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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 Criminal Justice (OCJ) facilitates partnerships between City agencies, criminal justice partners, non-profit organizations, and community members in order to advance the Kenney administration’s goals around criminal justice reform. The OCJ is seeking an individual to manage the operations of the Police Assisted Diversion (PAD) Program.

The PAD Program is a collaborative effort between the Philadelphia Police Department, Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health, Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, Philadelphia’s Office of Criminal Justice, and other local criminal justice and service providers. The PAD Program is designed divert individuals away from the criminal justice system and into treatment at the point of initial contact with law enforcement. This program will serve individuals whose low-level criminal behavior is driven primarily by substance abuse and other co-occurring conditions such as mental health challenges or sustenance needs.

Strict enforcement responses do little to prevent recidivism among individuals with substance use disorder or curtail spending on the criminal justice system in Philadelphia. By giving people an opportunity to access social services instead of being arrested, the PAD Program aims to decrease their likelihood of engaging in future criminal activity by addressing the root causes of their behavior. Thus, the PAD Program has the mutually beneficial goals of improving outcomes for individuals struggling with substance use disorder while simultaneously improving public safety and reducing the reliance on the criminal justice system.

The Operations Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the PAD Program, and supervising the program staff. The Operations Manager will work closely with the OCJ Staff and other PAD partners including the Philadelphia Police Department, District Attorney’s Office, Department of Behavioral Health, and other criminal justice and social service providers to facilitate ongoing communication and program development for PAD.

The Operations Manager will work closely with District Captains, the Service Detail officers, Police Officers detailed to the PAD program, Citywide VICE, and other law enforcement partners to make regular roll call announcements as well as reconcile PAD-eligible arrest data. They will monitor program referrals, track participant progress across sites, and report on program progress to various entities within the City.

The Operations Manager will conduct weekly supervision with the (3) Assistant Program Managers for PAD and provide appropriate supports to maintain high job performance and satisfaction. While the program is currently operational in the City’s 22nd, 24th, 25th, 26th, and 39th police districts as well as with Citywide VICE and the Narcotics Strikeforce, the Operations Manager will be responsible for managing the operations of any future expansion sites of the PAD program as well.

The Operations Manager will coordinate/facilitate the monthly Operational Workgroup meetings between PPD, PAD service providers, and other PAD partners to report on the operational outcomes of the program. They will be responsible for competently addressing any operational concerns with program functionality in real time as well as diligently work towards meeting larger program improvement goals. In addition, the PAD Operations Manager will focus on the expansion of community partnerships and presenting on the PAD program at neighborhood-level community meetings. The PAD Operations Manager will work under the supervision of the Director of the Office of Criminal Justice.  

Essential Functions

• Manage operational aspects of the Police-Assisted Diversion Program, including all program staff.
• Respond to requests by program partners related to the operations of the various components of the PAD Program.
• Serve as a liaison for the PAD Program between the City, local criminal justice partners, and service providers involved in implementing the PAD Program.
• Coordinate monthly PAD Operational Workgroup meetings.
• Manage the operations of Special Initiatives for PAD (i.e., 3-day Warrant Initiatives lasting approximately 12 hours/day)
• Establish linkages between PAD service provider sites and other community providers to bolster the range of services available to participants in the PAD Programs.
• Generate reports and briefs to update City officials and community partners on the City’s PAD efforts
• Represent the City of Philadelphia in a variety of events and meetings with various internal and external stakeholders
• Develop processes for engaging community members and individuals with lived experience in PAD work
• Ability to fill-in for Assistant Program Managers at the District level during sick or vacation days

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Supervisory experience
• Ability to consolidate data from multiple sources and produce program-level reports
• Public Speaking
• Knowledge of evidence-based harm reduction strategies
• Comfort working with individuals from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from high-ranking City officials to individuals that are insecurely housed with complex unmet health needs
• Strong organizational, analytical, and written communication skills
• Ability to quickly learn new programs and systems
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with non-traditional working hours
• Ability to work well with others
• Commitment to improving the lives of all Philadelphians by increasing public safety in a sustainable way

Qualifications (Education and Experience)

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university
• A minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in harm reduction, criminal justice
• reform, or a related field
• Experience in data gathering from multiple sources
• Basic understanding of local law enforcement practices
• Basic understanding of neighborhood dynamics in the City of Philadelphia

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience implementing an evidence-based program
• Ability to analyze data using a statistical program like R or Stata
• Experience engaging community members in work to improve their neighborhoods
• Experience in working with community based organizations to ensure quality control and fidelity of the program model.
• Master’s degree in Public Administration, Criminal Justice, Public Health, or a related field

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

Salary Range: $65,000 - $75,000 

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

*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

The PAD Program is modeled after the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program. LEAD is based on a harm-reduction model, whereby reducing an individual’s risk for harm to him or herself and to the community is prioritized over complete sobriety. The LEAD program also strives to shift policing policy from an “enforcement-first” approach to a health-centered model. LEAD underwent a rigorous two-year evaluation by the University of Washington that measured a variety of short- and long-term outcomes, including reduced participant-level recidivism and changes in drug use, health, psychosocial functioning, employment, and family/community involvement. The evaluation also assessed community impact, cost-savings by the criminal justice system, and racial disparities in law enforcement practices.

Results from this evaluation indicate that the LEAD program decreases recidivism, decreases demand for social services, improves community-police relationships, increases public perceptions of safety, and frees up police resources for other uses.