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 City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability (OOS) works with partners around the City to improve quality of life in all Philadelphia neighborhoods, reduce the City’s carbon emissions, and prepare Philadelphia for a hotter, wetter future. OOS works to implement Greenworks, the City’s comprehensive sustainability plan.

Housed within OOS, the Philadelphia Food Policy Advisory Council (FPAC) convenes resident stakeholders from across Philadelphia’s food system to advise the City of Philadelphia on food policy. Working with municipal agencies, local food justice leaders, and community organizations, FPAC advises the City on how to create a just food system—where all people have the power to access, own and control our food, land and labor. FPAC sees racism and other forms of oppression as the root causes of injustices in our food system. As such FPAC works to affect policy change that addresses root causes and shifts power. FPAC is led by the wisdom and power of those most impacted by injustices in the food system –Black, Brown, Indigenous, poor, and marginalized people.

Over the past two years, the Food Policy Advisory Council (FPAC) has been growing its membership, infrastructure, organization systems, and policy processes so Philadelphians who are most impacted by and organizing against injustices in our food system (e.g., people who are experiencing food insecurity, working in the food industry, relying on school/prison food, struggling to own land and grow one’s cultural foods, feeding neighbors, and running neighborhood-based food businesses) can lead food policy and increase their political power in our city.  

Philadelphia still suffers from the effects of deeply racist policies and practices that began centuries ago with the land theft and genocide of indigenous people and the enslavement of African people. This history and more recent practices of redlining and mass incarceration of poor and working-class communities of color, still determines which communities are more likely to experience hunger, suffer from diet-related diseases, labor in our region’s kitchens, own land, and have a voice in political processes. FPAC aims to make amends for historically racist and unjust policies by advocating for policy change that addresses the root causes of inequities and injustices in our food system. FPAC believes that Black, Brown, Indigenous, poor, and marginalized people with wisdom from experiencing food injustices and enacting community-based solutions must lead and influence our city’s food policy work in order to build a racially and economically just food system. The Food Policy Operations Lead is critical to assuring that FPAC’s work is funded, that systems are in place to support FPAC members to thrive, and that our efforts and resources are shared with Philadelphians most impacted by and critical to our local food system in ways that are relevant and accessible

The Food Policy Operations Lead will meet the development, communications, and administrative needs of FPAC and its more than thirty appointed members and seven subcommittees. The Lead will also provide administrative support to the cross-departmental Food Policy Staff Working Group and Leadership Table.

Specifically, the Lead is responsible for:

Creating and implementing a strategy for sustaining FPAC financially through public and private dollars

Developing and implementing a communications strategy so that FPAC members can work with ease and Philadelphians can access and learn about FPAC, Philadelphia food policy, and food justice efforts

Providing administrative support so that FPAC members can thrive in their roles

Increasing FPAC member capacity in the areas of development, communications, media, and project management

This is a full-time one-year grant-funded position with the intention to secure funding to expand beyond a year. The position reports to the FPAC Manager and works closely with a team of City staff working on food issues and policy in many City departments. This position also works closely with and/or convenes the Communications & Outreach and Funding subcommittees. 

Essential Functions

Development

• Lead grant writing and reporting, resource mobilization efforts, and financial management.
• Establish a Funding Subcommittee to support staff in setting budgets that reflect the priorities outlined in FPAC’s strategic plan.
• Work with FPAC’s membership, specifically the Funding Subcommittee, to create a fundraising plan that includes development of new funding opportunities inside the City and from external sources.

Communications

• Work with FPAC’s membership, specifically the Communications and Outreach Subcommittee, to create and begin implementation of a communications plan that outlines external and internal communications procedures
• Manage communications tools, including website, social media, newsletters and emails, digital and print resources,  events, and others as needed
• Improve processes so that staff and members can communicate and access information with ease, utilizing email, file sharing, online polls and evaluations, member database, and Discord digital platform
• Design tools and guidelines for campaigns, e.g., ‘how to inform the public about FPAC’, ‘sharing political education resources’, ‘increasing resident engagement in food policy’, or ‘how to engage leaders in policy recommendations.’

Administration

• Coordinate online and in-person monthly FPAC meetings of up to 100 stakeholders, including City staff, appointed members and the public
• Attend monthly meetings and provide support to FPAC’s programmatic subcommittees
• Provide administrative support, including scheduling and project management, to FPAC Co-Chairs, Facilitation Cohort, Executive Committee (subcommittee chairs), and Ex-officio members (City staff working on food issues)

Other duties

• Collaborate and strategize within OOS and across City departments on equitable engagement and communication practices as well as food and environmental justice initiatives.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Financial management and budgeting - Experience managing budgets, fundraising, writing and managing grants, and cultivating funder relationships. Ability to lead processes to develop a vision and set goals and raise the funds to execute them.
• Communications experience - Experience developing a communications strategy and using a variety of tools to tell compelling stories and make information accessible. Strong oral and written communication skills with experience tailoring messages based on the audience and nature of the information.
• Administrative management - Experience managing multiple projects at once, providing administrative support, and creating systems that help people of various abilities to collaborate with ease. Well-practiced in connecting day-to-day work with long-term goals and finding balance between responding to immediate needs and addressing root causes.
• Relationship cultivation and 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) collaborating with low-wealth and community of color communities and executing projects involving multiple constituencies.

• At least five years of demonstrated experience (professional or non-professional) in developing communications strategy, managing projects, and/or financial management and development
• Bachelor’s Degree or a combination of four years of education and/or relevant experience.
• Deep connection and lived experience with the Philadelphia food system, food injustice, and/or movements for change.  Lived experience navigating food injustices, e.g., experiencing hunger, relying on school/prison food, working in the food industry, etc. and organizing community solutions, e.g., feeding neighbors, running a food business, growing food, etc. Familiarity with food sovereignty and justice movements and grassroots initiatives in Philadelphia. Understanding of the root causes of all people not being able to access and control our food, land, and labor. 
• We welcome and encourage applicants with non-traditional career paths. If you don’t exactly meet the qualifications outlined here, please apply and describe in your cover letter how your own experiences equip you to excel in this position.

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a resume.

Salary Range: $60,000 - $65,000 

Job Training & Professional Development Statement

• OOS is committed to building the capacity of staff members. In addition to access to external trainings, certifications or other professional development opportunities, learning also occurs in a shared setting. All team members jointly participate in exploring new concepts, resources, and skills. The entire OOS team convenes regularly to strengthen skills and competencies through knowledge exchange, resource sharing, and peer-to-peer support.
• Staff further build skills and knowledge through mentoring with members of the senior leadership team and peer-to-peer mentoring. Staff receive guidance and coaching from other OOS staff as well as other partners based on professional growth interests.

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

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

Please note that effective September 1, 2021 the City of Philadelphia is requiring all new employees to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19. 

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