Program Officer, Community Economic Development

LISC is one of the country’s largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. LISC works with residents and partners to close gaps in health, wealth, and opportunity so that people and places can thrive. We do this by acting as a conduit for grants, loans and equity--and by providing technical assistance and capacity building--to locally rooted organizations that carry out the work in communities.

Position Summary LISC Philadelphia is seeking a seasoned professional with a strong commitment to community strengthening to serve as our Program Officer of Community Economic Development. The Program Officer is responsible for working closely with the Senior Program Officer and key staff to develop the strategic direction for its small business supports program implementation and community economic development priorities. This includes strategy development, support and leadership on program implementation, and resource development.

The Program Officer will have excellent organizational, collaboration, communication, and program management skills. The position requires a strong commitment to customer focus and to the role of community-based non-profit organizations (CBOs) as agents of change as well an understanding of key public and private partners who can offer additional resources to the work of community development. With the Senior Program Officer, the Program Officer is responsible for the day-to-day management of all small business support programming and cross-team collaborations to strengthen program delivery.

Key Responsibilities

1. Community Corridor Strategy Develop a deep understanding of target neighborhoods and commercial corridors, including leadership structures, community assets, challenges, business needs, and local market dynamics. Support neighborhood and corridor revitalization through strategic planning, collaborative problem-solving, and alignment of community-based organizations (CBOs), business development organizations (BDOs), funders, and public-sector partners.

Provide non-technical, strategic guidance on physical corridor improvements—helping partners conceptualize priorities, assess feasibility, and align redevelopment ideas with community goals. Partner Engagement Capacity Building Strengthen organizational capacity through targeted technical assistance, professional development, training, coaching, and peer-learning opportunities. Facilitate learning networks for corridor managers to improve corridor management, placemaking, small business support, and safety strategies.

Assist with program coordination for the Community Connectors Training Institute and Network, a resident leader, workforce development, civic engagement program – supporting weekly communication and monthly community partner engagements, serving as a liaison across programs in which participating partners have additional touchpoints with LISC. Coordinate with colleagues to support projects and systems level work that advance community and economic development priorities. Program Design, Delivery Alignment Develop, refine, and implement innovative program strategies to meet corridor and neighborhood workplan goals.

Plan and facilitate meetings, workshops, trainings, and cohort sessions to support program execution and field-building. Field-Building Best Practice Development Monitor emerging national best practices in commercial corridor strategy, small business support, and equitable economic development, and adapt them to local context. Work with the SPO and BDO Regional Lead to support the coordination and alignment of BDOs within LISC’s broader small business support strategy, ensuring consistent expectations, feasible shared outcomes, and pathways for collaboration.

Grant Contract Management Manage grants and contracts with CBOs, government sources and consultants throughout the lifecycle, including due diligence, compliance, monitoring, and reporting.