Community Relations and Communications Associate

The Organization

The Downtown Poughkeepsie Business Improvement District (DTPK BID) supports and uplifts local businesses while enhancing quality of life for downtown residents, workers, and visitors. Our work focuses on four key areas: beautification, public safety and security, business climate, and downtown identity.

Our vision is to establish Downtown Poughkeepsie as the Hudson Valley’s premier commercial and cultural hub - a vibrant, welcoming, and accessible urban center where people gather and businesses prosper.

Learn more at DTPK.org.

About the Role

The Community Relations and Communications Associate is one of the BID’s most visible connections to the downtown community.

This person spends significant time in the district building relationships with businesses, property owners, residents, and community partners; communicating BID programs and initiatives; identifying issues and opportunities; and helping tell the story of Downtown Poughkeepsie through social media and other communications.

The role combines community outreach, content creation, district monitoring, and event support. A successful candidate will be equally comfortable introducing themselves to a new business owner, capturing a great photo or short video, writing an engaging social post, reporting a streetscape issue, and helping coordinate activity at a downtown event.

The Associate reports to the BID Administrator and works closely with BID leadership, Board members, contractors, volunteers, businesses, and community partners.

What You Will Do

Community Relations & Outreach

• Maintain a regular, visible presence throughout the district and build strong working relationships with business owners, property owners, employees, residents, and community partners.
• Explain BID programs, priorities, services, and impact in clear, accessible language.
• Welcome new businesses, introduce them to BID services and resources, and help connect them to the downtown community.
• Promote BID and City programs available to downtown businesses, including grants, events, services, and other opportunities.
• Help distribute BID updates, materials, and information directly to downtown stakeholders.
• Attend community, neighborhood, and public meetings as assigned and report relevant information back to BID leadership.
• Listen to stakeholder concerns, complaints, ideas, and opportunities; document them; route them to the appropriate person; and follow up as needed.

Communications & Content

• Manage the BID’s day-to-day social media presence, creating and publishing timely, engaging content that showcases downtown businesses, events, people, projects, and progress.
• Capture original photos, short-form video, interviews, and other content throughout the district.
• Identify and develop stories that highlight Downtown Poughkeepsie and demonstrate the BID’s work and impact.
• Write clear, engaging copy for social media, email communications, website updates, stakeholder materials, and other BID channels.
• Promote BID events, programs, business openings, grants, public improvements, and other downtown news and opportunities through appropriate channels.
• Maintain a content calendar aligned with BID priorities, events, campaigns, and downtown activity.
• Monitor BID social media channels and respond to or appropriately route questions, comments, and messages.
• Track basic communications and social media performance and use results to help improve future content.

Eyes on the District

• Monitor downtown conditions, including trash, graffiti, lighting, sidewalks, landscaping, vacant storefronts, and other quality-of-life issues.
• Report problems through the appropriate City, DPW, or 311 channels and follow significant issues through resolution.
• Identify recurring safety or quality-of-life concerns and bring them to BID leadership. This position is not an enforcement or security role.
• Assist with vacant storefront and window activation efforts and other beautification initiatives.

Events & Downtown Operations

• Assist with BID-supported events and programs, including First Friday and other downtown activations.
• Help coordinate event-day operations, including vendor load-in, setup and breakdown, volunteers, and troubleshooting.
• Support cleaning, beautification, street, event, and volunteer teams when deployed.
• Participate in event planning as assigned and help ensure events reflect BID priorities and standards.

Records & Reporting

• Help maintain current records of district businesses and storefronts, including openings, closings, and vacancies.
• Document stakeholder contacts, district concerns, outstanding issues, and resolutions.
• Meet regularly with the BID Administrator to review community feedback, district conditions, communications priorities, and upcoming activities.
• Contribute to regular reports on community engagement, district conditions, communications performance, and BID activities.

What We’re Looking For

You are outgoing, organized, responsive, and comfortable talking with just about anyone. You listen well, follow through, and can handle questions or complaints professionally.

You are also curious about what is happening around you and naturally look for stories worth sharing. You understand that a new storefront, a downtown event, a streetscape improvement, or an interesting person can all become content that helps people connect with Downtown Poughkeepsie.

Most importantly, you enjoy being out in the community. This is not primarily a desk job.

Qualifications

• Two or more years of experience in community engagement, communications, hospitality, marketing, events, community organizing, municipal work, customer service, or another public-facing role preferred.
• Strong writing, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Experience creating social media content and comfort capturing quality photos and short-form video with a smartphone.
• Comfortable using major social media platforms, email marketing tools, graphic design tools (Canva/Adobe Express), basic website/content management systems, spreadsheets or databases, and other everyday digital tools.
• Ability to work independently while taking direction and collaborating with a small team.
• Knowledge of Poughkeepsie and its downtown is a strong plus.
• Fluency in Spanish is a strong plus.
• Able to be on foot throughout the district for extended periods in most weather.
• Available for occasional evening and weekend events.

Position Details

• Part-time W-2 employee of the Downtown Poughkeepsie Business Improvement District. A 1099 contract may be established for the right candidate.
• A flexible schedule of approximately 20-25 hours per week will be established by the BID and will include regular in-person coverage within the district.
• Some evening and weekend work is required around events and special programs.
• Compensation: $30,000 per year.
• This position reports to the BID Administrator.

To Apply

Please email a resume and a short note explaining your background and why this work interests you to BID Administrator Geoff Brault at geoff@dtpk.org. Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis.

It is the policy of the DTPK BID not to discriminate against any applicant or employee because of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status.

English. Fluency in Spanish is a strong plus.