Job Opening - Economic Development Director, City of Raton

THE CITY OF RATON will accept applications from qualified applicants for a full-time Economic Development Director. Applications and a complete job description may be picked up at the Raton Municipal Building at 224 Savage Avenue. Applicants shall include a summary of relevant job experience, education and qualifications. Pay/salary is dependent on experience and qualifications. Statements of Interest/Applications for the position shall be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on October 10, 2019. For more information contact Cyndi Parker – HR Director, at (575-)445-9551 or cparker@cityofraton.com.

The City of Raton Is an Equal Opportunity Employer with excellent benefits and retirement package.

City of Raton

Job Description

Job Title: Economic Development Director

Department: Management/ Administration

Classification: Exempt

Posted Until October 10, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.

The City of Raton seeks a high-energy, articulate, and accomplished economic development professional for the position of Economic Development Director (Director). The position shall require a proven background in business retention and expansion, business support, and community development. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in collaboration with other key regional economic development stakeholders and will have the ability to deliver measurable results. The Director must be able to create an open, collaborative, and successful working relationship with the City Manager, City Commission, community groups, developers, and other City staff and departments.

General Statement of Duties:

The Director shall plan, coordinate, establish and manage the City of Raton Economic Development and Tourism Division. The Director shall implement the objectives and goals of the City’s strategic economic growth and development plan. The Director shall participate in City objectives as part of the leadership team. The Director shall report to the City Manager.

The Director shall perform administrative duties consisting of budgeting, procurement and financial management, grant preparation and management, personnel issues, safety planning and implementation and other supervisory, management and administrative duties.

Salary: $60,000 to $70,000/ annual salary dependent on experience and qualifications.

Minimum Qualifications:

5 years’ experience in economic and community development, including administrative responsibility; graduation from a four-year college or university, preferably with specialization in economic and community development or a related field; or any equivalent combination or experience and training.

The successful candidate must possess a valid Driver’s License, and consent to and pass a pre-employment police background investigation, drug screen and physical. Candidates must demonstrate superior skills in leadership, communication, public relations, and applicable technology. The successful candidate must demonstrate the following:

Knowledge and Ability Regarding:

• Principles, practices, and procedures of economic development, tourism promotion, public administration, and municipal requirements;

• Applicable standards, rules, regulations, agreements, department and City policies and ordinances;

• Operation and maintenance of apparatus, vehicles, tools and equipment needed to perform job and functions;

• Principles and practices of supervision, training, program development, management, budgeting, procurement, record keeping and report preparation;

• Occupational hazards and standard safety precautions;

• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including communications systems, computers and applicable software applications such as word processing; graphic presentations and databases;

• Response to requests and inquiries from the general public; professionally represent the City of Raton during public contacts and at public meetings;

• Effective communications; digitally, orally and in writing;

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with Federal and State of New Mexico agencies and officials, business entities and, economic development and tourism organizations.

Description of Tasks to be Performed:

Responsibilities and duties of this position of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Serve as primary officer in matters relating to the City's Economic Development initiatives and opportunities for economic development throughout Raton.

• Oversight and lead on collaborative efforts with independent partner organizations to support workforce development; entrepreneurship; local business expansion and retention, new business recruitment and relocation, to further the City’s development initiatives.

• Collaborate with City Manager and City Commission on legislative advocacy initiatives and policy establishment.

• Plan, coordinate, establish and manage a Tourism Division including Visitors Center operations, a destination marketing initiative, and work to establish a Convention and Visitors Bureau.

• Develop and implement business development and expansion incentive plan.

• Collaborate with the City’s leadership team, departments and divisions in the areas of community planning and redevelopment. Identify, prepare, manage and administer funding opportunities through federal and state community development programs.

• Conduct market and feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses, provide expertise in programs such as Historic Tax Credits, New Market Tax Credits, Opportunity Zone, Industrial Revenue Bonds and other municipal debt securities, conduct economic impact analysis and formulate economic development agreements under direction of legal counsel.

• Conduct public meetings, strategic partner communications, address City Commission, boards and departments, and prepare other applicable communications, reports and information as directed.

• Oversight and management of marketing and promotion activities in the areas of economic development and tourism.

• Participate in City informational efforts including website content and management and media presentations.

• And other duties as assigned

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Requires standing, walking, lifting and moving objects up to twenty-five pounds. Must be able to work normal business hours and occasional nights and weekends primarily in an office setting, occasionally travel independently, and enter and exit from vehicles. Manually operate vehicles and office equipment. Candidate shall be required to successfully perform a physical fitness-for-duty test as set out by the City of Raton. Random drug and alcohol testing at employer’s discretion.

An official City of Raton application must be completed and submitted to Cyndi Parker – Human Resources Director of the City of Raton, Post Office Box 910, Raton, New Mexico 87740. Resumes and qualification support information will be accepted but only with an application. Deadline to be considered for the position is October 10, 2019. All persons offered any job with the City of Raton shall be drug/alcohol screened. Refusal to submit to a drug/alcohol screen will be deemed as a withdrawal of application by the applicant.