Director of the Office of Strategic Partnership

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 FunctionsDirect 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 AbilitiesKnowledge: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.