Deputy of Policy, Planning, and Performance

Position Summary

The Deputy Director for Policy, Planning, and Performance reports directly to the Executive Director and is a senior leader responsible for driving the agency’s strategic initiatives, performance management, and public accountability. This role plays a critical part in expanding permanent supportive housing, ending street homelessness, enhancing provider collaboration, and developing transparent, community-centered systems.

OHS is the Collaborative Applicant for the Philadelphia Continuum of Care, and is located within the Health and Human Services Cabinet, which includes the Departments of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS), Human Services (DHS), Mayor’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, and Public Health (DPH).

The Deputy will be a part of the executive leadership team which consists of the Executive Director, Chief of Staff, Deputy Director of Housing, and Deputy Director of Finance, Contracts, and Asset Management. It provides administrative coordination, leadership and management analysis, facilitation and review on behalf of the department with other City operating departments, community agencies, state and federal representatives and the public.

Essential Functions

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning and Policy Leadership

• Lead the development, monitoring and reporting of the OHS Strategic
• Design and update policies aligned with Housing First principles, racial equity, and other evidence-based best practices.
• Analyze trends, data, and research to recommend policy innovations that advance the goal of ending street homelessness.

Performance Management and Transparency

• Oversee the design and implementation of agency-wide performance measures and dashboards tied to housing outcomes, racial equity, and system flow.
• Develop systems and processes to make OHS data, policies, funding decisions, and performance outcomes transparent and accessible to the public and community stakeholders.
• Lead internal performance reviews and drive continuous improvement efforts across OHS programs and initiatives.

Provider and Community Collaboration

• Serve as a strategic liaison to the provider community, fostering strong, solutions-driven partnerships.
• Lead engagement activities including advisory groups, forums, and public input sessions to inform OHS planning and policy.
• Support provider capacity-building initiatives through technical assistance and innovation pilots.

Continuum of Care (CoC) and Board Management

• Oversee the CoC collaborative applicant responsibilities and manage all HUD CoC regulatory compliance requirements.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the CoC Board, ensuring alignment between Board priorities and OHS initiatives.
• Manage the annual CoC funding competition process, ensuring transparency, community participation, and the strategic use of federal housing resources.

Resource Development and Grant Management

• Source, secure, and manage federal, state, local, and private funding opportunities to expand resources for homelessness services and housing.
• Collaborate with OHS leadership and City partners to ensure coordinated application and compliance for all grant-funded initiatives.

Cross-System and Stakeholder Coordination

• Strengthen partnerships across behavioral health, housing, healthcare, criminal justice, and workforce sectors to drive system-wide solutions.
• Represent OHS at local, state, and national forums related to homelessness prevention, housing, and systems transformation.

Project and Change Management

• Manage high-priority projects that operationalize OHS’s strategic goals, ensuring milestones and deliverables are achieved on time.
• Lead change management initiatives that embed transparency, community voice, and racial equity into OHS’s core functions.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Preferred Competencies

• Proven experience with grant writing, resource development, and securing diverse funding streams.
• Experience managing public-sector planning processes and funding competitions.
• Familiarity with HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) data, reporting, and system performance measures.
• Deep understanding of Philadelphia’s housing and homeless services landscape.
• Deep knowledge of Housing First, permanent supportive housing, coordinated entry systems, and CoC regulations.
• Strong skills in policy development, strategic planning, and data-informed performance management.
• Commitment to transparency, racial equity, and meaningful community engagement.
• Exceptional collaboration, leadership, and communication skills.