Citizen’s Planning Institute Program Specialist - Salary: $67,192

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 Department of Planning and Development (DPD) includes the city’s housing agencies, planning commission, art commission, historical commission, zoning board of adjustment, developer services, and more. These divisions work hand in hand to promote the economic health of all neighborhoods and the City. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) is one agency within the department and includes the Citizens Planning Institute (CPI) as a means of educating and empowering the public. PCPC staff updates the city’s comprehensive plan and weighs in on decisions related to the built environment of the city, all with continued engagement with the public.

About CPI:
The Citizens Planning Institute (CPI) is a vital community initiative that has been making a positive impact in our neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia since 2010. The CPI is an eight-week course offered biannually in the spring and fall, with each cohort consisting of a diverse group of thirty residents. The participants gain valuable insights into city planning and development projects, enabling them to play a more effective and active role in shaping the future of their neighborhoods and communities. For over a decade CPI has seen significant success, with over 730 “graduates”, representing more than 130 distinct neighborhoods. The impact of this program has been profound in promoting civic responsibility, community engagement, and sustainable development.

CPI staff also coordinates efforts within PCPC to offer training and other programming that educates community members to engage with city, to have a voice in decisions that affect their neighborhoods, and to collaborate with their neighbors to lead their own successful projects.

Job Description

Position Summary:

The duties of the new Program Specialist will be focused on community engagement strategies and implementation during the comprehensive plan update project and beyond. The PCPC is charter-mandated to maintain an updated comprehensive plan, and the public launch of the update is scheduled to begin in 2025. Moving forward, this plan, which includes a citywide planning phase and Districts (18) planning phase, will exist as a more dynamic process than with the previous plan- Phila2035. The agency is seeking to sustain ongoing community-based relationships generated through the update project. The Program Specialist will act as the project manager and liaison for all engagement activities.

The Program Specialist will also coordinate capacity-building activities with our community partner network, a major element of the Engagement Framework for the project. The “community partner” scope of work has been identified by a resident-driven Steering Committee that PCPC has been working with for over two years and fleshed out in detail by two different consultant teams. The Program Specialist will expand the capacity of PCPC to do community-based work.

The city’s new Equitable Engagement Toolkit will be leveraged to help design and implement specific tactics with the community partners. The goals and metrics for this scope of work are aligned with the city’s priorities for inclusive engagement, particularly in underrecognized communities.

The position will report to the Program Manager of the Citizens Planning Institute. The agency also has (6) staff Community Initiative Support Specialists, who will also assist the Program Specialist with the community engagement scope of work.

Essential Functions:

Pre-launch Phase of the Comprehensive Plan Update:

• Leading the build-out of the “community partners” engagement