CLEVELAND COUNTY, NC
DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Deadline for submission: February 2, 2024
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Cleveland County is seeking a highly motivated and experienced professional to lead their economic development program.
Strategically positioned between opportunity and originality, Cleveland County offers a gateway to Charlotte and Atlanta. The region beckons pioneers spanning industry and innovation, attracting individuals seeking a small-town quality of life with big-city benefits located just a short distance away. Movers, shakers, entrepreneurs and makers reap the rewards of operating in Cleveland County, where pro-business meets progress.
Cleveland County Economic Development is a government agency responsible for business recruitment, existing industry support, and entrepreneurial development. The primary mission is to help attract sustainable jobs and capital investment to support the economic well-being of existing and future citizens. This program is supported by Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership, a 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) entity. The Board of County Commissioners are committed to the county’s economic development efforts to promote job growth and capital investment and thereby increasing the wealth of the county and its citizens.
The Economic Development Director is responsible for managing the county’s Economic Development Department including implementation of the countywideeconomic development strategic plan and the accomplishment of its goals and objectives along with a staff of two. TheDirector will develop and present each annual budget, manage and implement day-to-day activitiesrelated to economic development opportunities. The Economic Development Director will have oversight ofall aspects of new business recruitment, business retention and expansion, project management, site identification, RFIresponse, management of grants/incentives, proposal development, client presentations, localgovernment presentations, and post-recruitment support to finalize all project details. The Economic Development Director reports to the County Manager.
Summary of Duties:
Plans, organizes, and manages the operations of the Economic Development Department including annual budget recommendation.
Develops department goals and objectives consistent with the goals and strategies of the Board of Commissioners and economic development strategic plan.
Supervises staff hiring and development and manages work performance, including completion of performance reviews.
Establishes, develops, and maintains effective working relationships with departmental staff, andcounty management to assure the economic development plan is integrated and coordinated with other county departments.
Maintains professional working relationship with elected officials, community leaders, investors, and developers.
Manages and organizes the activities of the Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership, a501(c)(3), 501(c)(6) local economic development partner. Utilizes this partnership to develop futuresites and buildings.
Develops industrial properties by working with a variety of public and private partners.
Develops grants and funding sources to support infrastructure improvements, site acquisition and development; has oversight of researching, writing, and contracting for grant procurement and administration.
Presents program information to community groups, county management and other board and private sector entities.
Responds to economic development inquiries by preparing cost-benefit analyses and site selectioninformation in a timely manner.
Prepares incentive and grant requests related to recruitment projects, organizes prospect tours and community visits.
Maintains cooperative working relationships and participates in business recruitment activities withregional organizations, the NC Department of Commerce, and other economic development professionals and organizations across the region and state
Ensures the Cleveland County Economic Development website clearly promotes the comprehensive strengths of the county; available sites and buildings, targeted clusters, demographics, area employment and wages, land use, transportation, utilities, and advantages of locating and working in Cleveland County
Develops marketing strategies and participates in trade shows and offsite meetings with prospective clients including site consultants.
Communicates annual progress toward economic development goals via benchmarked indicators.
Performs other duties as required or assigned.
Requisites:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics Public Administration, or related field is preferred, but not required.
A minimum of five years of increasingly responsible experience in the field of economic development.
Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) preferred
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
Skills in data collection, analysis and establishment of databases related to county statistics and demographics.
Extensive experience in the economic development field, including incentives, planning, development, project financing techniques, and marketing.
Ability to plan, organize and effectively develop industrial and commercial leads for the county,including building consensus among diverse groups.
Proficiency in Windows operating system, and working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.)
Compensation:
The annual salary range for this position is $93,787 to $150,060 commensurate with experience and qualifications. The Cleveland County benefits package is competitive, and the position also includes additional benefits specific to the duties of an economic development director.
How to apply:
Resumes should be sent to Rocky Lane at rlane@shedc.com
Or hard copies may be delivered to:
Sanford Holshouser Economic Development Consulting, LLC
Attn: Cleveland County Executive Search
4141 Parklake Avenue, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27612
Direct any questions to Rocky Lane at 252-0532-5088 or rlane@shedc.com
Cleveland County, NC and Sanford Holshouser Economic Development Consulting, LLC (SHEDC) accepts, without reservation, the principles of equal opportunity in employment. SHEDC does not discriminate on the basis of gender, disability, race, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status, national origin, genetic information, or religion.