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.

  Opportunities in Tech - Don’t wait for the future, shape it.

  Benefits - We care about your well being.

Agency Description

The Office of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for Criminal Justice and Public Safety strengthens the coordination of the Office of Violence Prevention, Office of Criminal Justice, Office of Reentry Partnerships, and Town Watch Integrated Services into a community-centric dynamic unit. The office is focused on uplifting solutions to reduce violence, enhance the bridge between neighborhoods and City government, as well as amplifies support for returning citizens and families impacted by the criminal justice system, developing and implementing reforms in an equitable fashion informed by the decades of systemic oppression, racism, and poverty.

• The Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) implements strategies and initiatives to prevent, reduce, and end violence in Philadelphia. OVP is particularly focused on addressing gun violence.
• The Office of Criminal Justice (OCJ) advances the Kenney Administration's goals of public safety and community well-being through collaborative and data-driven initiatives in Philadelphia’s criminal and juvenile justice systems.
• Town Watch Integrated Services (TWIS) is a volunteer focused safety effort. Residents of the community who wish to volunteer for their community will receive assistance from Town Watch Integrated Services.
• The Office of Reentry Partnerships (ORP) was formed in August 2019 to elevate and organize citywide reentry efforts and support the Kenney administration’s goals for criminal justice reform, violence prevention, and community reinvestment.

The Communications Manager for the Office of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for Criminal Justice and Public Safety is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to communicate the work of the department and elevate the implementation of the Philadelphia Roadmap for Safer Communities, the Administration’s violence prevention strategy. The communications support will include, but is not limited to: media relations, community engagement, social media management, email marketing, and web content development.

This position is also charged with supporting communications needs for senior members of the Managing Director’s Office as it relates to public safety. This position reports jointly to the Deputy Managing Director for Criminal Justice and Public Safety and the Senior Deputy Communications Director in the Mayor’s Office.

Essential Functions

• Work with department leadership to effectivity execute all communication on behalf of the Office of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
• Implement a comprehensive communications campaign for The Philadelphia Roadmap for Safer Communications, the Administration’s multi-year violence prevention strategy.
• Assist with media relations, including responding to reporters, drafting press releases and pitching stories
• Oversee communications contracts with outside vendors
• Develop digital content for web and social media
• Create and disseminate an email newsletter and work to actively grow the list of subscribers
• Ensure full coordination of all communications with the Mayor’s Office of Communications
• Draft talking points for senior leadership public event and press conferences

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience with digital communications and managing social media platforms
• Ability to develop press releases, media alerts, Q&A, and other media materials
• Experience organizing press events, including, but not limited to press conferences and media briefings
• Creative and effective problem-solving skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences including senior government officials
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet tight deadlines
• Available to work nights and weekends as needed
• Excellent self-direction and the ability to take ownership and drive responsibilities through to completion
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Create social media analytics reports and make recommendations based on findings
• Highly organized and capable of tracking files, content, and projects in a systematic manner
• Familiarity with, and understanding of, City of Philadelphia municipal operations and departments
• Ability to establish and foster relationships with cross-sector partners and to work as part of a collaborative team.

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing or a related field
• 5+ years of paid experience in the field of communications, with significant time spent in a media relations capacity
• Working knowledge of the public safety and criminal justice sector preferred, but not required.
• Graphic design training, skills or experience a plus
• Must demonstrate track record of strategically planning and creating digital content for blogs, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
• Microsoft Office proficiencies

Salary: $65,000 - $75,000

Did you know?

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• Employees are eligible for a 25% tuition discount program (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities
• 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 

As a condition of employment with the City of Philadelphia, employees starting employment on or after September 1, 2021 must be vaccinated. 

*Successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire.

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