Chief Racial Equity Officer

Company Description

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 Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) provides leadership on issues of economic justice by advancing racial equity and inclusive growth to ensure that all Philadelphians share in the city’s prosperous future and by alleviating the immediate impact of poverty on individuals, families, and communities.  CEO is Philadelphia’s Community Action Agency (CAA); CAAs are private or public agencies created by the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act and federally designated to receive Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding.

Guiding Principles (We believe…)

• The people of Philadelphia deserve the opportunity to live happy, healthy, full lives. 
• City Government should both recognize its culpability in creating and sustaining inequity and aspire to its responsibility to provide opportunities, represent the best interests, and promote the well-being of all residents. 
• People can offer meaningful insights into both personal experiences and how systems around them function. 
• Poverty is a deliberately created systemic issue and city government can lead in calling for justice and dismantling the barriers that often prevent opportunities. 

Values (How we work)

• Dignity: We actively respect our individual colleagues and people in the community.
• Inclusivity: Our work is more beneficial, valuable, and valid when our full range of experiences, knowledge, and skills can contribute.
• Persistence: We recognize the challenges inherent in this work, and when we get discouraged, we find ways to be resilient, lift each other up, and push forward.
• Accountability: We are transparent and honest about our plans, our actions, and our results.

• Honesty: We create a space to have healthy, honest dialogues about systems, people, and misconceptions and then communicate truthfully.

Job Description

The Chief Racial Equity Officer for the Office of Community Empowerment & Opportunity is a member of the executive team and will report to the Executive Director and lead CEO’s overarching effort to embed racial equity in all work.  This position provides leadership in CEO’s efforts to advance anti-racism and equity in our convenings, community and civic engagement, communication channels, and placed-based initiatives.

The Chief Racial Equity Officer is tasked with providing leadership, subject-matter expertise, and support to the ongoing efforts to advance racial equity within CEO across all areas. The Chief will engage in this work through three key workstreams:

Department Leadership & Staff Supervision. This position will play a key role in ensuring that all aspects of CEO leadership are conducted with a focus on equity, including cross-functional leadership with all deputies to ensure REI and DEI practices are embedded throughout the organization; this may also include collaborating with the Director of HR to develop equitable hiring & staff development practices and the Director of Impact to embed equity in internal processes. This position will supervise CEO’s Communications, Racial Equity Impact, and Engagement Partnership directors and associated teams, including three direct reports and a full team of nine.

Through supervision, the Chief will provide leadership in:

• Changing the narrative of poverty from individual behavior to systems change
• Incorporating equitable practices in all external-facing work
• Supporting other city agencies and nonprofit organizations in deepening their community engagement work

Community & Intergovernmental Liai