The Philadephia Citizen

The Philadelphia Citizen

What happened. What it means. And what you can do about it.

SUPPORT
THE CITIZEN

Menu

●

Events

●

Ideas We Should Steal Festival

●

Do Something Guides

●

Podcasts

●

Search

Topics
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
  • Education
  • Housing & Development
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Tech
  • Jobs
  • Food
  • Arts
  • Sports
  • LGBTQIA
  • Youth
  • Events
  • Activism
  • Voter Information
Series
  • Art For Change
  • Business for Good
  • Citizens of the Week
  • Big Rube’s Philly
  • Generation Change Philly
  • Ideas We Should Steal
  • Integrity Icon
  • Memo To Madam Mayor
  • Mystery Shopper
  • Real Estate Development for Good
  • The Fix
  • The New Urban Order
  • Your City Defined
Eagles Season
  • Education with Jason Kelce
  • Civic Health with Connor Barwin
  • Criminal Justice with Malcolm Jenkins
Voices
  • Malcolm Burnley
  • Courtney DuChene
  • Jemille Q. Duncan
  • Michael Eric Dyson
  • Charles D. Ellison
  • Jon Geeting
  • Christina Griffith
  • Bruce Katz
  • Olivia Kram
  • Diana Lind
  • Elaine Maimon
  • Lauren McCutcheon
  • James Peterson
  • Larry Platt
  • Jessica Blatt Press
  • J.P. Romney
  • Roxanne Patel Shepelavy
  • Ali Velshi
About
  • About
  • Masthead
  • Board of Directors
  • Donors & Sponsors
  • Advertise
  • Annual Reports
  • Join Our Team
  • Topics
    • Politics
    • Opinion
    • Housing & Development
    • Business
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Youth
    • Public Safety
    • Arts & Culture
  • Podcasts
    • CitizenCast
    • How To Really Run A City
    • Overheard at Fitler
    • Philly Under Fire
  • Events
  • 2025 Rad Awards
  • Ideas We Should Steal Festival
  • Do Something Guides
  • Support Us
  • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • TikTok

Home » Hey Philly: Let’s Hire a Mayor!

  • LET’S HIRE A MAYOR⌄
  • WATCH: INTERVIEWS WITH MAYORAL CANDIDATES⌄
  • How To Really Run A City⌄
  • WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2023 ELECTION⌄
Hey Philly

Let’s Hire a Mayor!

 

Our political leaders are seldom asked the same kinds of probing questions that reveal the core competencies of everyday job applicants. We ask candidates for public office about their stand on issues, but rarely ask them to demonstrate how they can get things done. The Citizen is out to change that. It’s time to move beyond the talking points…and get real. The solution?

 

 

We asked you – citizens of Philadelphia, from every zip code and every political viewpoint – to tell us what we need in a mayor. Your feedback formed the basis of a citizen-generated job description. We’ll use that to interview each mayoral candidate during a series of free, public mayoral job interviews to be held at Fitler Club, kicking off January 17. Read our citizen-generated job description for Philadelphia’s next mayor:

 

Job Title: Mayor of Philadelphia

Hours: Full-time; 24/7

Job Summary

The Mayor of Philadelphia serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Cheerleader for America’s sixth-largest city. The Mayor needs a bold vision for the city and a strategic plan to achieve that vision; furthermore, the Mayor must attract a team capable of executing his or her vision and plan. She or he must be a masterful convener, able to bring together stakeholders from the public and private sectors to bring about meaningful change.

The ideal candidate will possess institutional knowledge of how city government operates, demonstrate the intellectual skills to envision a new future for Philadelphia, and be an exceptional communicator who exudes warmth and empathy. That candidate should be capable of establishing new relationships and building on them to achieve short- and long-term political goals and navigate the politics of each policy initiative for its successful execution.

Job Responsibilities

  • Manage the city’s nearly 25,000 employees and $6 billion operating budget in a way that prioritizes equity and opportunity for all
  • Focus on public safety and peace-keeping in the city, working with other stakeholders to lower violent crime
  • Oversee quality-of-life issues, including but not limited to fixing potholes, street sweeping, and anti-blight initiatives
  • Recommend legislation to City Council
  • Oversee the School Board and schools’ superintendent in a way that pushes for change and experimentation in pre-K through 12 education
  • Implement measures to compassionately and meaningfully address our city’s opioid use disorder epidemic and behavioral/mental health crises
  • Gain firsthand experience and understanding of the day-to-day life of Philadelphians by using city services such as public transportation and regularly visiting all of the city’s neighborhoods
  • Foster transparent, open, and effective two-way communication
  • Successfully negotiate with municipal unions without overlong work stoppages, to meet the needs of both the communities and workers
  • Champion our city, both to residents and to people and businesses outside of Philadelphia, and instill residents with a sense of pride not only in our sports teams, but in our schools, businesses, arts, food, parks, and beyond
  • Work well with other levels of government – state and federal

What is Needed

  • A determined, well-resourced and sustained plan to close the inequality gap in employment, education, income and wealth, housing and health care
  • A strategy and effective tactics to grow Philadelphia’s economy in a manner that enables shared participation and prosperity
  • A willingness to be the person accountable to Philadelphians for the performance of the public schools and charter schools
  • The restoration of public safety in every city neighborhood and in every school building
  • Implementation of a tax and regulatory environment that is fair to citizens and businesses, meets the reasonable financing needs of City government, and promotes growth and opportunity for city residents
  • A political culture that favors outcomes over transactions, that is inclusive of the city’s diverse constituencies, and that stands for honor and integrity
  • Leadership that inspires confidence in public actions, that engages private organizations and their stakeholders in a common cause, unites communities behind shared values and goals and that messages the outside world that Philadelphia is a leading 21st century city.
  • Demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to communicate at all levels with all constituents
  • Ability to set priorities and manage conflicting priorities when they arise
  • Empathy and warmth
  • Charisma/magnetism
  • Demonstrated track record of managing people to achieve desired outcomes
  • Ability to comfortably interact with people from diverse backgrounds
  • Ability to admit mistakes and ask for help
  • The highest level of integrity in all interactions and dealings

Preferred

  • Wear team jerseys and the tees/sweatshirts of local public schools and colleges on a daily basis
  • Smile!

 Compensation

  • Annual Salary: Approximately $218,000
  • Benefits: Health and retirement
  • Ancillaries: Grief, criticism and opposition, in large doses
  • Upside: You get to course-correct the future of America’s most historic city

View as a PDF


The Ultimate Job Interview is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Lead support is provided by the William Penn Foundation with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute, the Wyncote Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, among others. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors. This project is also made possible by the support of Diversified Search Group.

To learn about sponsor and partnership opportunities with The Philadelphia Citizen, please contact John Burnes, Director of Sales & Philanthropy, at [email protected].

TERMS

By signing up for The Philadelphia Citizen newsletter:

  • You agree to receive our weekly e-news roundup, invitations to exclusive events, including our Citizen Speaks series, and occasional breaking news updates.
  • We agree to only ever use your information to send you Citizen news, updates, and offers. We will never give or sell your information to a third party.
  • You can unsubscribe at any time.

MEMBERSHIP TERMS

All memberships to The Philadelphia Citizen are renewed annually. Recurring membership charges will reflect the stated price of basic membership or Super Citizen membership at time of renewal. Price is subject to change with prior notification. All members agree to receive our weekly newsletter, members-only communications, invitations to exclusive events and occasional breaking news updates.

By signing up for the Super Citizen membership, you agree to have your information shared with partner organization(s), including: first name, last name and email. In this agreement, you accept communications from partners which may include newsletters, exclusive event invites, discount codes and emails containing other Super Citizen Member perks. We will never give or sell your information to a third party outside of this partner program. By signing up for a basic membership, we agree to never give or sell your information to any third party.

You can opt-out at any time.

For questions about membership or to opt out, please email [email protected].

SIGN UP!
By signing up to our newsletter, you agree to our terms.
About ● Contact ● Privacy Policy ● Terms & Conditions

2400 Market Street, Suite 200 • Offsite at Fitler Club • Philadelphia, PA 19103

Copyright © 2025 The Philadelphia Citizen. All rights reserved.

Seeking your feedback. Help us improve The Citizen. Take the survey.

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at [email protected] or call (609)-602-0145.

Photo and video disclaimer for attending Citizen events

By entering an event or program of The Philadelphia Citizen, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with The Philadelphia Citizen and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising. By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media. You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.