Location: New York City Metropolitan Area
Reports to: Executive Director
Direct Reports: Director of Advocacy, Director of Policy & Government Relations
Compensation:$120,000-$140,000
Transportation Alternatives (TA) is New York City's advocate for bicycling, walking, public transportation, and streets for people — a 501(c)(3) advocacy nonprofit with a 50-year history of fighting for safe and livable streets for all New Yorkers. We believe the greatest city in the world should have the greatest streets in the world, that New York City should be a world-class bicycling city, and that New Yorkers shouldn’t have to put their lives at risk just to get around.
TA is the home of Families for Safe Streets New York (FSS-NY). TA/FSS-NY combine neighborhood-level grassroots organizing, community building, traffic crash support services, and citywide advocacy to push for changes in public policy, street design, and resource allocation that transform the city's streets for the better.
Reporting to and working in close partnership with TA's Executive Director, the Deputy Director is TA's senior external-facing leader, responsible for developing and executing TA and FSS-NY's advocacy, organizing, policy, and government relations strategy. This role sets the strategic direction for all advocacy and policy work, supervises the leadership of grassroots organizing and government relations teams, serves as an external spokesperson and representative, and works in partnership with the ED as a strategic thought partner on substantive priorities and senior leadership team coordination.
The successful candidate will combine strong strategic judgment with genuine commitment to winning campaigns, deep expertise and relationships in NYC advocacy and policy, the ability to lead and develop two strong directors, and skill in translating complex advocacy strategy into compelling external communications.
Serve as a full member of TA's Senior Leadership Team, bringing equal voice and shared accountability to organizational decisions and cross-cutting external and substantive priorities
Serve as the ED's primary thought partner on advocacy, policy, organizing, and external strategy; proactively identify risks, conflicts, or gaps in external strategy and bring solutions forward
Contribute to the Senior Leadership Team's internal coordination on substantive matters: bringing advocacy and policy perspective to cross-functional decisions, surfacing emerging tensions across departments, and driving follow-through on substantive commitments
Maintain clear, continuous communication with the ED on all critical external and advocacy issues
Collaborate with the Chief of Staff on cross-functional issues where external strategy and internal organizational capabilities intersect (e.g., hiring and training to support campaigns, budget allocation for strategic priorities, organizational structure changes needed to enable external work)
In partnership with the Director of Policy & Government Relations, develop and implement TA and FSS-NY's overarching advocacy, organizing, policy, and government relations strategy, ensuring that staff, budget, and priorities are aligned with the organization's mission, vision, and values
Anticipate the political landscape and emerging issues; develop strategic responses that position TA as a leader in safe streets advocacy
Translate overarching strategy into concrete campaign objectives, work plans, and measurable goals for the Director of Advocacy and Director of Policy & Government Relations
Work to align organizational budgets and resources with external strategy; ensure that people, hiring, and systems support are available to execute campaigns
Work with the Board, advisory council, staff, activist and organizing committees, FSS members and steering committee, and other stakeholders to ensure the organization is effective and acts with purpose, vitality, and relevancy
Serve as a spokesperson for the organization's mission, goals, and campaign successes at hearings, internal and external meetings, press conferences, rallies, and public forums
Partner with TA's Communications Director to develop effective messaging via press and public relations; ensure that press releases, social media, and other communications products are consistent with strategic direction and organizational values
Work with the Communications Director to field and respond to press inquiries; represent TA in media engagements and public-facing roles
Represent TA/FSS-NY in coalitions, political convenings, and high-level advocacy settings
Develop TA's long-term policy goals and strategy, including city- and state-level campaigns, to advance safe streets and make NYC a world-class city for walking, biking, and public transit
Lead TA's strategy on critical areas including DOT infrastructure projects, city and state budgets, capital plans, funding streams, legislative campaigns, and key policy priorities (e.g., e-bike policy, traffic violence reduction)
Build support for and win infrastructure and policy reforms by working in partnership with key influencers, including city agencies, elected officials, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations
Anticipate political and legal constraints affecting policy rollout and advise on solutions
Oversee research and policy work in support of TA's advocacy and organizing efforts; propose and manage longer-term research projects that advance strategic goals
Monitor agency performance, implementation of adopted policies, and political opportunities to advance TA's agenda
Provide strategic leadership and mentorship to the Director of Advocacy and Director of Policy & Government Relations
Ensure that both directors understand TA's overarching strategic direction and that their work is aligned with organizational priorities
Hold both directors accountable to strategic goals and measurable outcomes; support their success through regular feedback, development, and resource allocation
Create a strong sense of cohesion between Advocacy, Policy, FSS-NY, Research, Communications, and Development teams; ensure that all external-facing functions are coordinated and mutually reinforcing
Develop and maintain sound working relationships with key partner organizations and stakeholders; build strong, productive relationships with activist and organizing committees, volunteers, elected officials, and community partners
Support an inclusive, collaborative culture in which teams feel empowered to raise tensions, solve problems collectively, and celebrate wins
Required:
8+ years of senior policy, politics, advocacy, or government experience — ideally in transportation-focused roles, NYC/NYS politics, or both
Proven track record of developing and executing advocacy strategy and winning campaigns
Experience managing and mentoring direct reports; demonstrated ability to develop and elevate leaders
Exceptional communication and research skills, ability to synthesize complex information into accessible memos and compelling public messaging
Strong organizational capabilities; ability to work effectively in fast-paced environments and manage multiple priorities on deadline
High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and ability to earn and sustain trust across all levels of an organization and among internal and external partners
Strong relationships and working knowledge of NYC and/or NYS politics, government, and advocacy organizations
Enthusiasm for and demonstrated commitment to TA's mission
Exceptional candidates will also bring:
JD or advanced degree in public policy or government
Deep relationships and political connections across NYC and State politics, government, and advocacy organizations
Leadership experience in an advocacy nonprofit, political campaign, or grassroots organization
Fluency in Spanish or another non-English language commonly spoken in New York City
A demonstrated enthusiasm for bicycling and safe streets
This position is based in New York City. TA operates in a hybrid, fast-paced, and collaborative environment. Includes occasional evening and weekend availability for board obligations, organizational events, and advocacy moments.
Applications deadline: July 6th