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:

Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability (OOS) is responsible for implementing Greenworks: A Vision for a Sustainable Philadelphia, the City’s comprehensive sustainability plan. OOS works with partners to improve the quality of life in all Philadelphia neighborhoods, reduce the City’s carbon emissions, and prepare Philadelphia for a hotter, wetter future. The Energy Office, housed within OOS, manages municipal government energy operations.

The team that makes up OOS works interdependently to achieve these goals by drawing upon the wide range of professional and lived experience among team members. Members often collaborate in workgroups of people with complementary skills to maximize OOS’s collective expertise.

OOS prioritizes professional growth and development across the team. Learning and capacity building occurs in an individual and team context. The entire team convenes regularly to strengthen skills and competencies through training, knowledge exchange, resource sharing, and peer-to-peer support. In addition to all-staff development opportunities, team members create individualized professional development plans to develop specialized skills and explore areas of learning interest.

The Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice will steward the development and implementation of inclusive and empowering initiatives that address the root causes of unequal environmental conditions experienced by communities across Philadelphia. This position will advance near-term program objectives, including:

• Strengthening the capacity of the Environmental Justice Advisory Commission to identify policy and practices reforms that centralize the leadership of those most impacted by environmental injustice and the climate crisis.
• Elevating forward-looking initiatives that address the cumulative impact of multiple sources of environmental harm.
• Steward relationships with other levels of government, business networks, non-profit organizations, community-based organizations, and others to advance a holistic approach to environmental injustice that moves impacted communities from surviving to thriving.

In the development of these pathways, the Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice will apply an environmental justice lens to assess the degree to which these actions contribute to the advancement of systemic equity - a dynamic system that reinforces and replicates equitable conditions and outcomes.

This is a full-time position that reports to the Chief Resilience Officer.

Essential Functions

Designated Officer for Environmental Justice Advisory Commission

• Serve as an informed resource person to the chair and members of the Environmental Justice Advisory Commission (EJAC) by providing professional guidance and responding to request for issue analysis and data on environmental and/or climate topics.
• Collaborate with EJAC leadership to set strategic direction and ensure initiatives are planned and implemented to achieve the Commission’s intended goals and objectives.
• Serve as a bridge between the EJAC and stakeholders within relevant governmental agencies, community-based organizations, and neighborhood leaders.

Strategic Initiatives Development and Implementation

• Provide leadership and subject-matter expertise to the development of innovative policies, programming, and capacity-building strategies that address current and historic environmental injustice and that make impacted communities safe, healthy, and whole.
• Working with key stakeholders, ensure the realization of new initiatives from concept through all stages of implementation. 
• Assist with efforts to secure sources of funding for initiatives related to environmental justice.

Centralizing Impacted Community Leadership

• Assist with the administration of a community resilience grant fund designed to enhance community connectedness and promote actions that reduce environmental disparities.
• Steward relationships with impacted communities to ensure activities are centered in their experiences and perspectives and align with their strategic priorities.

Other Duties

• Performs other tasks and responsibilities as assigned, the focus of activities may change depending on the needs of the agency.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Environmental Justice Expertise - A deep understanding of issues relating to climate change, environmental pollutants, and resiliency and their points of intersection with social justice and civil rights concerns; Familiarity with targeted policy and program interventions that address the environmental health hazards that disproportionately burden lower-wealth and communities of color; An awareness of power-building strategies that enable residents of impacted communities to participate as co-creators in the development and implementation of interventions to meet local needs.
• Policy - In-depth understanding of the policymaking process; Demonstrated experience analyzing and interpreting legislative and regulatory language.
• Research and Data Analysis - Well-versed in sifting through a vast array of informational resources and producing products (written or digital) that harvest meaningful insights.
• Communication - Demonstrates strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical information into accessible forms and adapt styles to diverse audiences and different cultural environments.
• Relationship Management - Relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences; Demonstrated experience (professional or non-professional) building and maintaining relationships with low-wealth and community of color communities and executing projects involving multiple constituencies.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Deep connection with an environmental justice or overburdened community.
• Commitment to building relationships from the perspective of the Jemez and Environmental Justice Principles.
• At least five (5) years of demonstrated experience (professional or non-professional) in using an environmental justice approach to advance policy priorities and program development. 
• Bachelor’s Degree, or a combination of 4 years of education and/or relevant experience.

Salary- $80,000-$90,000

Did you know?

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• 25% tuition discount program for City employees (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

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

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