Program Manager

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) coordinates Philadelphia’s planning, zoning, preservation, and housing functions to promote the economic health of all neighborhoods and the City. DPD includes the Divisions of Executive Administration, Housing and Community Development (DHCD); Planning and Zoning (DPZ); and Development Services (DS). DPD also contracts with the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation PHDC, Philadelphia Land Bank and Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority as well as departments within the city that perform community development block grant program activities.

DHCD has an annual budget of over $300M from local, state, and federal funding sources including the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Each year, HUD requires DHCD to complete an Annual Action Plan (includes program budget and plan for affordable housing, neighborhood, and economic development programs) approved by City Council.  DHCD also manages other HUD grants such as Choice ($30M), CARES Act ($40M), HOME-ARP($40M), and CDBG-DR($160M).  DHCD contracts with over 80+ non-profit agencies each year to carry out programs for low-income residents and communities.

Position Summary

This is management-level policy and program work in the area of housing and community development. This position will be critical to implementing the City’s Housing Opportunities Made Easy (H.O.M.E.) Initiative by advancing affordable housing policy and program development. This work involves extensive collaboration with other City agencies and external partners, including developers, advocates, and subject-matter experts. Sitting within DHCD’s Policy and Programs Unit, responsibilities include planning, developing, and implementing agency programs, policies, and procedures as well as pursuing new funding opportunities.  These initiatives will benefit low- and moderate-income Philadelphians and be consistent with principles of equity and fair housing.  Work is performed under the general direction of a senior manager or director.

Essential Functions

• Serves, as needed, as a key representative for the H.O.M.E. Initiative e.g., interfaces with program partners and key stakeholders, develops and documents program procedures, and oversees database improvements, reporting, and related activities.
• Participates in the design and implementation of new programs and initiatives including, but not limited to, activities associated with the H.O.M.E. Initiative, the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative and PRO Housing
• Develops, maintains and shares policies and procedures documentation for new and existing programs.
• Collaborates with City agencies, external partners, and stakeholders on efforts related to, but not limited to, affordable housing production and preservation quality and effective community engagement, affordable homeownership, landlord engagement, and health and housing.
• Identifies new funding opportunities, prepares grant applications, and participates in the implementation of grants.
• Participates in the development of major Division plans, reports, dashboards, and other publications including, but not limited to, the 5-Year Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, CAPER, Housing Trust Fund report, quarterly City reports, grant reports, and Philly Stat 360.
• Creates and evaluates responses to requests for proposals for affordable housing programs, developments and related initiatives.
• Develops original maps, charts, graphics, and narratives for plans and reports.
• Works with technical staff to improve existing and create new data and reporting systems as needed.
• Leads, conducts, and/or participates in internal and external assessments of program performance and impact, including equity assessments.

• Plans, delegates and prioritizes work assignments of subordinate staff in accordance with agency objectives.
• Conducts individual and general staff meetings to discuss policies, projects, and procedures.
• Meets with other City agencies, partner organizations, stakeholders, and residents on behalf of the Division as needed.
• Serves the Division’s representative on advisory boards, commissions and other organizations.
• Identifies and recommends professional development activities for staff.
• Participates in the hiring of permanent and temporary staff.

• Performs related work as required.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• organization and function of municipal and other agencies active in the field of housing and community development
• principles and practices of program planning, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
• principles and practices of housing and community development administration, particularly in the areas of program and service delivery
• principles, practices, and procedures of preparing annual public and private program budgets
• federal, state and local funding regulations and requirements for housing and community development programs
• concepts and techniques of community relations and outreach related to the planning process

• report writing and methods employed in the presentation of data and other information
• principles and practices of grant writing

• principles, practices and techniques utilized in the analysis of a high volume of data used for result evaluation and predictive modeling purposes
• effective sources of data, technology and reference material used for data analysis and strategic planning
• methods, techniques and uses employed by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software

• research methods and the application and interpretation of standard statistical measures
• research activities in the field of housing and community development and their implications for local programs
• principles and practices of database development and management
• emerging technologies and their application to improve City services
• uses and programming principles of one or more programming languages
• best practices of supervising teams of subordinate staff

SKILL IN:

• evaluating the effectiveness of functions and programs, and implementing changes to provide for more efficient operations and effective program delivery and operations
• effectively and efficiently managing, analyzing, and displaying data
• developing reports and grant proposals
• ArcGIS Product Suite
• Microsoft Office Suite

ABILITY TO:

• plan, schedule and organize multiple priorities and a high volume of work
• execute multiple time-dependent tasks with minimal supervision
• organize, assign, and direct the work of subordinates and supporting the professional development of staff
• evaluate the work of staff in a manner conducive to independent judgment, high performance and personal accountability
• analyze and identify relevant information from a large amount of complicated data
• produce clear, concise and comprehensive reports
• communicate effectively and present ideas in oral, written, or graphic form
• obtain cooperation and participation of City staff and external partners in the development and execution of programs and initiatives, reporting, and evaluations
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with city administrators and employees, economic and community development officials, civic, community and business groups, and the general public

EDUCATION: 

Completion of a Bachelor’s degree program at an accredited college or university with course work in Planning, Urban Studies, Public Policy, other Social Science, and/or other relevant fields.

EXPERIENCE: 

Four or more years of work experience in real estate, data management, public policy, urban planning, housing, or related field.

AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE

One or more years of project management experience managing multiple, large, cross-functional teams or projects.

OR

Any equivalent combination of education and experience deemed appropriate by the hiring committee.

NOTE:  Completion of master's degree in a related field will be considered equivalent to two years of the general experience requirement.

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume.

Salary Range: $72,000 - $87,000

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to [email protected].

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx