Review Vacancy
AgencyPeople With Developmental Disabilities, Office for
TitlePublic Information Specialist 1
Occupational CategoryOther Professional Careers
Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)
Salary RangeFrom $66951 to $85138 Annually
Duties Description The NYS Office for People With Developmental Disabilities is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive Event Planner to lead the coordination of multiple large-scale multi-agency events, mid-size agency gatherings, and press conferences. The right candidate will be eager to take ownership of a diverse and meaningful event portfolio, translating agency goals into seamless, accessible, and impactful public experiences.
As OPWDD's Event Planner, you will oversee the planning and execution of major annual events and coordinate with the Communications Team on awareness campaigns, including:
·Large-Scale Public Events: OPWDD's participation in the Great New York State Fair, the annual Get Outdoors and Get Together Day celebrations across the state and the planned launch of the Willowbrook Center for Learning in Staten Island.
·Commemorative Milestones: High-profile celebrations marking the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Anniversary of the landmark Olmstead Decision.
·Monthly Awareness Campaigns: Special recognition events and public forums surrounding:
-Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March)
-Autism Awareness Month (April)
-Disability Pride Month (July)
-National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October)
-Direct support Professional of the Year (September)
-Employee of the year (November)
·Stakeholder Alignment: Meet with internal agency leaders and external partners to define event vision, scope, and public-outreach goals.
·Financial Management: Establish, allocate, and monitor detailed event budgets; track costs, review bills, and approve final payments to ensure maximum fiscal responsibility.
·Timeline Development: Build master timelines, project milestones, and scheduling checklists for each event.
·Venue Sourcing: When necessary, research, tour, and secure safe, accessible, and appropriate venues suitable for the specific event type.
·Logistics Coordination: When applicable, organize entertainment, guests, travel if needed, parking, and food service logistics.
·Technical Setup: Coordinate AV equipment, staging, and accessibility accommodations (e.g., sign language interpreters, physical accessibility needs) well in advance.
·Marketing & Registration: Work with Communications Team on event marketing, invitation distribution, RSVP tracking, and guest list management.
·On-Site Supervision: Oversee room setup, decoration placement, and technology checks on the day of the event.
·Crisis Management: Troubleshoot emergencies and resolve last-minute problems calmly and efficiently.
·Post-Event Reconciliation: Process final vendor invoices, coordinate cleanup, and evaluate overall event success through stakeholder feedback and data.
**Some evening and weekend work may be required. This will be discussed during the interview.
Required Skills
·Project Management & Multitasking: Exceptional ability to keep track of many details at once and manage multiple complex timelines simultaneously.
·Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Quick thinking and creative problem-solving skills to resolve on-site issues calmly under pressure
·Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Advanced written and oral communication skills, with a proven ability to listen, maintain records, and collaborate with diverse public and private partners.
·Negotiation & Financial Acumen: Strong skills in negotiating with vendors and managing public/agency finances responsibly.
·Technical Proficiency: Practical know-how with basic office productivity suites (e.g., Microsoft Office) and specialized event management software tools.
·Personal Attributes: A highly motivated self-starter who is passionate about accessibility, inclusion, and public service.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nys-office-for-people-with-developmental-disabilities/posts/?feedView=all
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Minimum Qualifications Open Competitive:
Public Information Specialist Trainee 1, NS (equivalent to SG-14):
Four years of experience in public or governmental relations, and/or in writing or producing content for various media.
Substitution: An associates degree in media, new media, English, communications, journalism, broadcasting, public relations, films, TV productions, or digital marketing can substitute for two years of specialized experience; and, a bachelor's in these fields can substitute for four years.
Public Information Specialist Trainee 2, NS (equivalent to SG-16):
Five years of experience in public or governmental relations, and/or in writing or producing content for various media.
Public Information Specialist 1, SG-18:
Six years of experience in public or governmental relations, and/or in writing or producing content for various media.
Substitution: An associates degree in media, new media, English, communications, journalism, broadcasting, public relations, films, TV productions, or digital marketing can substitute for two years of specialized experience; a bachelor's in these fields can substitute for four years; and a master's degree in these fields can substitute for an additional year of specialized experience.
Transfer: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55-b/c status in the posted title and be eligible for lateral transfer; OR be eligible to transfer via Section 70.1, 70.4, or 52.6 of Civil Service Law. The transfer cannot be a second consecutive transfer resulting in an advancement of more than two salary grades.
To determine if your current Civil Service title is eligible for transfer to this title, visit the Career Mobility GOT-IT website: https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/index.cfm.
55 B/C QUALIFICATIONS:
• Possess the minimum qualifications for this title as established by the Department of Civil Service and listed on the most recent exam announcement.
•Meet the applicable minimal mental and/or physical requirements for the job (with a reasonable accommodation, if necessary)
• Have a current Eligibility Letter from the NYS Department of Civil Service,www.cs.ny.gov/rp55/, and be able to provide it to the Human Resources Office upon request.
To determine if your current Civil Service title is eligible for transfer to this title, visit the Career Mobility GOT-IT website: https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/index.cfm.
Additional Comments This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). HELPS Program titles may be filled via a non-competitive appointment. This means that you do not need to take an exam to qualify, but you do need to meet the minimum qualifications of the title.
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At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), employees hired under NY HELPS are expected to have their permanent non-competitive employment status converted to permanent competitive status. You will not have to take an exam to gain permanent competitive status.
• If you are currently a New York State employee serving in a permanent competitive qualifying title and eligible for a transfer via Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law, you may be appointed to this title as a permanent competitive employee.
• Appointments may also be made at the Public Information Specialist Trainee 1 levels. Candidates hired at the entry-level title (Public Information Specialist Trainee 1) may be advanced to the full-performance level (Public Information Specialist 1) following satisfactory completion of two-years of service. Salary range listed below encompasses the hiring rate of an Public Information Specialist Trainee 1 through the job rate of an Public Information Specialist 1.
Salary range listed below encompasses the hiring rate of a Public Information Specialist Trainee 1 through the job rate of a Public Information Specialist 1.
• Public Information Specialist Trainee 1: $53,764
• Public Information Specialist Trainee 2: $59,994
• Public Information Specialist 1: $66,9951 - $85,138
• The assignment of PS&T employees will be made in accordance with any agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding between PEF and the local DDSO regarding the posting of job vacancies.
• Preference will be given to OPWDD employees impacted by closures. If you are being impacted by closure, please indicate this on your resume.
• All OPWDD employees must be eligible and maintain eligibility for full and unconditional participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Continued employment will depend on maintaining eligibility.
• If you are employed by state government you may be able to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. For more information on PSLF, please visit www.studentAid.gov/publicservice.
• Employees on long term leave can bid on positions but must be able to report to work within fourteen (14) days and be able to perform the essential functions of their positions with or without reasonable accommodation (RA).
• If an employee or job applicant believes that they need a reasonable accommodation, they should contact the Reasonable Accommodation Unit at (518) 486-7222 or email accommodationrequests@opwdd.ny.gov to obtain information and RA forms.
• Savings programs such as the U.S. Savings Bond and the College Savings Plan.
• Voluntary pre-tax savings programs such as Health Care Spending Account and the Dependent Care Advantage Account offer employees options to pay for uncovered health care expenses or dependent care expenses.
• Access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) an assessment and referral service that connects employees with local service providers and support services to address their personal needs.
• Life insurance and Disability insurance.
• The New York State Deferred Compensation Plan is a voluntary retirement plan that offers employees the option to invest a part of their salaries for retirement on a tax-deferred basis.
• Paid Holidays and Leave:
° Thirteen (13) paid holidays each year.
° Thirteen (13) days of paid vacation leave initially.
° Five (5) days paid personal leave each year.
° Thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave each year (PEF/CSEA), which may carry over from year to year.
° Up to three (3) days professional leave each year to participate in professional development events.
• Health Care Coverage:
Employees and their eligible dependents can choose from a variety of affordable health insurance programs. Employees are provided family dental and vision plans at no extra cost.?
• Paid Parental Leave:
Paid Parental Leave allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave at full pay for each qualifying event. A qualifying event is defined as the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care.
• Retirement Program:
Participate in The NYS Employees’ Retirement System (ERS), which is recognized as one of the best-managed and best-funded public retirement systems in the nation.
• Professional Development and Education and Training:
NYS offers training programs and tuition assistance to eligible employees to maintain and increase their professional skills and prepare them for promotional opportunities. For more information, please visit https://oer.ny.gov/training-and-professional-development.
• Additionally, the Public Service Workshops Program (PSWP) offers certain professional training opportunities for PEF represented and M/C designated employees that may grant continuing education credits towards maintaining professional licensure. For more information, please visit https://oer.ny.gov/public-service-workshops-program-pswp.
• OPWDD is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer dedicated to creating and sustaining a culture of inclusion. We believe that we are most effective in managing and improving our service system with a diverse team of employees. With such a large workforce, we rely on the collective individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, ideas and talent that our employees bring to their work. This speaks to our culture and is a key part of our successes. As we continuously recruit people for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that applicants bring in terms of their education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.
• All people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.