Director of Strategic Planning - Police
City of Philadelphia · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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Agency Description
Within the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD), the Office of Strategic Planning (OSP) is responsible for shaping the Department’s long-term vision, strategic direction, and operational effectiveness. A core focus is ensuring that strategic initiatives are data-driven, transparent, and designed to build public trust while addressing evolving public safety challenges.
To support this work, the OSP is establishing a Project Management and Delivery Office (PMDO), which will:
- Drive successful execution of the strategic plan
- Build organizational planning and implementation capacity
- Institutionalize organizational and policy change
The PMDO will be a diverse, agile team tasked with planning and coordinating the implementation of strategic and policy initiatives aligned with the Department’s strategic plan and top priorities, as identified by the Police Commissioner. Its portfolio will include:
- Intensive project management and delivery support for high-priority initiatives
- Strategic support for broader change management efforts
- Research, problem-structuring, and advising on new policy initiatives
This is an exciting time to join the team. The PMDO represents a new and transformative effort to embed lasting systems that enable the PPD to implement, manage, and sustain change more effectively. Senior leaders and team members will help shape a model for how large public sector organizations build planning and delivery capacity from the ground up.
Director of Strategic Planning – Office of Strategic Planning
The Director of Strategic Planning plays a critical role in translating the Philadelphia Police Department’s strategic vision into action—ensuring that new five-year strategic plan and aligned major initiatives are coordinated, implemented effectively, and deliver measurable improvements in public safety and organizational performance.
Position Summary:
Reporting to the Executive Director of Strategic Planning, the Director of Strategic Planning will lead the implementation of the Philadelphia Police Department’s strategic priorities and oversee the Department’s Project Management and Delivery Office (PMDO). This role is responsible for managing a portfolio of high-impact initiatives, supervising the project management team, and ensuring that strategic priorities are translated into effective, measurable action across the Department.
The Project Management and Delivery Office serves as the Department’s central function for coordinating, managing, and tracking the strategies including in the new five-year strategic plan and aligned major initiatives. The office supports leadership by ensuring that strategic priorities are translated into actionable plans, implemented effectively, and monitored for measurable outcomes.
Working closely with Department leadership, City partners, and external stakeholders, the Director will guide implementation of the Department’s strategic plan, coordinate complex cross-departmental initiatives, and ensure projects are delivered effectively and aligned with organizational goals.
This role requires strong strategic leadership, operational management, and the ability to guide complex organizational change within a large public safety organization.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Planning and Implementation
- Lead implementation of the Department’s Five-Year Strategic Plan and associated priority initiatives
- Translate strategic goals into actionable implementation plans with defined milestones, timelines, and performance measures
- Coordinate implementation across operational and administrative units to ensure alignment with Department priorities
- Identify opportunities to improve organizational effectiveness, operational performance, and service delivery
- Advise executive leadership on implementation strategies, policy considerations, and emerging challenges
Project Management and Delivery Office Leadership
- Lead and oversee the Department’s Project Management and Delivery Office (PMDO)
- Supervise and provide leadership to the Department’s project management team
- Establish and maintain project management standards, governance structures, and implementation frameworks across the Department
Develop and manage the Department’s portfolio of strategic initiatives and major projects
- Prioritize initiatives and allocate project management resources to support Department priorities
- Ensure projects are delivered on schedule, within scope, and aligned with operational and strategic objectives
Strategic Initiative Oversight
- Provide executive oversight for complex, cross-functional initiatives that support implementation of the strategic plan
- Coordinate work across Department units, City departments, and external partners
- Identify implementation risks, resolve barriers, and guide teams in developing mitigation strategies
- Support Department leadership in launching and advancing major initiatives tied to public safety priorities
- Provide guidance and mentorship to project managers overseeing major initiatives
Performance Management and Strategic Reporting
- Develop systems to track implementation progress and measure outcomes across strategic initiatives
- Use data analysis, dashboards, and performance metrics to monitor progress and identify improvement opportunities
- Conduct program and project evaluations to assess effectiveness and inform decision-making
- Ensure consistent reporting on initiative progress to Department leadership
- Prepare executive briefings, reports, and presentations on strategic plan implementation
Organizational Change and Stakeholder Engagement
- Lead cross-department collaboration to support implementation of major initiatives
- Facilitate strategic planning sessions, implementation workshops, and working groups
- Support organizational change management efforts related to new programs, systems, and policies
- Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to advance shared goals
- Promote adoption of best practices and continuous improvement across the Department
Leadership and Organizational Support
- Serve as a senior advisor to the Executive Director on strategic planning and implementation priorities
- Provide leadership, coaching, and professional development for project management staff
- Support the development of policies, processes, and tools that strengthen project delivery and organizational effectiveness
- Lead special initiatives and assignments from the Executive Director or Police Commissioner
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge
- Advanced knowledge of strategic planning, program management, and organizational change
- Strong understanding of project and portfolio management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum, Waterfall)
- Experience establishing or managing a Pr