Benefits Access Project Manager

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 Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) provides leadership on issues of economic justice by advancing racial equity and inclusive growth to ensure that all Philadelphians share in the city’s prosperous future and by alleviating the immediate impact of poverty on individuals, families and communities.  CEO is Philadelphia’s Community Action Agency (CAA); CAAs are private or public agencies created by the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act and federally designated to receive Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding.

Guiding Principles (We believe…)

• The people of Philadelphia deserve the opportunity to live happy, healthy, full lives. 
• City Government should both recognize its culpability in creating and sustaining inequity and aspire to its responsibility to provide opportunities, represent the best interests, and promote the well-being of all residents. 
• People can offer meaningful insights into both personal experiences and how systems around them function. 
• Poverty is a deliberately created systemic issue and city government can lead in calling for justice and dismantling the barriers that often prevent opportunities. 

Values (How we work)

• Dignity: We actively respect our individual colleagues and people in the community.
• Inclusivity: Our work is more beneficial, valuable, and valid when our full range of experiences, knowledge, and skills can contribute.
• Persistence: We recognize the challenges inherent in this work, and when we get discouraged, we find ways to be resilient, lift each other up, and push forward.
• Accountability: We are transparent and honest about our plans, our actions, and our results.
• Honesty: We create a space to have healthy, honest dialogues about systems, people, and misconceptions and then communicate truthfully.

Position Summary

The Benefits Access Project Manager is a dynamic, seasoned, and innovative leader. This position plays an essential role in enhancing the services provided by the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) BenePhilly program, which maximizes the number of Philadelphians that receive the public benefits they are eligible for, including medical care, food assistance, utility assistance programs, and property tax relief.  CEO launched the BenePhilly program in 2013, and with our partners, submitted 6,300 applications for public benefits in 2024, and enrolled households in benefits valued at more than $8 million.  This program is housed in the Policy & Programs unit at CEO and works collaboratively with other units to reach Philly households.  The Benefits Access Project Manager is an integral part of the City’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO), an agency within the Office of the Mayor of Philadelphia that directly supports the Mayor’s goal of economic opportunity for all.  CEO’s mission is to advance economic justice through racial equity, to increase mobility out of poverty and to ensure that all Philadelphians can share in the benefits of economic growth. CEO invests federal Community Services Block Grant funding and other resources to support this work. The Executive Director of CEO oversees the development and implementation of CEO’s economic justice and racial equity agenda.

CEO’s Strategic Framework and Policy Agenda 
The Benefits Access Project Manager advances CEO’s strategy to support and lead programs that provide opportunities for household stability and economic mobility, as well as helps advance CEO’s Policy Agenda that calls for solutions to poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunity.

Essential Functions

• Establish and oversee deployment of Benefits Access Specialists within CEO's benefits mobile unit to satellite locations, as well as coordinate with the Benefits Access Director in managing deployment of specialists from BenePhilly community partner sites to meet community partner requests and need. 
• Play a key role in supporting staff and partnered sites to ensure they have the resources needed to serve clients.
• Act as a liaison to partnered site locations.
• Managing referrals and inquiries submitted through the BenePhilly website and BAU phone line.
• Build and maintain relationships with other City agencies and organizations in the community to meet community needs.
• Work with other members of the team to ensure proper tracking of activities, and that procedures for reporting data are followed.
• Provide Benefits Specialists services to clients and of pilot program relations, including screening and application assistance for the Benephilly benefits suite. 
• Other duties may be assigned including, but not limited to, providing programmatic support, training and technical assistance to CEO and Benephilly Benefit Access Specialists, and support to the Benefits Access Director.
• Other duties as assigned

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Commitment to achieving the goals of CEO, a strong understanding of effective direct services to individuals and families.
• Must have at least 3-5 years working in social service or related field.
• Experience working in low-resource communities.
• Program design and development experience.
• Demonstrated history of innovation in the workplace.
• Experience working with data and reporting.
• The ability to work alone and in a team setting.
• Ability to work across cultures in a diverse work environment.
• Effective management capabilities, including ability to manage remotely.
• Excellent oral and written communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• The ability to multi-task and meet deadlines.
• The ability to work non-traditional work hours including nights and weekends are essential.

• Must have valid PA driver’s license.
• 5 years of experience working directly with clients to submit applications for public benefits.
• Bilingual is preferred but not required.

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

Salary Range: $65,000 - $70,000 

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