Food Security Initiatives Program Manager

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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 Office of Children and Family Support Services is responsible for directing the operations of the City of Philadelphia’s Out of School Time Programs, Youth Workforce Program (Career Connected Learning) and the Education Support Center, a division of the Department of Human Services. The Office of Children and Family Support Services aligns policy, resources, programs and services for children and families, prioritizing: safe children, strong families, and supported schools. OCF’s Food Security work focuses on connecting Philadelphia children and families to free food and meals along with programs and benefits that support long-term food and economic security. Our school-based food security work focuses on increasing healthy food access in a welcoming, dignified environment with opportunities for student and caregiver leadership. 

Position Summary 

The Food Security Initiatives Program Manager provides support to the Director of Food Security Initiatives to ensure successful implementation of key food security initiatives including the City’s Summer Meals Outreach and Engagement Strategy, Extended Day, Extended Year (EDEY) and Community School-based food security initiatives like the One Philly Produce Project, and the City’s Free Food and Meal Finder. Responsibilities include communication with key partners, outreach and engagement with internal and external stakeholders, developing and providing technical assistance and training, and supporting program administration and operations. The Program Manager will work with the Director of Food Security Initiatives to develop and/or improve on efficient systems for supporting food security for children and families in Philadelphia. This position reports to the Director of Food Security Initiatives.  

Essential Functions 

Community Outreach, Engagement and Coordination  

• Assist Director with organizing and facilitating partner meetings including the Summer Meals Collaborative and EDEY and Community-school based food security initiatives.  

• Lead key components of the Summer Meals Outreach and Engagement Strategy including piloting a target neighborhood outreach strategy, executing a partnership engagement strategy, and planning the Family Resource Fair component of the Summer Meals Kick-off.   

• Work with Director to increase participation of Summer Meals Sponsors in the Summer Meals Collaborative.  

• Assist Director with improving community outreach and engagement to promote the City’s free food and meal finder, www.phila.gov/food.   

Communication, Training, and Technical Assistance  

• Serve as the liaison between One Philly Produce Project Schools, Food Connect, and Sharing Excess to communicate weekly delivery schedules, schedule changes, and program updates.  

• Support the Director of Food Security Initiatives in developing best practices to continuously improve our school-based food security work at EDEY and Community Schools.   

• Work with the Director of Food Security Initiatives to develop and facilitate trainings for school-based City staff, school staff, partners, and volunteers on best practices for school-based pantries and grocery giveaways, including the One Philly Produce Project at EDEY and Community Schools.  

• Schedule regular site visits at EDEY and Community School-based food and produce giveaways to get feedback from school partners and family participants.  

• Work with Director of Food Security Initiatives, OCF Communications, and other partners to create and update resources for EDEY and Community School partners including resource toolkits, guides, and promotional materials.   

• Assist with collecting stories and feedback from schools, summer meal sites, and other partners for us to share with funders and external partners.   

Operations and Administration  

• Work with the OCF Performance Management and Technology team along with key food security partners to ensure the information on the City’s Free Food and Meals Finder is up to date, including reaching out to partners about schedule changes due to holidays and inclement weather.   

• Work with Summer Meals Sponsors and Partners to add and update all open summer meal sites for youth to the City’s Free Food and Meal Site on a weekly basis during the summer.   

• Assist Director of Food Security Initiatives with creating and improving systems for tracking and organization program data across programs including Summer Meals, Community and EDEY School-based Food Security Initiatives, and the City’s Free Food and Meal Finder.   

• Track data, prepare reports, and presentations on Food Security Initiatives to share with City leaders and partners.   

• Provide scheduling, note-taking, and follow up support for internal and external partner meetings.   

Other duties as assigned 

Required Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Demonstrated experience in project or program management, ensuring the successful delivery of complex initiatives on time and within budget. 

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to effectively present ideas, updates, and proposals to a variety of audiences.  

• Strong organizational skills, including ability to handle simultaneous priority projects. 

• Strategic thinker with the ability to develop and implement long- and short-term communication strategies.  

• Ability to develop and operationalize systems to organize and manage information effectively.  

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across all organizational levels, fostering effective teamwork and communication.  

• Comfortable working in diverse environments, both in-office, at schools, and at community-based site visits and community meetings. 

• Strong understanding of the food insecurity landscape in Philadelphia and partners across the city working to address the issue of food insecurity. 

• Familiarity with Federally funded nutrition programs including the Summer Food Service Program, Summer EBT, and SNAP. 

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) from an accredited institution. Degree in food systems, social work, public health, community development, or a closely related field preferred.  

• At least 4 years of experience in project or program management with multiple stakeholders in a government or non-profit setting preferred, alternate experience considered.  

• Any equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.  

• Experience driving projects forward with multiple internal and external stakeholders.  

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

Salary Range: $72,000 - $85,000

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• 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 8 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