Description
The City is seeking a highly motivated, innovative, and results-driven professional who is goal-oriented and self-motivated, possessing the skills and abilities to build strategic collaboration and partnerships that achieve success. This senior-level executive will oversee the industrial/commercial development of hundreds of acres of land sitting at the crossroads of two major highways linking together the San Joaquin Valley. The successful candidate will also lead the downtown renovation program and focus on a growing housing demand in the City. This is an excellent opportunity for a creative professional who can provide strong support for public-private partnerships.
Under the administrative direction of the City Administrator, the Community and Economic Development Director will plan, organize, direct and coordinate the City’s community and economic development program and will represent the City in matters of economic development; and performs related work as required.
This is a department head position und the direction of the City Administrator and coordinator of the City’s efforts in promoting community and economic development. The incumbent reports to the City Administrator who also serves as Executive Director of the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency. The incumbent serves as liaison with local, state and federal economic development agencies, and brings various program activities together into a City-wide coordinated and planned economic development strategy. The Community and Economic Development Director acts with a high degree of independence of action in the assigned area of responsibility to attain objectives according to policy guidelines. The incumbent is expected to develop methods and procedures and solve problems encountered. Except where a deviation in policy is involved, most work is not reviewed directly by supervisor and when work is reviewed, the review is directed toward final outcomes and results
The Director will direct and coordinate the City's economic development efforts that may include financing, site selection, supplemental outreach recruitment and existing business expansion and development entitlement assistance. Prepares and recommends the City's economic development policy goals and implementation plans. Serves as a liaison with local, state and federal agencies responsible for economic development activities. Manages developer selection process and negotiates developmental agreements for commercial and industrial projects. Manages permit processing, planning, building plan checking and inspections, code enforcement, historic preservation and development engineering. Directs research and preparation of various reports, proposals, and studies. Chairs committees comprised of key employees from other city departments in order to respond in a coordinate manner to the development needs of applicants. Represents the City at various meetings. Performs related work as required.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: The essential responsibilities of the director are to have knowledge of principles and practices of economic development efforts that may include financing, site selection, business outreach and recruitment, existing business expansion, and development entitlement assistance methods and techniques of permit processing, building inspection and code enforcement; laws, ordinances and regulations governing the operation of municipal government; management theory and practice; spelling, grammar and punctuation; appropriate safety precautions and procedures.
Have the ability to plan, organize and administer comprehensive economic development programs; coordinate a task force designed to respond to developmental needs of applicants; prepare comprehensive reports, make effective oral presentation and maintain effective public relations; exercise good judgement in the handling of municipal affairs; formulate and administer budget; operate a vehicle observing legal and defensive driving practices; establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work; deal with a wide variety of planning, building and code/zone customers and reaching a satisfactory resolution to difficult and complex problems; maintain confidentiality and determine what information can be dispensed; coordinate with various departments for plans and permits review; manage the performance of others in the department with regards to scheduling inspections, computerized data entry, permit issuance, public relations, complaint, planning and community and economic development conditions and monetary follow-up.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORKING CONDITIONS: Strength, light work-lifting, carrying and/or pushing 25 pounds maximum; incumbents are required to attend periodic evening meetings; and required to travel within and out of City to attend meetings.
PREREQUISITES: This position requires equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business administration, urban planning, economics or a closely related field.
A Master’s degree in one of these fields is desirable.
A minimum of three years of increasingly responsible experience in managerial-level work in economic/business development and municipal services.
Possession of a valid California driver's license and a satisfactory driving record.
The application deadline is Friday, August 30, 2024. Please email a cover letter, comprehensive resume and five professional references to hr@CityofChowchilla.org; telephone (559) 6650-8615 x104, or mail the packet to: Human Resource Department, City of Chowchilla, 130 S Second Street, Chowchilla, CA 93610.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be high energy, confident, articulate and an accomplished professional with a proven and verifiable background in retention and expansion, business support, real estate, downtown revitalization and be comfortable working in collaboration with other key regional economic development and city planning stakeholders that focus on placemaking, marketing and promoting the local economy.
Will possess excellent inter-personal skills to create open, collaborative, and successful working relations with the City Council, community groups, developers, and other City executives to establish sustainable relationships. Will be politically astute, yet apolitical, be an articulate communicator, a good listener, and deliver measurable results.
Benefits
The Compensation
Salary is dependent upon qualifications with a current salary range of $120,265.60 to $154,003.20 per year, with a 90/8 work week, plus generous benefits including:
Retirement - CalPERS 2% @ 60 Plan for "Classic" members with the employee share currently 7%. New members are 2% @ 62, with an employee share of 6.35%. The City does not participate in Social Security.
Health, Dental and Vision Insurance - The City offers health, dental, and vision insurance with a share of cost depending on type of plan such as family, individual, employee plus one, employee and child, etc. The health insurance plan that is standard is the Gold Plan; however, employees may enroll in the Silver Plan, which is below the Gold Plan, or they may buy up to a Platinum Plan. Employees who have other insurance and declines the City plans will be paid a stipend in the amount of $150 for health, $25 for vision, and $50 for dental.
State Disability Insurance (SDI) - 1.0% of salary paid by employee.
Deferred Compensation - 457 Plan available at the expense of employee.
Life Insurance - Provided in the amount of $100,000 for department heads and City Administrator. The employee pays taxes on all premium's values over $50,000 in according with IRS guidelines, the average per pay period amount that is taxable is approximately $6.
Pet Insurance - through ASPCA
Holidays - 11 paid holidays per year. Plus, two additional floating paid holidays.
Annual Leave - 280 hours per year.
Sick Leave - 12 days per year in addition to the annual leave.
Other Benefits - Longevity Pay applies to all employees at the rate of 2.5% for every 5 years of service with the City of Chowchilla. Other benefits that may apply to include education incentives pay, and certificate pay, etc., depending on the City Council approved contract.
Special Instructions
To Apply
The deadline is Friday, August 30, 2024. To be considered please submit a cover letter, resume and a list of five work-related reference (who will not be contacted without your prior notice).
The City's web site is www.CityOfChowchilla.org
Submit the requested materials to:
City of Chowchilla
Human Resource Office
130 S. Second Street
Chowchilla, CA 93610
Those candidates who best meet the qualifications will be invited to participate in the testing and oral interview process.
The City will make reasonable accommodations in the examination process for disabled applicants. If you have special needs, please indicate such on you application.
The City of Chowchilla does not discriminate on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, sex or age, in any programs or activities.
Equal Opportunity / ADA Employer