NYC Creates Social and Digital Media Position

The job description doesn’t mention Twitter or Facebook, but New York City’s future chief digital officer will be responsible for putting a “comprehensive new media face” on the Big Apple. The newly-created position, part of The Office of Digital Coordination, will serve as a hub for the city’s digital media communications efforts conducted through a variety of departments. It will combine press communications skills with more technical tasks such as helping improve website usability and monitoring analytics.

According to a job listing posted on the city’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications site, the digital officer will be tasked with “developing meaningful social media uses to keep residents informed and engaged,” in addition to working with other agencies to promote their digital initiatives.

The digital officer, for example, will work alongside Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s Press Office on social and digital media communications efforts aimed at the public. In addition to coordinating social media efforts, the staffer will be asked to help improve usability and design of the NYC.gov site, and add multimedia content to the site and in mobile environments.

Also part of the public-facing tasks: the officer will work with the city’s Economic Development Corporation on government related media issues, and its official tourism arm – NYC & Co.

But the individual will also guide internal digital redesign and development project operations and manage digital assets, in addition to keeping an eye on analytics and metrics associated with the city’s digital initiatives.

The job pays up to $125,000 and requires possible weekend and evening duties. And, while it calls for “extensive” digital media management and development experience, it requires a master’s degree in any number of disciplines with seemingly little to do with technology, digital media, or communications – including economics, finance, accounting, business or public administration, human resources management, labor relations, psychology, sociology, or political science.

NYC’s media relations team was unable to comment before publication.

The full job description is available as a downloadable PDF here.