYC Pay Equity Cabinet (PEC) and the NYC Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity (TRIE). Together, we create a unified framework for addressing the many ways inequity shows up in daily life.

The LGBTQIA+ Affairs unit was established in March 2026 as the City of New York’s centralized agency to consolidate policy, interagency coordination, and stakeholder engagement across New York City for the LGBTQIA+ community. Our mandates are rooted in a simple but powerful belief that every New Yorker inherently deserves the opportunities to live, work, and thrive with dignity and free from discrimination.

As a critical part of the mayor’s efforts to build a stronger and more equitable city, the LGBTQIA+ Affairs works across city agencies and external partners to affect meaningful change. Every staff member plays an integral role in our unrelenting commitment to equity in our individual offices and as a collective.

The Problems You’ll Solve: The Office of Equity & Racial Justice LGBTQIA+ Affairs seeks a strategic, experienced, and mission-driven professional to serve as Senior Policy Advisor. This role will be responsible for supporting the Director of the LGBTQIA+ Affairs in a broad range of executive, strategic, and operational functions.

The Senior Policy Advisor will serve as a key advisor to the Director, overseeing the Office’s policy advisement and advancement responsibilities and priorities. This individual will play a critical role by strengthening internal systems, advancing cross-agency collaboration, and ensuring the office is being responsive to the needs of the communities we serve and effectively positioned to advance its policy agenda through City Hall and across all New York city agencies that serve and touch the lives of LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers. The Senior Policy Advisor will report to the Director of the LGBTQIA+ Affairs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited college with a baccalaureate degree; or
• Graduation from an accredited community college plus two years of experience with administrative, analytic, coordinative, supervisory or liaison responsibilities; or
• A four year high school diploma or its educational equivalent plus four years of experience as described in "2" above; or
• A satisfactory equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Skills

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in public policy, public administration, social work, law, urban studies, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant experience in public policy, government, advocacy, nonprofit leadership, or related fields, with demonstrated experience working on issues impacting the LGBTQIA+ community.
• Strong cultural competence and understandings of issues impacting LGBTQIA+ communities, including transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary (TGNCNB) people, people across all age strata including youth and elder populations, people living with disabilities, and communities of color.
• Experience working with government agencies, community-based organizations, and/or advocacy coalitions.
• Excellent writing, editing, research, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong project management, time management, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience analyzing and developing legislation, regulations, and policy proposals.
• Ability to engage diverse stakeholders with professionalism and cultural competency.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and public service.
• Familiarity with New York City government and policy processes preferred.

Preferred Areas of Expertise: Candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas are encouraged to apply:

• LGBTQIA+ policy and advocacy
• Health equity
• Civil and human rights
• Workforce and economic development
• Youth services
• Community engagement
• Gender equity
• Anti-discrimination policy
• Program development and evaluation

Residency Requirement

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.

Additional Information

Position Summary: Strategy & Advisory The Senior Policy Advisor will support the research, development, and implementation of policies, programs, and strategic initiatives that advance equity and improve outcomes for LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers. This role will help coordinate cross-agency efforts, strengthen partnerships with community stakeholders, and support equity-focused policy priorities in healthcare, economic justice, employment, education, housing, anti-discrimination, and culturally responsive, relevant, and competent services.

The Senior Policy Advisor will work closely with City agencies, community-based organizations, advocacy groups, and senior leadership across New York City government to identify emerging issues impacting LGBTQIA+ communities, address historical issues and disparities impacting LGBTQIA+ communities, and develop responsive policy solutions. The role requires strong skills in policy analysis and development, research, stakeholder engagement, time and project management, and written and verbal communication.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead research, analysis, and development of policy recommendations related to historical and contemporary issues impacting the LGBTQIA+ community, through lenses of innovation, equity, and inclusion.
• Support implementation of policy initiatives focused on healthcare, economic justice, employment, education, housing, anti-discrimination, and culturally responsive, relevant, and competent services.
• Coordinate with City agencies to lead and advance interagency initiatives and ensure delivery of culturally responsive, relevant, and competent services to LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers.
• Monitor federal, state, and local legislation, policy trends, and emerging issues affecting LGBTQIA+ communities.
• Draft policy memos, briefings, reports, testimony, presentations, and executive-level communications.
• Support development of strategic partnerships with nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, healthcare providers, academic institutions, and other community stakeholders.
• Assist with stakeholder engagement efforts, including convenings, listening sessions, and public events to inform, drive, and communicate the work of the Office.
• Develop data-informed recommendations and support program evaluation efforts.
• Represent the Office of Equity & Racial Justice LGBTQIA+ Affairs at meetings, hearings, and community events as needed.
• Collaborate across MOERJ, NHF, YMI, CGE, and City agencies to support broader equity initiatives and intersectional policy strategies.
• Support special projects and priority initiatives assigned by leadership.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Exercising sound judgment and discretion in managing sensitive and confidential matters on behalf of the Director.
• Anticipating emerging issues and preparing Director with proactive recommendations and action plans.
• Coordinating across internal teams and external partners to advance equity-focused initiatives.
• Providing strategic, tactical, and project management support across the Office as priorities evolve.
• Performing additional responsibilities as assigned to support the mission and operational needs of the Office of Equity & Racial Justice LGBTQIA+ Affairs.