Grants Program Coordinator

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 Emergency Management (OEM) works to mitigate, plan, and prepare for emergencies; educate the public about preparedness; coordinate emergency response and recovery efforts; and develop tools and identify resources to support the overall preparedness of the City of Philadelphia.

Position Summary

Candidates for this position should possess a strong desire to work in a team-oriented, fast-paced, professional public safety environment, and a willingness to serve the public in the sixth largest city in the nation. The successful candidate for this position will assist with the development, strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of an integrated emergency management program to support preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts. The Homeland Security Grants Coordinator oversees service request through the procurement process for city public safety agencies. This position also coordinates with various stakeholders at the City, State, and Federal level to help administer Grant funding.

The ideal candidate is self-motivated, solutions-oriented, easily adapts, has diverse project management experience, anticipates needs, and brings a robust set of soft skills including integrity, diplomacy, communication, and persuasion. Successful candidates must be City residents within six months of hire and are required to serve as members of on-call field response teams with 24-hr response requirements during their rotation. OEM staff also periodically work during non-standard hours for extended periods of time, in austere field environments, and during activations of the Philadelphia Emergency Operations Center. This may include nighttime, weekends, holidays, and during adverse weather.

Essential Functions

Under the direction of three supervision of the Grant Program Manager, the Grant Program Coordinator is responsible for a range of administrative and acquisition activities including, but not limited to, the following:

• Procurement with Grant funding
  • Tracking a high volume of simultaneous procurements.
  • Shepherding equipment and service requests through a bureaucratic procurement process.
  • Ensuring procurements follow all local, State, and Federal guidelines.
• Assisting with administrative documents:
  • Tracking contract deliverables & invoicing.
  • Conducting equipment tracking and inventory management.
  • Sole Source procurements.
  • Requests for Proposals.
  • Contract and contract amendment reviews.
  • Supporting with research and tracking from inception to execution.
  • Managing equipment procurement submissions & Authorized Equipment List validation.
  • Researching vendors.
• Grant requests and guidance:
  • Crafting Investment Justifications.
  • Tracking workgroup and subcommittee budget allocations.
  • Crafting appropriate PEMA Division of Grants Management forms upon request.
  • Researching allowable grant activities and costs.
  • Maintaining a solid knowledge of the federal Core Capabilities.
• Cooperating and coordinating with various stakeholders at the City, State, and Federal level to help administer Grant funding.
• Crafting internal policies and procedures as needed.
• Maintaining shared files in an organized and available manner.
• Performing other duties as assigned by the Grant Program Manager.

Required Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Competencies

• Exhibits high emotional intelligence and relies on interpersonal, leadership, diplomacy, and negotiation skills to accomplish work.
• Communicates clearly and thoroughly in writing and speaking, anticipating the needs of their audience.
• Pays keen attention to details to ensure standards are met, as well as find replicable best practices and to conduct root-cause analysis for improvement planning.
• Produces projects on-time and within scope based on a stated mission or objective and without significant oversight.
• Embraces challenges and provides viable solutions to project impediments.
• Exercises discretion to maintain confidentiality and in navigating sensitive topics with different audiences.
• Can apply technology to accomplish work, including Microsoft Office Suite, mapping software, web-based platforms for information management and display, and other mediums like audio-visual to convey information.
• Applies equity and inclusion lenses in all projects.

Knowledge

• An understanding of Commonwealth government and appropriate laws and authorities governing Municipal, County, State and Federal public safety and law enforcement activity and needs. Including the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• Knowledge of budgeting, grant management, and resource allocation in a public sector context.

Skills

• Time management, self-motivation, and accountability: You know what needs to get accomplished and you are able to manage and prioritize your time to ensure you are meeting expectations. You aim to deliver early and you communicate when plans need to change or a breakdown in expectations occurs.  
• Problem-solving, critical thinking, and intuition: You are able to see the whole situation, seek and use existing frameworks for new problems, and conduct your own research to answer questions and propose viable solutions. When the script ends, you can quickly draw on multiple sources to have a plan.
• Communication and organization: You are methodical and consistent in how you organize and share information. This standard way of operating helps others to predict and organize their actions.
• Diplomacy and emotional intelligence: The nature of emergency management work presents tense situations due to time urgency, resource gaps, and competing priorities. You rely on interpersonal skills to navigate these situations and find a way to ‘get to yes’ as best as possible. You know that your power and authority come through collaboration.
• Service: You know that service can take many forms and that most acts of service go unrecognized. Helping a colleague or taking extra time to explain a complex subject to someone is standard practice for you.

Abilities

• Ability to coordinate diverse groups toward a common goal.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships and develop partnerships.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously and pivot quickly.
• Ability to operate in chaotic or uncertain environments.

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in with course work in public safety, management, planning, economics, finance, accounting, business or public administration, operations research, healthcare, political science or a closely related field.
• Familiarity with emergency services within the City of Philadelphia is preferred.
• One year minimum of project management experience.
• Experience working within a government setting
• Experience working with intergovernmental grant programs and reimbursements
• Experience with FEMA and/or Emergency Management Grants is preferred.

Licenses and Certifications

• Possession of a valid proper class motor vehicle operator’s license issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania within six (6) months of start date and throughout tenure with the City of Philadelphia.
• Successful completion of FEMA Independent Study courses (IS 100.a, 200.a, 700.a, and 800.b) within first month of appointment.

We value diverse experiences and are open to flexible qualifications. An equivalent combination of education and experience in a related field will be considered with approval by OEM and the Office of Human Resources.

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, and brief (not to exceed 3 pages) writing sample (showing your ability to write a plan, policy or report-style document)

Salary Range: $68,671-$72,000

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 [email protected].

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