POSITION SUMMARY:

Serves as the primary point of contact in the City to assist businesses seeking to navigate the public process for purposes of economic development. Leads the City of South Bend's Business Development team and its activities to develop the strategies to effectively identify, recruit, support and enhance new and expanding businesses in the City and executes on those strategies. Innovation, creativity, high energy and problem solving are critical skills for success. 

The Director of Growth and Opportunity coordinates support for businesses that are trying to locate and grow in the City of South Bend and manages the Business Development team to ensure that the business requests match the investment philosophy of the City – ensuring sustainability, equity, and risk management. The Director also leads workforce development and other initiatives that support the equitable growth of the community.

The Director will have a balanced approach to financial stewardship, enthusiastic marketing, savvy negotiation, and strategic thinking. A successful candidate will fulfill the City’s vision of residents who thrive.

**AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni who meet the required qualifications are encouraged to apply.**

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Direct supervision of the Business Development team, including Business Engagement, Business Resources, and Workforce Development.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leads the department’s economic development and redevelopment activities including strategic planning, budgeting, hiring personnel and creating successful public-private partnerships.
• Develops performance measures based on accepted best practices to assess programming effectiveness.
• Provides professional and friendly response to the needs of businesses to grow and invest in our community.
• Responds to requests for resources with careful consideration for the sustainability, equity, and risk.
• Leads strategic review of prospective development opportunities requesting City participation.  Works with professional service providers (attorneys, financial consultants, engineers, etc.) along with developers/investors to finalize projects.
• Organizes internal interdisciplinary project teams around individual opportunities, drawing from the Planning, Analytics, Business Development, and Neighborhood Support groups within the Department, and from outside the Department where appropriate. Working respectfully and in a coordinated fashion in the light of conflicting points of view.
• Oversees implementation of approved development projects with City participation.
• Creates and deploys new business assistance programs, investment initiatives and revises existing program as necessary to increase effectiveness.
• Develops and maintains working relationship with key area businesses to facilitate growth and reinvestment in the City.
• Works collaboratively with private sector economic development groups to further City’s community investment goals and objectives.
• Researches, leverages, receives and deploys appropriate federal, state and local funding sources in furtherance of City development goals.
• Meets with and advises City Officials, redevelopment commissioners, business leaders and other concerned citizens as to economic development, redevelopment, community development, business assistance, housing and neighborhood plans.
• Works with the community's elected and appointed leadership to develop policy in the areas of business assistance and economic development and redevelopment. 

NON-ESSENTIAL/MARGINAL FUNCTIONS:

• Performs other duties and assume other responsibilities as apparent or as delegated.

EOE/ADA STATEMENT:

The City of South Bend provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application/hiring process should contact the Legal Department's ADA Compliance Officer at aderose@southbendin.gov and Office of Human Resources at humanresources@southbendin.gov to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicant will be made on a case-by-case basis.

The City of South Bend seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality public safety officers, staff and administration. The City of South Bend is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace. We strongly encourage applications from underrepresented candidates and others that will enhance our community in compliance with EO No. 1-2016 Section 1. Moreover, the City of South Bend prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and requires affirmative action by covered contractors to employ and advance veterans and qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a).  

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY:

• Knowledge of principles and practices of urban planning, redevelopment, business assistance and economic development, neighborhood revitalization and housing programs;
• Strong interpersonal skills, enabling competing perspectives to advance under a high stress environment.
• Knowledge of basic public administration procedures; ability to supervise a multifaceted public development agency and coordinate a variety of projects related to economic development, community development, urban redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization; ability to evaluate and analyze complex plans, projects, and programs, taking into consideration such factors as the public budget process, the sources and uses of revenue, the conflicting community viewpoints and plans, the political process, strategic planning considerations and other difficulties;
• Ability to direct a professional staff;  ability to relate well with community leaders, elected and appointed officials and diverse community and civic groups;
• Ability to clearly explain long term, complex plans and alternatives in both private and public meetings and presentations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENCE, REGISTRATION:

Valid Driver’s License, or ability to obtain one.

EQUIPMENT:

Desktop and laptop computer; telephone, copier, and facsimile machine.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

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. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and walk, and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to walk; use hands to fingers, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; and reach with hands and arms.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required in this job include vision and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in office setting, with moderate inside temperatures.  The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate in the office and may be quiet to loud in the field.  Exposure to adverse weather conditions such as cold or heat may prevail in situations involving outside meeting engagements.  Entire office is smoke free.

REQUIRED:

Pre-employment drug screen