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 mission of the Department of Commerce is to ensure that Philadelphia is a globally competitive city to which employers flock, entrepreneurs thrive, and innovation abounds; to recruit and retain a diverse set of businesses; to foster economic opportunities for all Philadelphians in all neighborhoods, and to partner with workforce development programs and local businesses on talent development ensuring that all Philadelphians can find and retain living-wage jobs. For more information about the Department of Commerce, visit www.phila.gov/commerce.

• The City of Philadelphia has been at the forefront of creating contracting opportunities for diverse businesses for over thirty years. The Office of Economic Opportunity oversees minority, woman and disabled business inclusion through the administration of Executive Order 01-21 and 17-1600 of The Philadelphia Code, ensuring that these businesses can compete for an equitable share of the City's contracts for professional services, services, supplies, equipment and public works. For more information about the Office of Economic Opportunity, visit www.phila.gov/oeo

Consistent with the strategic priorities of the City of Philadelphia, the Deputy Commerce Director is an executive management position providing oversight for inclusion-related programs guided by City legislative mandates and requirements.

The Deputy Commerce Director role requires a leader who is performance-focused and an advocate for the minority, women, and disabled owned enterprises (M/W/DSBEs) community. the ideal candidate will provide oversight and guidance to staff encouraging transparency and fluid communication, lead the annual reporting and the disparity study process, work in partnership with department leaders in developing and integrating participation goals and strategies, and assist in developing capacity building and business development opportunities for the M/W/DSBE community. Critical to the work is the ability to establish relationships with internal and external stakeholders regarding business development and City contracting policies/procedures.

Essential Functions

• Develop & lead execution of a plan to achieve the Mayor’s goal for M/W/DS/BE participation on City contracting opportunities
• Analyze and publish an Annual Participation Report of M/ W/ DSBE Utilization and Workforce Diversity
• Provide leadership that fosters a culture of customer service, disciplined business conduct and healthy communication
• Ensure compliance with Law, the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, the General Provision of the Philadelphia Code, the Mayor’s Executive Order 01-21, and other Federal and State laws 
• Interface with government entities, the public and elected officials to build capacity in the M/W/DSBE community and provide testimony before legislative bodies
• Ensure integrity of the Third-Party Certification process and the OEO Registry
• Build and maintain an effective relationship with all city departments to ensure compliance with OEO goals
• Meet with the Economic Opportunity Cabinet and Economic Opportunity Review Committee to provide updates on issues related to OEO quarterly
  • Work closely with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and other senior leaders to make strategic decisions that impact all stakeholders
• Provide ongoing oversight to the Mentor Protégé Program   
• Develop and support initiatives to drive vendor engagement
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required to fulfill job functions or as assigned 

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to demonstrate successes in motivating teams with strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to establish and foster relationships across City departments
• Excellent self-direction and the ability to take ownership and drive responsibilities through to completion
• Strong work ethic, with the ability to motivate teams to high performance levels
• Experience managing new technologies, adjusting business processes and work culture to maximize the system and reporting capabilities.

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or an appropriate field of study
• Master’s degree is preferred
• 8-10 years of experience working with the M/W/DSBE business community
• Familiarity with econometric analyses including basic economic regression theory
• Experience with Government Contracting and Procurement processes preferred
• Must be a US Citizen or have legal permanent resident status

Salary: $115,000

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Please note that effective September 1, 2021 the City of Philadelphia is requiring all new employees to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19. 

Did you know?

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• 25% tuition discount program for City employees (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities
• 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

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

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