Company Description

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 Public Safety coordinates the deployment of resources and personnel dedicated to violence prevention for the City of Philadelphia. Within the Office of Public Safety is the Office of Safe Neighborhoods.

Philadelphia’s Office of Safe Neighborhoods (OSN) prioritizes public safety within our communities while emphasizing the need to end gun violence. Our objective is to disrupt the detrimental cycle of gun violence by implementing a comprehensive strategy that tackles its root causes and offers rehabilitation and prevention resources. OSN acknowledges the substantial influence of trauma on the perpetuation of gun violence; consequently, as a social support initiative, we shall give precedence to mental health services through community engagement. Through the promotion of collective efficacy and the empowerment of community members, our objective is to establish secure, resilient, and furnished neighborhoods with the essential resources for achievement. Our mission is to support and expand local innovations that target gun violence and enhance public safety in Philadelphia, building upon evidence-based and place-based interventions that local leaders, researchers, and educators have developed.

Job Description

The City of Philadelphia is seeking a full-time Group Violence Intervention (GVI) Peer Retention to provide daily social services coordination and management support to the GVI Program. The National Network for Safe Communities’ GVI has repeatedly demonstrated that violence can be dramatically reduced when a partnership of community members, law enforcement, and social service providers directly engages with the small and active number of people involved in street groups. The program communicates a moral message from community representatives that violence will not be tolerated, a law enforcement message that any future violence will be met with clear, predictable, and certain consequences, and an offer of help from social service providers for those who want it.

This position will work with partner agencies, social service providers, and community groups to create a unique support structure tailored to each group member who is a focus of GVI. The Peer Retention Specialist will also work closely with participants referred to partnered agencies. It is important to note that the ability to be accessible during traditional and non-traditional work hours (nights and weekends) is vital to this position. Other responsibilities include but are not limited to meeting daily with case managers, following up with the group members and referral agencies to ensure the group members are successful, holding partners accountable, and providing mentorship and support to the group members.

Essential Functions 

The Peer Retention will be responsible for maintaining GVI participants involvement and engagement in services. In addition, the role(s) of this position may include, among others, the following duties:  

• Assist clients in collaborating with their case manager to determine the steps necessary to achieve their stated goals.
• Assist the client in obtaining services that meet their needs by locating community organizations, resources, and groups that may be of assistance.
• Support clients’ vocational choices and assist them in choosing a job that matches their strengths, as well as overcoming job-related anxiety by reviewing job applications and providing interview instructions.
• Anticipate and communicate retention issues, designing and maintaining a system for prevention of missing visits.
•  Serve as a liaison between the referred agency and the client.
•  Follow up regularly with clients to see if there are areas in which further help, or guidance is needed.
• Track the progress of each client in terms of programmatic completion as well as the extent to which this support structure is keeping them alive and out of prison.
• Per request, support clients’ potential special needs that may be a barrier to client leaving life of violence including but not limited to transportation, job orientation, counseling, mental health support, housing, etc.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Ability to be accessible both during traditional and non-traditional work hours, including nights and weekends.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of supportive services and resources.
• Demonstrated ability to advocate, organize, and problem-solve.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with disturbed and/or maladjusted individuals, public agency and institutional personnel and the public. 
• Proven ability to coordinate effectively and collaborate with multi-disciplinary cross agency project teams.
• Track record of delivering solutions in high-pressure environments
• Ability to prepare or supervise the preparation of reports and records. 
• Ability to exercise good judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions. 
• Facility with word processing and basic databases (Word, Excel)

Qualifications

Preferred Education: 

• A bachelor’s degree in social work, criminal justice, political science, or related field.  

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Applicant should have excellent leadership, conflict resolution and communication skills. Experience in working with community organizations/agencies and high-risk populations strongly preferred.  

Additional Information

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

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 6 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