Job Descriptions

DEFINITION

Under administrative direction of the City Manager, develop, implement and manage the City's Economic Development Program Projects from conception to completion; manages and administers complex and technical, financial, statistical, and analytical work. This position interfaces with the development community, local business community, Chamber of Commerce, Stanislaus County Economic Development, Workforce Alliance (Alliance), and other City staff as required. The incumbent may serve as the team leader for special City-wide economic development projects when assigned. The incumbent serves as the Public Information Officer to coordinate media and community relations activities to ensure publicity and outreach for City programs; and performs related duties as assigned.

This position is designated as management for Labor Relations purposes and is considered exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

General administrative direction and support is provided by the City Manager. The incumbent in this classification is expected to work with minimal direct supervision, exercising independent judgment and initiative in a number of complex, responsible, and fiscally sensitive duties.

May exercise direct or indirect supervision of professional, technical and clerical staff.

This is a department director classification responsible for the direction of a discrete departmental organizational component and divisions in the areas of Economic and Business Development. Provides highly responsible and complex administrative assistance to the City Manager. Duties and responsibilities are performed in accordance with law, ordinance, and City policy.

Serves as a member of the City executive team with responsibilities for establishing and overseeing programs and policies that affect multiple departments and the City as a whole. Approves and has final responsibility for all written and other types of presentations to the City Council and other commissions, boards and policy adopting bodies. Demonstrates professional competence while working as a team member and exercises independent judgment in a number of confidential and sensitive areas. Duties and responsibilities are performed in accordance with municipal codes, ordinances, City policy, federal, and state regulating entities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Develop programs to achieve the City’s goals and objectives relating to, economic development, business retention and community revitalization.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of the business community and citizen groups to improve understanding of City economic policies, procedures, goals and objectives.

• Coordinate City efforts to implement and enhance the City’s Strategic Economic Plan including developing new strategies and techniques necessary to meet the Plan’s objectives.

• Plans and executes public relations programs to ensure comprehensive media coverage for City programs, services, and events; creates a proactive public relations environment.

• Interfaces with the media and conducts/organizes press briefings; researches, writes, edits, and issues news releases, media advisories, news articles, feature stores, and public service announcements

• Conduct financial analysis of projects, including revenue and cost estimates for project proponent.

• Select and manage consultants as may be necessary to assist the City with specialized economic development, financing and legal services.

• Coordinate the planning and implementation of economic development including public improvement identification, and monitoring status of engineering work and planning processes.

• Prepare written reports regarding economic development activities, pertinent laws and trends, and proposed projects and make public presentations to the appointed and elected officials.

• Coordinate economic development activities with other government agencies, private-sector developers, real estate site selectors, and lending institutions.

• Monitor various laws and activities of other regulatory agencies relating to economic development, affordable housing, and community revitalization.

• Prepare and administer the Economic Development budget.

• Develop and coordinate economic development marketing strategies including business retention, expansion and attraction.

• Collect and maintain property, land use, economic, demographic and financial data necessary to monitor trends relevant to economic development activities.

• Review impact of economic regulations and laws; make recommendations for legislative amendments; represent the City with regulatory and other governmental agencies.

• Oversees, plans, develops, and implements strategy to achieve the City’s goals for local, state and federal programs related to economic and business development programs and projects.

• Perform related managerial duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of:

• Advanced principles and practices of economic development.

• Principles and practices of public information dissemination and community promotion.

• Principles of marketing and promotion.

• Recent developments, current literature and informational sources in the field of economic development.

• Finance and construction management principals, including research, statistical methods and methods of technical report writing.

• Budgeting procedures and techniques, as well as development financing, bank practices and investment markets.

• Principles and practices of supervision, training and personnel management.

Ability to:

• Understand and interpret complex state and federal regulations, laws, codes, policies and solutions in the area economic development.

• Set priorities and organize work as necessary to meet deadlines and achieve economic development goals as established by policy makers.

• Research, analyze, compile and prepare financial, demographic and land use studies, including producing such studies in an understandable manner.

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, to diverse groups, including large public audiences and small development teams.

• Supervise, train, evaluate and empower personnel to work efficiently and effectively.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contracted in the course of work.

• Handle difficult situations with tact, diplomacy, and maintain an open and approachable manner.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Experience:

Five years of increasingly responsible full-time, professional level work in the fields of economic and business development, community work, preferably in a municipal setting; including two years of managerial and supervisory responsibility that would have provided the opportunity to develop the required skills, knowledge, and abilities.

Education:

Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in planning, public or business administration, economics or a related field.

Possession of a Master’s degree in Public Administration or a closely related field.

LICENSE AND CERTIFICATES

Possession of a valid California Driver’s License in the category necessary to perform essential duties of the position will be required at the time of appointment. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a physical disability will be considered for accommodation on a case-by-case basis. Maintenance of a valid California Driver’s license and proof of automobile liability insurance thereafter is a condition of continued employment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Maintain the following physical abilities: See well enough to operate vehicles and equipment, read instructions and follow directions; hear well enough to distinguish mechanical noises, to converse on the radio, telephone and in person; use of hands and fingers for writing, typing, and other computer related functions; and be able to lift equipment as necessary.