Economic Development Director

The Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission is searching for a dynamic Director to lead the organization. This is an opportunity to build upon an already strong economic development program to make a lasting impact in a rural community. The EDC Director leads our community in building a solid foundation that supports economic growth through business recruitment, development, and retention; product development; marketing Vance County; community capacity building, and as a liaison between business and local government agencies.

The Director leads the Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission in accomplishing its mission to provide leadership and market the community to improve the quality of life through business retention, recruitment, and expansion.

The Director is responsible for consulting with local officials, community leaders, and business executives for the purpose of promoting business growth through the expansion and retention of existing businesses and attraction of new industries and businesses into the County. Duties include implementing the EDC’s strategic plan; business recruitment, development, and retention; product development; marketing and promotion; supporting workforce and talent development; small business and entrepreneur development; measuring performance; and communicating the goals and accomplishments of the EDC to public and private stakeholders.

The Director reports to the County Manager and the Economic Development Commission and is evaluated through the accomplishment of the annual program of work and strategic plan.

Responsibilities:

• Establishes yearly goals and objectives for the EDC and tracks progress with measurements and metrics.
• Serves as initial contact for prospective industries and businesses considering a new location or expansion; markets and shows sites; manages recruitment projects; serves as a liaison during incentive negotiations; serves as liaison during facility construction.
• Researches workforce and education information and works with various groups to ensure the availability of an adequate, well trained workforce.
• Develops marketing tools to promote the County including brochures, flyers, website, social media, etc. and generates leads.
• Develops a network of contacts to identify potential parks and sites; monitors building projects; and develops public-private partnerships.
• Develops grants and funding sources to support infrastructure improvements; researches, writes, and contracts for grants procurement and administration; lobbies and works with Department of Transportation for road and highway improvements and keeps abreast of long range transportation plans.
• Maintains contact with state business developers, community leaders, and representatives of business and industry.
• Develops and implements the business retention and expansion program; visits each business in the BRE program in the county regularly to stay abreast of their status, any potential for expansion, and assists with problems; follows up on business requests.
• Develops and implements strategies to support and grow small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Keeps current records on sites and buildings and reports changes to the State business developers; keeps current information on labor and wages, demographics, economic base, maps, profiles, utilities, retail sales, building permits, finances and schools; reports on growth announcements and statistics to various agencies.
• Supervises administrative staff; makes work assignments; provides guidance on workload; monitors and evaluates work; may initiate disciplinary action; and makes recommendations for final selection, salary increases, and dismissal to the County Manager.
• Prepares department budget recommendation and submits budget reports.
• Serves as staff resource and technical consultant to the County Economic Development Commission and to the Board of Commissioners; and makes presentations to the Commissioners on community capacity and infrastructure development to support new or expanding business and industry.
• Promotes Main Street program for the County.
• Coordinates efforts with a wide variety of local, regional and state groups such as regional officials, NC Department of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership of NC, and others; serves as a liaison for various city, county, and state agencies and organizations.
• Coordinates immigration, visa, and other issues for visiting staff and dignitaries for international companies.
• Additional job duties as required.

Knowledge & Skills to be Successful:

• Principles, practices, and processes to be successful in economic development.
• Principles of management, business, nonprofit, government, organizational procedures, and financing.
• Uses technology to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the EDC.
• Communicate effectively in presentations, social media, and written documents including facilitating and building consensus among diverse groups.
• Current marketing tools, principles and practices.
• Plan, organize, and effectively develop business leads for the County.
• Local, regional, state and federal resources and agencies available to assist with various economic development activities.
• Data collection, analysis, and establishment of data bases about pertinent County statistics and demographics.
• Grant identification, application writing or support, administration, and reporting.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with industry and business executives and owners or representatives, public officials at the local, state and federal levels, contractors, community leaders and organizations, other department heads, superiors and other employees.
• Facilitate community engagement in planning and communicating economic develop goals and activities.
• Federal, state, and local laws pertaining to economic development and planning.
• Physically perform the basic operational functions.

Desired Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree, preferred in business, planning, economics, marketing, public administration, or related field; economic development experience; Certified Economic Developer preferred; and considerable professional experience in business or economic development.

Application Special Instructions:  You must upload your resume when submitting employment application.