Auditing and Research Analyst/Senior Auditing and Research Analyst

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 Citizens Police Oversight Commission (CPOC) is an independent agency composed of staff dedicated to professional, unbiased, and thoughtful oversight of the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD). CPOC works to:

• Increase the transparency and accountability of the PPD
• Improve police conduct
• Enhance the quality of internal investigations
• Improve the relationship between the community and the police department

Civilian oversight of police can take many forms. Review-focused models allow civilians outside of a police department to review police misconduct investigations once they are completed. Investigation-focused agencies employ professionally trained investigators to investigate police misconduct complaints. Auditor/monitor-focused agencies engage in policy and trend analysis and promote broad organizational change within the police departments they oversee. CPOC is uniquely envisioned to be a hybrid of these three models of oversight, with expansive authority and a broad mission.  

The authorizing legislation for CPOC comprehensively lists the oversight functions that CPOC is meant to fulfill. The legislation notes that CPOC may conduct investigations, data analysis, and audits related to any pattern, policy, or practice of the police department. These investigations shall include, but are not limited to, misconduct, policy, training, practice, and customs.

Additional functions mandated in the legislation include investigations of complaints made by residents or PPD personnel about any misconduct ranging from verbal abuse to sexual misconduct, critical incident reviews and investigations, large-scale data reviews, disciplinary recommendations, hosting public meetings and hearings to share information with the public, participation as adjudicators in PPD discipline hearings, administrative prosecution of discipline cases, reporting on data and statistics, and reviewing and investigating all police uses of force, among other functions. CPOC is a growing agency still in its infancy, and is working to operationalize all of these important functions of civilian oversight of police.

CPOC approaches police accountability from many different angles, and as such, has a variety of divisions to focus on different aspects of police oversight. Each division is led by a division director who oversees the functions of their division.

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Auditing, Policy, and Research Division of CPOC uses data, information, and research to review PPD policies and practices; these reviews are targeted in nature and responsive to trends or themes identified through CPOC’s work, current events, or community concerns. The Auditing, Policy, and Research Division makes recommendations to PPD when appropriate and tracks the acceptance and implementation of recommendations. All aspects of the division’s work are shared publicly with stakeholders when possible and in accordance with CPOC’s authorizing legislation.

As a part of CPOC’s Auditing, Policy, and Research Division, Auditing and Research Analysts will help forward the mission of the commission to provide oversight of the Philadelphia Police Department through evaluating and reporting on PPD investigations into complaints against police. Auditing and Research Analysts will also work on self-directed policy and research projects to gain a deep understanding of topics related to policing in Philadelphia. The Senior Auditing and Research Analysts will be responsible for assisting with training and mentoring new staff, reviewing the work of auditing and research analysts as assigned, and will be responsible for more complex projects and high-level collaborations with the Philadelphia Police Department/other stakeholders.

These projects involve the collection and analysis of data and information and require excellent time management, impeccable judgment, and the ability to identify sound recommendations for policy improvement to the PPD when appropriate. Both levels of Auditing and Research Analysts produce high-quality reports for varying audiences such as the public, CPOC commissioners, and other stakeholders, and must be able to distill complex information to create clear written materials. This position reports to the Director of the Auditing, Policy, and Research Division.

**This is a joint posting for both levels of this role. In your application, please indicate if you are applying for the Auditing and Research Analyst position or the Senior Auditing and Research Analyst position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Conduct a high volume of case audits for completed PPD Internal Affairs investigations into complaints against police through detailed analysis, data review, research and in accordance with CPOC procedures.
• Develop and execute projects to assess the Philadelphia Police Department’s compliance with policies and procedures and other types of research/auditing projects; act as lead on these projects and manage projects from start to finish.
• Draft and edit reports for varying audiences to report on data and the work of the division; this includes explainers and other public-facing documents to distill complex issues to the general public.
• Using research, data, and public input when appropriate, draft policy recommendations related to Philadelphia Police Department practices; help develop implementation strategies and methods to track the effectiveness of CPOC’s recommendations.
• Use other appropriate information such as available oversight resources, Philadelphia Police Department information/sources, and academic materials to serve Auditing, Policy, and Research division objectives and assist other CPOC divisions as needed.
• Coordinate closely with the Director of Auditing, Policy, and Research Division to design, troubleshoot, and improve internal processes as needed.
• Assist with intake of complaints against police and provide courteous, compassionate, and professional services to complainants. Prepare internal and external referrals as needed to ensure complaints and other constituent concerns are properly addressed. 
• Seek out and participate in professional groups and trainings to maintain awareness of best practices related to community-police relations, civilian oversight of police, and police reform nationally.
• Help to maintain transparency between the commission, the police department, elected officials, and the public.
• Receive training on PPD procedures, policies, and discipline code; adjudicate discipline cases and make disciplinary recommendations as a rotating member of the PPD Police Board of Inquiry
• Other responsibilities as assigned by the Executive Director and Director of the Auditing, Policy, and Research Division.

Individuals in the Senior Auditing and Research Analyst Role will have the following additional responsibilities:

• Using deep knowledge of investigations and PPD policies, help review a high volume of case audits for completed PPD Internal Affairs investigations completed by the Auditing, Policy, and Research Division for accuracy and provide feedback.
• Conduct case audits for completed PPD Internal Affairs investigations alongside other division staff.
• Help manage the administrative aspects of receiving and assigning audits to team members, requesting additional information if needed, tracking deadlines, and collecting data.
• Help develop training materials for the Auditing, Policy, and Research Division; help train and mentor auditing and research analysts on PPD policies, CPOC policies, and procedures of the division.
• Guide and assist staff with their audit projects by reviewing project materials, assisting with interviews, providing guidance related to data requests, and other assistance as needed or as assigned by the Director of the Auditing, Policy, and Research Division.
• Maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to develop collaborative research and audit projects.
• Collect data related to audits and help with analysis of audit data for dissemination during public meetings and for other reporting purposes.

COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Communicates with residents, vendors, and other departments with empathy and politeness.
• Independently manages workflows and tasks; proactively identifies potential issues and comes up with solutions.
• Always comports oneself in a professional manner, whether in the office or off-site.
• Effectively collaborates with colleagues within and across office divisions as well as external stakeholders.
• Fosters CPOC's values and mission, displaying a strong commitment to advancing police oversight in Philadelphia.
• Understanding of and experience with the complex nature of community-police relations. 
• Ability to think broadly and make connections across work; experience identifying trends or themes, thinking through next steps, and executing solutions.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to evaluate investigations to ensure fact-finding is thorough and conclusions are sound.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to perform neutral and objective analyses of incidents, policies, and information.
• Ability to perform repetitive reviews while maintaining strong attention to detail.
• Comfortability conducting interviews and gathering information from various sources.
• Impeccable information literacy and ability to assess the value and credibility of information.
• Dependable, reliable, and punctual.
• Experience and fluency in MS Office software programs, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 
• Receptive to feedback. 

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant subject area required. For Senior role, a secondary degree is a plus.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience required. For Senior role, a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience is required.
• For Senior role, leadership experience such as experience as a team or project lead or supervisory experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with investigations is preferred; for Senior role, it is required.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Familiarity with criminal justice procedures, police-community relations, police procedures generally and procedures of the Philadelphia Police Department.
• Familiarity with data collection and data analysis a plus.
• Familiarity working across governmental or non-governmental agencies.
• Experience working with sensitive and confidential information.
• Fluency in other languages is not a requirement, but a plus.
• Knowledge of Philadelphia and communities of Philadelphia a plus.

Additional Information

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit:

• a resume
• a cover letter (2-3 pages)
• a brief writing sample
• 3 professional references

Please submit application materials as one PDF document.

Salary Range:

• Auditing and Research Analyst:  $65,000 – $70,000
• Senior Auditing and Research Analyst: $70,000 - $75,000

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 8 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