Job Description

Position Summary

The Deputy Director for Policy, Planning, and Performance reports directly to the Executive Director and is a senior leader responsible for driving the agency’s strategic initiatives, performance management, and public accountability. This role plays a critical part in expanding permanent supportive housing, ending street homelessness, enhancing provider collaboration, and developing transparent, community-centered systems.

OHS is the Collaborative Applicant for the Philadelphia Continuum of Care, and is located within the Health and Human Services Cabinet, which includes the Departments of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), Human Services (DHS), Mayor’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, and Public Health (DPH).

The Deputy will be a part of the executive leadership team which consists of the Executive Director, Chief of Staff, Deputy Director of Housing, and Deputy Director of Finance, Contracts, and Asset Management. It provides administrative coordination, leadership and management analysis, facilitation and review on behalf of the department with other City operating departments, community agencies, state and federal representatives and the public.

Essential Functions

Key Responsibilities

** Strategic Planning and Policy Leadership**

• Lead the development, monitoring and reporting of the OHS Strategic
• Design and update policies aligned with Housing First principles, racial equity, and other evidence-based best practices.
• Analyze trends, data, and research to recommend policy innovations that advance the goal of ending street homelessness.

** Performance Management and Transparency**

• Oversee the design and implementation of agency-wide performance measures and dashboards tied to housing outcomes, racial equity, and system flow.
• Develop systems and processes to make OHS data, policies, funding decisions, and performance outcomes transparent and accessible to the public and community stakeholders.
• Lead internal performance reviews and drive continuous improvement efforts across OHS programs and initiatives.

** Provider and Community Collaboration**

• Serve as a strategic liaison to the provider community, fostering strong, solutions-driven partnerships.
• Lead engagement activities including advisory groups, forums, and public input sessions to inform OHS planning and policy.
• Support provider capacity-building initiatives through technical assistance and innovation pilots.

** Continuum of Care (CoC) and Board Management**

• Oversee the CoC collaborative applicant responsibilities and manage all HUD CoC regulatory compliance requirements.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the CoC Board, ensuring alignment between Board priorities and OHS initiatives.
• Manage the annual CoC funding competition process, ensuring transparency, community participation, and the strategic use of federal housing resources.

** Resource Development and Grant Management**

• Source, secure, and manage federal, state, local, and private funding opportunities to expand resources for homelessness services and housing.
• Collaborate with OHS leadership and City partners to ensure coordinated application and compliance for all grant-funded initiatives.

** Cross-System and Stakeholder Coordination**

• Strengthen partnerships across behavioral health, housing, healthcare, criminal justice, and workforce sectors to drive system-wide solutions.
• Represent OHS at local, state, and national forums related to homelessness prevention, housing, and systems transformation.

** Project and Change Management**

• Manage high-priority projects that operationalize OHS’s strategic goals, ensuring milestones and deliverables are achieved on time.
• Lead change management initiatives that embed transparency, community voice, and racial equity into OHS’s core functions.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Preferred Competencies

• Proven experience with grant writing, resource development, and securing diverse funding streams.
• Experience managing public-sector planning processes and funding competitions.
• Familiarity with HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) data, reporting, and system performance measures.
• Deep understanding of Philadelphia’s housing and homeless services landscape.
• Deep knowledge of Housing First, permanent supportive housing, coordinated entry systems, and CoC regulations.
• Strong skills in policy development, strategic planning, and data-informed performance management.
• Commitment to transparency, racial equity, and meaningful community engagement.
• Exceptional collaboration, leadership, and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Social Work, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in homelessness services, housing, government, nonprofit management, or systems coordination.

Additional Information

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

Salary Range: $115,000 - $135,000

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 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 faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx