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 Office of Strategic Partnerships plays a crucial role in addressing Philadelphia’s diverse needs by cultivating and mobilizing resources from private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors throughout the region. Taking a comprehensive approach, the office aligns external support with city initiatives to enhance service delivery, expand community programs, and address key issues affecting residents. By fostering collaborations across sectors, the Office of Strategic Partnerships strengthens Philadelphia’s social and economic fabric, working to ensure that all partnerships are strategically focused on creating sustainable impact and advancing the city’s goals.

Position Summary

 The Director of Strategic Partnerships leads the Office of Strategic Partnerships for the City of Philadelphia, playing a critical role in identifying, developing, and sustaining innovative collaborations that advance the Mayor’s policy goals and social impact initiatives. As an executive-level leader, the Director is responsible for fostering cross-sector partnerships that enhance community engagement, generate new funding streams, and leverage resources that benefit the City and its residents. This role requires a strategic vision to align external support with city priorities, ensuring partnerships are impactful, sustainable, and aligned with Philadelphia’s overarching objectives.

Essential Functions

Direct and manage the fundraising and coordination pipeline between the philanthropic, corporate, and business communities and the City of Philadelphia. The Office of Strategic Partnerships will serve as a bridge and relationship manager between partners and the City of Philadelphia.

Strategic Partnership Development:

• Lead efforts to identify and cultivate relationships and partnerships with businesses, foundations, philanthropic organizations, academic institutions, nonprofits, and other organizations.
• Develop and implement strategies to leverage external resources, including financial and in-kind support, for City projects and initiatives.
• Serve as a liaison between the City and partners to connect external stakeholders with City departments and projects that are mission aligned.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Foster strong relationships with key stakeholders internally and externally, including City department leadership, corporate executives, foundation leaders and relevant staff.
• Represent the City in meetings and events with partners, potential funders, and other strategic allies.
• Maintain ongoing communication with partners to sustain long-term collaborations.

Project Management and Coordination:

• Work with cross-departmental teams within City departments to facilitate successful partnership projects.
• Track partnership outcomes and ensure accountability for deliverables.

Resource Mobilization:

• Lead efforts, coordination, grant writing, and applications to secure funding and resources for City projects through grants, sponsorships, and donations from external partners.
• Identify innovative funding models and opportunities for public-private partnerships based on models from across the region and across the country.

Strategic Planning and Innovation:

• Collaborate with City departmental leadership to develop long-term strategies for leveraging partnerships to achieve strategic priorities.
• Identify new areas of potential collaboration that support the City’s goals in areas such as public safety, economic development, clean and green, education, environmental sustainability, and equity.
• Provide thought leadership on emerging trends in partnerships and philanthropy.

Evaluation and Impact Assessment:

• Develop metrics and evaluation systems to assess and catalog potential partners.
• Measure the effectiveness and impact of partnerships.
• Prepare regular reports for the Mayor, senior leadership, and other key stakeholders on the progress of partnership initiatives.
• Ensure all partnerships are aligned with the City's goals of equity, transparency, and community benefit.

Required Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge:

• Extensive understanding of partnership models, funding streams, and innovative resource mobilization strategies, including grant applications, sponsorships, and in-kind contributions.
• Knowledge of municipal operations and policies, especially those related to public safety, economic development, sustainability, education, and equity.
• Familiarity with principles of relationship management and stakeholder engagement, including knowledge of philanthropic, corporate, academic, and nonprofit sectors.
• Understanding of evaluation methods and metrics to assess partnership effectiveness and community impact, with a focus on equity, transparency, and alignment with city goals.

Skills:

• Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to develop and implement long-term partnership plans that support the Mayor’s priorities and city objectives.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills for engaging a wide range of stakeholders, representing the City in diverse forums, and fostering collaboration.
• Ability to oversee complex, cross-departmental partnership projects, including tracking deliverables, ensuring accountability, and coordinating with internal teams.
• Proficient in drafting grant applications and creating funding proposals; skilled in identifying innovative funding models to secure external resources.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to think strategically and develop innovative solutions to complex challenges.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of work.

Abilities:

• Ability to provide thought leadership on partnership trends, mobilizing resources, and guiding initiatives that promote citywide social impact.
• Capability to design and utilize metrics for evaluating partnership outcomes, reporting to senior leadership, and improving the partnership strategy based on quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with City department leaders and external partners to facilitate impactful, mission-aligned projects that enhance service delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex, evolving priorities and identify solutions that benefit the City and its residents while balancing multiple projects.

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business, Communications, or a related field.

Master’s degree preferred.

At least 10 years of experience in partnership development or stakeholder management, ideally within the philanthropic, nonprofit, or corporate sectors. Candidates should have a proven record of managing complex, multi-stakeholder partnerships and a strong understanding of public policy, municipal operations, and urban community challenges.

We value diverse experiences and are open to flexible qualifications. If you are passionate about this role and meet some of the key criteria, we encourage you to apply.

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

Salary Range: $155,000 - $186,000

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 6 weeks of paid parental leave.
• 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
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

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

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that  are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

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