We’re hiring! Program & Community Manager

ByJJ

[JUNE 2026]

Walk Around Philadelphia is seeking an organized, community-oriented collaborator to help support and grow an evolving civic and cultural project exploring Philadelphia from its margins.

Over the last decade, Walk Around Philadelphia has grown from a small artist-initiated experiment into an ongoing public program inviting neighbors to explore more than 100 miles around the city’s edge together — through wetlands, industrial corridors, parks, working neighborhoods, waterfronts, trails, and all sorts of places most Philadelphians rarely encounter.

The Walk brings together longtime residents and newcomers, experienced and first-time walkers, Philly fans, artists, organizers, curious explorers, and people looking for new ways to understand both the city and one another.

Alongside the walks themselves, the project has grown into a broader ecosystem of public programs, outreach events, volunteer opportunities, partnerships, storytelling, and community gatherings.

Walk Around Philadelphia is now entering a new phase of organizational development — building on years of artist-driven public programming to strengthen long-term organizational infrastructure, community leadership pathways, partnerships, and sustainability.

We are looking for someone who can help shape and support that transition.

This is a multifaceted role that sits at the intersection of program coordination, community engagement, volunteer development, communications, and organizational systems-building.

We’re seeking someone who is both:

  • warm, curious and people-oriented
  • organized, reliable, and systems-minded

Someone who can help keep many moving parts coordinated without losing sight of the human relationships at the center of the work.

This position works closely with Walk Around Philadelphia founder JJ Tiziou and a growing network of facilitators, volunteers, participants, partners, and collaborators.

What the role involves

Responsibilities will evolve over time, but are likely to include:

Program coordination & logistics

  • Coordinating logistics for walks, outreach events, gatherings, and other public programs
  • Managing participant communication, including registrations, waitlists, reminders, and follow-up
  • Supporting facilitators and coordinate site-specific and transit logistics
  • Assisting with event production, including occasional on-site staffing, setup, and breakdown

Volunteer & community coordination

  • Coordinating and grow volunteer engagement, including trail angels, facilitators, outreach volunteers, and community supporters
  • Supporting development of facilitator training, volunteer leadership pathways, and other opportunities for deeper involvement
  • Helping cultivate ongoing community connection between major walk seasons
  • Coordinating volunteer participation at events and support online community spaces

Organizational systems & operations

  • Helping build and improve organizational systems, workflows, and tracking processes
  • Maintaining CRM and other organizational records and databases
  • Supporting project management by tracking priorities, deadlines, and ongoing initiatives
  • Helping strengthen communication, coordination, and continuity across many moving parts

Outreach, partnerships & communications

  • Cultivating relationships with community organizations, schools, libraries, cultural organizations, elected offices, and neighborhood partners
  • Coordinating outreach opportunities, public-facing events, and collaborative programs
  • Assisting with newsletters, website updates, event listings, and other communications
  • Helping steward ongoing relationships with partners, collaborators, and media contacts

Fundraising & organizational development

  • Helping track grants, reporting deadlines, fundraising activities, and organizational priorities
  • Assisting with grant preparation, applications, reports, and supporting materials
  • Supporting development of sustainable organizational systems and infrastructure
  • Serving as a thought partner around priorities, capacity, and the long-term growth of the organization

What kind of person thrives in this role?

This role may be a good fit for someone who:

  • is both good with people, and with spreadsheets
  • can balance warmth with boundaries
  • likes building systems that help communities function more sustainably
  • is comfortable juggling multiple evolving priorities
  • enjoys helping ambitious projects become more grounded and organized
  • can communicate clearly and kindly with many different kinds of people
  • is collaborative, adaptable, and self-directed
  • is comfortable working within evolving and imperfect systems while helping improve them over time
  • can think both practically and strategically
  • enjoys community-oriented, civic, artistic, educational, or organizing-based work
  • is capable of calmly navigating last-minute changes and logistical complexity
  • can help translate ideas into realistic next steps

Experience with community organizing, volunteer coordination, arts administration, event production, nonprofit operations, education, social practice art, public programming, mutual aid, outdoor/community programming, or small-team organizational work may all be relevant.

Knowledge of Philadelphia and prior experience with the Walk is a plus, but not required. Comfort reading maps, navigating public transit, coordinating logistics, and helping people orient themselves is important.

Schedule, structure & expectations

This is a hybrid position based in Philadelphia.

Much of the work is administrative and computer-based, with a mix of:

  • regular co-working time alongside Project Director
  • independent/asynchronous work
  • in-person meetings and outreach events
  • occasional evening/weekend responsibilities tied to public programming and walk seasons

We will establish regular shared working hours together, the majority of which will occur during standard M-F 9-5 schedules — likely based partly out of The Cedar Works in West Philadelphia and/or CultureWorks in Center City — alongside some flexibility for remote work.

The role involves ongoing collaboration, communication, and problem-solving, and benefits from regular side-by-side working time for coordination, brainstorming, troubleshooting, and keeping many moving project threads moving forward.

Walk Around Philadelphia currently runs two larger seasonal perimeter walk cycles each year (primarily in February and September), alongside a growing number of shorter walks, outreach events, community gatherings, partnerships, and public programs throughout the year.

Part of this role involves helping support and gradually expand that year-round ecosystem of activity.

The role does not require regularly participating in long-distance walks, though familiarity with the project and occasional participation is welcomed.

Work rhythms vary seasonally:

  • February and September tend to be especially intensive public program periods
  • Other parts of the year may focus more heavily on planning, outreach, partnerships, volunteer coordination, communications, fundraising, and organizational systems-building

Physical Requirements

  • Basic event setup: be able to move chairs, folding tables, set up a shade canopy
  • Ability to lift 30 lbs
  • Ability to walk 5 miles

Compensation

  • Approximately 30 hours/week
  • Salary in the mid-$50,000, depending on experience, 
  • Benefits through CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia (see below) 
  • Expected start date: August 2026

Organizational structure

This position is anticipated to be an employee role administered through our fiscal sponsor CultureTrust, which provides HR and employment infrastructure.

Employees working 30 hours/week or more through CultureTrust are eligible for benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, disability coverage, and optional retirement benefits.

Equal opportunity employment

Walk Around Philadelphia and CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia are committed to building an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming working environment.

We strongly encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, and people from communities historically underrepresented in outdoor, arts, and civic spaces.

We recognize that strong candidates may not meet every listed qualification, and we encourage people who feel aligned with the role and the project’s values to apply.

To apply

Please send an email with the subject line “Program & Community Manager – [YOUR NAME]” to work@walkaroundphiladelphia.org and include: 

  • a resume
  • a cover letter or a note introducing yourself and your interest in the role

We’d especially love to hear about:

  • projects, communities, or programs you’ve helped support 
  • experiences balancing logistics and people-centered work

A note about AI: Computers can be useful tools in some circumstances, but we ask you to please NOT use AI in your cover letter, as we’d rather get the real you!

Anticipated timeline

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. For priority review, please submit by July 7. 

  • Initial pre-screening calls by advisory board members: mid July
  • Interviews: late July
  • Preferred start date: August 2026

The timing of this role means that onboarding will take place alongside an active season of programming. August will focus on getting situated with the people, projects, relationships, and organizational rhythms that make up Walk Around Philadelphia, while supporting outreach efforts and preparations for the fall walk season.

September offers an opportunity to experience the Walk in action and get to know participants, facilitators, volunteers, and partners. Participation in walks is welcomed, but not required; there are many ways to engage with and support the program.

We do not expect someone to arrive with all the answers. Part of this role involves helping build and refine systems, workflows, and organizational practices as the project continues to grow. Curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to learn are more important than immediate expertise.

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