Community Engagement Organizer - City of Philadelphia

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 Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) provides leadership on issues of economic justice by advancing racial equity and inclusive growth to ensure that all Philadelphians share in the city’s prosperous future and by alleviating the immediate impact of poverty on individuals, families and communities.  CEO is Philadelphia’s Community Action Agency (CAA); CAAs are private or public agencies created by the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act and federally designated to receive Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding.

Guiding Principles (We believe…)

• The people of Philadelphia deserve the opportunity to live happy, healthy, full lives. 
• City Government should both recognize its culpability in creating and sustaining inequity and aspire to its responsibility to provide opportunities, represent the best interests, and promote the well-being of all residents. 
• People can offer meaningful insights into both personal experiences and how systems around them function. 
• Poverty is a deliberately created systemic issue and city government can lead in calling for justice and dismantling the barriers that often prevent opportunities. 

Values (How we work)

• Dignity: We actively respect our individual colleagues and people in the community.
• Inclusivity: Our work is more beneficial, valuable, and valid when our full range of experiences, knowledge, and skills can contribute.
• Persistence: We recognize the challenges inherent in this work, and when we get discouraged, we find ways to be resilient, lift each other up, and push forward.
• Accountability: We are transparent and honest about our plans, our actions, and our results.
• Honesty: We create a space to have healthy, honest dialogues about systems, people, and misconceptions and then communicate truthfully.

The Community Organizer will be charged with building neighborhood coalitions, coordinating meetings and collective engagement activities, canvassing, phone banking, and general administrative duties. In coordination with the Community Engagement supervisor and broader Place-Based Initiatives team, the Community Engagement Organizer will oversee the creation and execution of individualized plans for a set of neighborhoods through the CLEAR organizing model. They will be responsible for meeting goals related to collective engagement efforts. The ideal team member is idealistic yet practical, collaborative, maintains a positive attitude, and is able to adapt to changes and setbacks. This position reports directly to the Community Engagement Supervisor and is part of the broader Place-Based Initiatives Unit. All team members are responsible for identifying best practices that could be applied across CEO and collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Essential Functions

Community Engagement Organizers are responsible for working collaboratively with the Place-Based Initiatives Unit staff to identify neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia that could benefit from additional resources and supports through deep engagement and relationship building. Organizers will be expected to:

• Collaborate with staff to identify neighborhoods/areas of focus through data-driven processes.
• Initiate outreach efforts to establish a strong connection with the community.
• Conduct needs-based assessments and asset-mapping processes in conjunction with community members and leaders.
• Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups to understand the specific needs, concerns, and challenges of the community.
• Recruit and build partner networks with one-on-one meetings, stakeholders’ engagement, and community leaders' referrals; identify, recruit, and assist in training trusted voices in targeted communities by canvassing and conversations with community organizations.
• Work collaboratively with community and staff to create a strategic plan for engaging areas of focus with SMART goals and clear deliverables and timelines.
• Integrate special projects and initiatives from the organization and City into the neighborhood strategic engagement and outreach plans.
• Host community meetings that align with objectives set forth in neighborhood strategic plans.
• Organize community forums, town hall meetings, or small group discussions to encourage active participation and dialogue.
• Plan and execute events that align with neighborhood strategic plans.
• Support canvassing and phone-banking teams to achieve unit-wide outreach goals.
• Work collaboratively to bring best practices from past work to new neighborhoods and areas of focus.
• Continuously engage with the community, monitor progress, and make necessary adjustments to the neighborhood strategic plan.
• Produce regular updates and reports around work product and progress.
• Provide resources, training, and support to empower community members to take ownership of their neighborhood’s strategic plan.
• Strategize with the Place-Based Initiatives Unit staff on expansion plans and new areas of focus.
• Provide administrative support for projects and initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Project Management: ability to create high level strategy and outline the steps needed to meet all objectives, strong organization skills, detail-oriented, thorough in completing tasks, and persistent in pursuit of goals.

Mission-oriented: passionate about and dedicated to alleviating the immediate impact of poverty on individuals, families and communities

Critical thinker: proven ability to work through complex problems/ tasks and the ability to prioritize and multi-task to meet deadlines.

Adaptable: ability to understand and respond quickly to changes in the environment or direction; ability to toggle between big picture and details; able to be motivated about many different kinds of tasks and projects; self-starter with the flexibility to work independently and as part of a team.

Effective communicator: strong oral and written communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, high level of emotional intelligence, and a track record of building effective relationships with diverse people.

Familiarity with electronic tools: Fluency in Microsoft Office Suite required; excellent skills in Excel and PowerPoint; experience with VAN a plus.

• Be available to work a flexible schedule
• Passion for advocacy and social change
• Work collaboratively and meet deadlines
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Google docs and social media engagement and VAN preferred
• Excellent communication skills and willingness to engage diverse audience, from members of community and civic organizations, local elected officials’ staff, faith communities, to students, volunteers and the general public
• Prior experience organizing and managing volunteers is strongly preferred
• Bilingual preferred
• Must have valid driver’s license and access to a car

Supervisory Responsibilities

 None

Other Specialties, Certifications, Physical Requirements, and Work Conditions

• Regular, predictable attendance is required
• Successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

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

Salary Range: $50,000 - $55,500

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 6 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 faqpchr@phila.gov.

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