Knowledge Manager/Engineer Project Lead, Out-of-School Time Philadelphia

Posted by on May 21, 2012

Position Title: Knowledge Manager/Engineer Project Lead – Full-time

Position Detail: Position calls for someone with data analysis and architecture skills with project management experience.  An individual is sought to lead a multi-agency team of public and private partners to refine and integrate data from disparate information systems in support of after school programs operating throughout the city.  Because the selected individual must perform with a high degree of independence, s/he will have demonstrated leadership and technical abilities with previous knowledge base construction.  Tasks will entail: analysis and design, configuration of the knowledge base; oversight of database programmers, systems testing, user training, evaluation and system expansion planning.

Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s Degree; demonstrated knowledge of the principles of relational and object oriented database design, management and optimization; and, experiences with knowledge management and/or knowledge engineering and with project management.  This is a grant-funded position lasting until December 2014.

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Narrative Context:  The City of Philadelphia’s Out-of-School Time (OST) programming networks are embarking on a project that entails the creation of a unique employment position in which the selected individual will work with a multi-agency team of public and private partners to refine and integrate data from disparate information systems that exist in support of after- and out-of-school time programs. The knowledge manager/engineer will combine his/her skills in project and knowledge management to architect a growing and sustainable knowledge base  that will enhance the community’s ability to comprehensively promote, plan for, report on and evaluate OST programs regardless of the respective administrative and funding mechanisms.  Because the candidate will have a high degree of independence, s/he will have demonstrated leadership and technical abilities with previous knowledge base construction.  This is a grant-funded position lasting until December 2014 that reports to the Director of Policy and Evaluation in the Philadelphia Deputy Mayor’s Office for Health & Opportunity.

Project Phases with Associated Job Duties

Initiation
o    Organize stakeholders.
o    Under the direction of the Director of Policy & Evaluation, construct a project charter for the knowledge base integration and construction initiative.
o    Funding alignment.
o    Communicate with all levels of client management and represent client needs with technical staff.
o    Evaluate the technical requirements for the knowledge base creation and lead determination of where the knowledge base will be housed.
o    Evaluate the qualifications of configuration programmers/analysts.

Analysis/Design
o    Undertake a full analysis of the multiple existing systems being used in distinct OST systems to gain the necessary understanding to conduct the Project’s intended work activities.
o    Collect and group user requirements.
o    Work with internal and external partners, vendors and consultants to evaluate the existing youth-serving information systems and to define the business case and functional requirements of an improved, unified system.
o    On a database-by-database work schedule, manage relationships with stakeholders at all levels to achieve consensus on system redevelopment. Work will entail staging meetings with various OST systems’ administrators, IT professionals and service providers while representing the City to the community and to senior management, funders and the public.
o    Work closely with the city departments and non-profit entities that administer OST programs, outside vendors, and IT personnel to analyze, develop, communicate and document functional/system requirements.  Work with software engineers to translate user requirements into technical specifications.  Document defects found during testing and address these with systems developers and the user community.  In other words, via a rapid application development process, gather requirements of users and work directly with programmers to develop and test prototypes.
o    Develop the technical specification for Philadelphia’s new OST information system and manage the development, testing, and training associated with implementing this system within the time and budget allotted.
o    Work with stakeholders to determine success benchmarks.
o    Devise access, security and end user controls.
o    Create a knowledge framework that ensures integration across all requisite stakeholder data points.

Configuration
o    Working with database programmers, direct the creation of the knowledge base.
o    Ensure data relationships are firmly established including metadata.

Testing
o    Working with respective external and internal stakeholders, devise testing scenarios and the creation of a test plan.
o    Oversee and execute the testing plan.

Training
o    As required, assist training consultants in the preparation of manuals and presentations as well as mentoring of users.
o    Conduct training.

Release
o    Devise the release management strategy including associated policies and procedures.

Evaluation
o    Collaborate with system users to audit and improve the quality of data collection and ensure the rapid and clear communication of management information to programs and policy makers via reports, dashboards, briefings, and by other means.
o    Provide on-going status and issues reports to supervision, the team and the project’s web site.
o    Evaluate success benchmarks and initiate a quality improvement cycle.
o    Conduct security audit.

Maintenance / Expansion
o    Create and initiate a sustainability plan to ensure on-going viability and growth of the knowledge base.

Qualifications

o    Bachelors Degree in Computer Science or a related Degree or equivalent education and / or experience; Masters preferred
o    Minimum of 5 years Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of relational and object oriented database design, management and optimization; knowledge of SQL preferred
o    Minimum of 5 years demonstrated expertise in knowledge management and/or knowledge engineering
o    Possessive of excellent quantitative skills and research experience with a knowledge of business intelligence and reporting tools preferred
o    Minimum of 5 year demonstrated experience with project management
o    Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communications skills
o    Skilled in and experienced with developing and managing relationships between stakeholders across multiple organizations and agencies
o    Ability to work collaboratively with peers toward evolving project goals
o    Experienced with managing projects, budgets and consultants within time lines
o    Familiarity with social service or youth-serving organizations and programs helpful
o    Versed in relevant documents such as the following:
    “A Place to Grow and Learn: A Citywide Approach to Building and Sustaining Out-of-School Time Learning Opportunities,” The Wallace Foundation, 2008
    “Hours of Opportunity, Volume 2: The Power of Data to Improve After-School Programs Citywide,” Rand Education, 2010
    “Collecting and Using Information to Strengthen Citywide Out-of-School Time Systems,” National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education & Families, Harvard Family Research Project, and The Wallace Foundation, 2011
    Walker, Farley and Polin, “Using Data in Multi-Agency Collaborations: Guiding Performance to Ensure Accountability and Improve Programs,” Public/Private Ventures and Child Trends, 2012.

How to Apply: Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, salary requirement, letter of recommendation, and a brief writing sample to either [email protected] or The Fund for Philadelphia; City Hall Room 708; Philadelphia PA 19107.