City of West Memphis Hiring for Economic Development Director at West Memphis, AR Full Time

Job Classification: Exempt, Full-Time

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Reporting Relationship: Mayor

Department: Economic Development

Positions Supervised: 1

Primary Accountabilities:

The Economic Development Director provides vision, leadership, direction, and management oversight for the Economic Development Department. This position is responsible for leading and managing a professional economic development team in the successful implementation of annual strategic plans for prospect development, new business recruitment, existing business retention and expansion, workforce development, entrepreneurial development, marketing, and research. The Economic Development Director will be instrumental in assuring that West Memphis continues to be one of Arkansas’ premier places to live, work, and play!

Essential Job Duties:

• Promotes the community to site consultants and targeted interests. Represents the City at public, social and business functions. Provides testimony and information to civic and community organizations on areas that impact the initiatives of the City.
• Coordinates all marketing materials and programs that promote the community, sites, and buildings to attract private development.
• Analyzes trends and conditions that will impact the City and determine necessary strategic modifications to take advantage of those trends and conditions. Identifies areas of opportunity and weakness to improve the competitiveness of the community.
• Develops and sustains quality, trusting relationships with local property owners and/or realtors and brokers, leadership of prospective companies, national and international site selectors and existing business and industry.
• Participates in long-range planning, development of marketing strategies, and recommends aggressive goals for business attraction assistance efforts.
• Evaluates programs to ensure available resources of the area meet the needs of potential business development.
• Analyzes the feasibility of proposed projects including financial and economic impact analysis. Researches and compiles demographic and economic data in response to inquiries from prospective businesses
• Prepares development proposals to private development companies and businesses.
• Coordinates with various businesses, agencies, community organizations, and City and County departments to conduct presentations and site tours for the purposes of identifying, attracting and promoting the City and County to new businesses and industries.
• Works closely with regional economic development organizations and workforce providers in promoting the City and County.
• Always represents the community in a professional and diplomatic manner.
• Network with people at all levels of local, regional, state and federal government, as well as business leaders; act as an ambassador/liaison for the City of West Memphis and for existing businesses

Assist in the creation and retention of jobs in the community

Work with businesses, industries, and educational institutes to improve partnerships and align resources within the region and to resolve workforce issues.

Serve as a member of economic development groups, committees, boards etc. that promote economic and community development within the City of West Memphis.

Facilitate the development of a strategic economic development plan for the City of West Memphis (“City”) that includes vision, goals and objectives. Determines initiatives for attraction, retention and expansion, entrepreneurial development, minority and women business development, workforce readiness, and research focus areas.

Generates monthly and quarterly reports and/or updates.

Monitors expenditures of Economic Development Department to meet budget expectations.

Reports to the Facilities Board and Port Authority on revenues, presents expenditures for approval, and updates project activity.

Required Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, engineering, architecture, public or business administration, or a related field. An equivalent combination of relevant experience and education may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Ten (10) years of experience in public/private sector economic development services, planning, or public administration, including two (2) years of experience in supervising professional staff.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Strong, effective sales background with proven results.
• Ability to present accurate work with a strong attention to detail in a high pressure, fast-paced environment while being held accountable for overall results.
• Understanding of the changing dynamics of business and what is required to attract businesses to a community in such an environment.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally through both verbal and written skills.
• Ability to organize, multi-task, plan and set priorities with minimal supervision.
• Ability to effectively deal with both internal and external customers.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Demonstrate poise, tact and diplomacy with the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information and situations
• Physical Demands:
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time.
• Ability to read computer screens and email, mail and talk on the phone.
• Ability to frequently reach with hands and arms.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and distance vision.
• Ability to lift up to ten (10) pounds.
• Frequent regional, national and international travel required (15%), including overnight travel; valid driver’s license and passport required.
• Ability to work some evenings and weekends and attend events required.
• Additional Duties:

Additional duties and responsibilities may be added to this job description at any time. The job description does not state or imply that these are the only activities to be performed by the employee(s) holding this position. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related responsibilities as requested by their supervisor.