Chief of Staff

Title: Chief of Staff - Office of New York State Senator James Skoufis

Overview: The Office of State Senator James Skoufis seeks a full-time Chief of Staff (COS) to serve as the primary strategic advisor to the Senator, and to manage, direct, and support his interdisciplinary team of approximately a dozen staff members across offices in Cornwall, Middletown, and Albany. The COS will oversee and advance a diverse policy portfolio while ensuring effective implementation of the Senator’s priorities, community outreach efforts, communications strategy, and service on behalf of Orange County constituents.

Candidates must be highly dependable, organized, and have strong verbal and written communication skills. The ideal person for this role thrives in self-driven environments, maintains deep ties within/familiarity with Orange County and/or the Legislature, and demonstrates a passion for public service.

Location: District Office of State Senator James Skoufis (45 Quaker Ave, Cornwall, NY 12518) with frequent travel throughout the district and to Albany during the legislative session (January - June).

Duration & Compensation: This is a full time, salaried role with a comprehensive New York State benefits package and salary range of $90,000-$105,000. Anticipated start date on or around July 1, 2025.

How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume with three references, and three writing samples to fuentes@nysenate.gov no later than **Sunday, June 1, 2025** with the subject line: Skoufis Chief of Staff

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide ongoing strategic guidance and support to the Senator, translating priorities into actionable items and work output for staff.
• Proactively identify opportunities to advance the Senator’s agenda, as well as areas of local/regional need.
• Serve as primary gatekeeper to ensure the Senator’s – and the office’s – time and resources are thoughtfully managed.
• Establish and maintain key relationships with community leaders, advocacy organizations, thought leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Collect and synthesize information critical to advancing the Senator’s agenda and facilitating effective decision-making.
• Manage all personnel matters, including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, regular training, retention efforts, and performance evaluation.
• Maintain open communication with local, county, state, and federal officials and staff to help identify and escalate issues of local/regional importance.
• Lead regular meetings among senior staff members, staff members, and individual departments; assign and track short- and long-term projects.
• Enable effective internal communication and a collegial work environment, including keeping team members reasonably informed on the Senator’s strategic priorities and elevating individual strengths and interests.

Requirements

• Three or more years of management experience in a policy-oriented or public service setting
• Valid driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle
• Must live within reasonable commuting distance to Cornwall, NY

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience within state or federal government
• Existing familiarity with Orange County
• Existing familiarity with the legislative process or state government
• Preferred software familiarity: Google Suite (Sheets, Docs, Forms), Microsoft Suite