With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and opportunities in more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia is the sixth largest city in the United States and one of the largest employers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As an employer, the City of Philadelphia operates through the guiding principles of service, integrity, respect, accountability, collaboration, diversity and inclusion. Through these principles, we strive to effectively deliver services, to resolve the challenges facing our city, and to make Philadelphia a place where all of our residents have the opportunity to reach their potential. 

Agency Description

The mission of the Department of Commerce is to ensure that Philadelphia is a globally competitive city to which employers flock, entrepreneurs thrive, and innovation abounds; to recruit and retain a diverse set of businesses; to foster economic opportunities for all Philadelphians in all neighborhoods; and to partner with workforce development programs and local businesses on talent development ensuring that all Philadelphians can find and retain living-wage jobs. The Commerce Department Office of Neighborhood Economic Development (ONED) identifies and develops programs to foster the economic development of Philadelphia communities. 

The Manager, Corridor Development will be a member of the ONED Corridor Development team, applying strategic planning and project management skills to the management of Commerce’s Storefront Improvement Program, as well as other initiatives of ONED’s Corridor Development Team including providing technical assistance and support to existing and emerging Business Improvement Districts within Philadelphia. 

Salary: 50,000/yr

The Manager, Corridor Development will oversee the implementation, and outcomes of the Commerce Department’s Storefront Improvement Program, and provide support to initiatives implemented by the ONED Commercial Corridor Development Team. Specific duties include:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for businesses and commercial property owners who wish to use the Storefront Improvement Program.
• Review all program applications and communicate program requirements to applicants.
• Promote use of the SIP program to partner organizations that serve neighborhood commercial corridors such as Community Development Corporations, Business Improvement Districts, Business Associations and Commerce staff who work directly with neighborhood businesses.
• Manage SIP application review processes including the activities of the multi-agency Design Review Committee who review storefront proposals and provide feedback to program applicants.
• Serve as a resource providing information regarding best design practices and options for enhancing business storefronts to applicants and to staff from partner organizations during the project planning phase.
• Maintain all program documentation and manage program reporting to stakeholders and funders.
• Input Data of program application in Access database and run reports from the data base.
• Work with ONED staff to implement program approaches which further the use of the SIP resource in lower-income, harder to serve commercial areas.
• Work with ONED staff to create better program outcomes by strengthening the capacity of Commerce’s neighborhood partners through trainings and other activities to share information and best practices.

Support the Director of Commercial Corridor Development in carrying out Commerce’s activities to support existing and emerging Business Improvement Districts, including the following:

• Planning meetings of Philadelphia’s BIDs to promote sharing of best practices
• Documenting best practices regarding BID operations to shorten the learning curve for new BIDs and new staff
• Compiling property ownership and tax data to assist re-authorizing BIDs, and emerging BIDs
• Other duties in support of ONED as assigned
• Seek other opportunities for partnerships and incentives

• Bachelor’s degree is required; a graduate degree in urban planning, economic development, or related field is preferred. 
• Minimum of two years public sector economic or community development experience.
• Education and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: planning, marketing, management of a non-profit agency or small business development, architecture, historic preservation, economics, public relations, promotions, special event coordination, design, planning, business or public administration.
• Or any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Deputy Director of Commerce, which has included a bachelor’s degree as an educational minimum.

Please include cover letter and resume with application.  The closing date for submissions is July 20, 2018

Philadelphia residency is not required at the time of application. Once hired, employees have six months to move into and maintain residency in the City of Philadelphia as a condition of employment.

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 pchr@ phila.gov. For more information, go to: Human Relations Website at: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations