Director of Strategic and Economic Development

Job Summary

The Director of Strategic and Economic Development drives strategic initiatives, leads transformational strategies that create jobs, attracts high-impact investment, accelerates innovation and ensures long-term economic competitiveness and broad-based prosperity for the MSD member (Members) entities. Responsible for coordinating municipal and regional planning, real estate finance and transactions, urban policy and planning, community reinvestment agencies and redevelopment agencies, while balancing politically competing clients; celebrating the uniqueness of each of our Members' and their needs. This position collaborates with various providers and MSD departments to ensure alignment towards forward-thinking optimal economic success. This position will play a key role in driving Kearns Olympic economic development.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in public or business administration, finance, economic development, real estate development, urban planning, or a related field, plus 15 years of increasingly responsible experience in local or regional economic development, municipal development, and implementation including experience with redevelopment and revitalization programs, and ten years of supervisory experience. Prefer executive leadership experience.

A master's degree is strongly preferred.

An acceptable combination of education and related experience may be considered. Preference may be given for related work experience in the following areas: public administration, economic development, real estate, finance, urban planning, and marketing.

***Special Requirements ***

Must possess a valid and unencumbered Utah driver license. New employees with an out of state license must obtain a valid Utah Driver License within sixty (60) days of hire date (exceptions for military personnel and their dependents).

**ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**

*The following duties and responsibilities are intended to be representative of the work performed by the employee(s) in this position and are not all-inclusive. The omission of specific duties and responsibilities will not preclude it from the position. Applicants must be prepared to demonstrate the ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.*

• Serves as the MSD's senior strategic planner and cross-functional integrator.
• Represent MSD and members' interests in all strategies and service initiatives.
• Help MSD member communities develop and implement unique comprehensive strategic plans to facilitate community growth and meet city objectives, including market analysis, financial modeling, competitive analysis, strategic positioning and evaluating potential impacts on the member's financial health and sustainability.
• Negotiate and manage strategic partnerships and relationships with neighboring jurisdictions, external organizations, vendors, and stakeholders to support strategic and economic objectives.
• Advise senior management, board members, mayors and council members on strategic and economic planning decisions and long-term direction, presenting findings and recommendations in a clear and compelling manner.
• Work closely with regional elected officials, state representatives, academic leaders, and community stakeholders to align around shared economic priorities.
• Secure and manage funding for economic development projects through grants and other resources.
• Advocate for policies and legislation that support economic growth, long-term resilience and global relevance.
• Advise Member

s on Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), Redevelopment Agency (RDA) and Tax Increment Funding (TIF) activities.

• Aligns the MSD's operations are nested in our communities' interests, while ensuring the MSD's strategic direction.
• Coordinate complex and challenging real estate transactions.
• Responsible for compliance in all aspects of this position
• Drives strategic plans through execution to completion in accordance with established timelines.
• Lead a team of long-range planning and economic development professionals. Provide professional development tailored to each team members' needs and develop an internal succession plan.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

**Qualifications and Knowledge**

• Executive leadership principles and managerial practices and techniques to successfully supervise, develop, and empower staff.
• Economic development principles and methods.
• Marketing principles, public relations techniques and destination marketing organizations and their role in the community.
• Federal, Utah specific, and City laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to gathering and disseminating public information.
• CRA, RDA. and TIF management and funding.
• Budgeting and finance principles and practices.
• Project management principles and practices.
• Customer service principles and practices.
• Real estate development, negotiations and there applicable local and federal laws.

Skills And Abilities To

• Develop and manage highly complex long-term plans while deconflicting competing interests.
• Collaborate to engage regional stakeholders and develop coalitions that can help the organization evaluate goals, initiatives, and help drive towards results.
• Foster a culture of excellence, accountability, and innovation, staff development, leadership, and communications.
• Directing, developing, managing, identifying, communicating and carrying out the objectives of the department.
• Interpreting and applying complex principles, methods and practices related to economic development and problem solving.
• Interpreting and applying applicable Federal, state and local laws, codes, ordinances, rules and regulations.
• Establish and maintain cohesive working relationships with public and private sector representatives, elected officials, department heads, employees, media representatives, professional groups, and the general public.
• Analyze, develop, and conduct research and surveys
• Exercise considerable judgment and discretion.
• Work independently and in teams.
• Develop professionally targeted promotional material such as brochures, presentations, and materials utilizing computer software; Word, Excel, and CityWorks.

**WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS**

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

• This position requires work in a wide variety of conditions, from a typical office setting to fieldwork.
• This position may be subject to intermittent exposure to high-stress situations caused by human behavior.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, walk, move, talk, and hear/listen.
• The employee is required to use hands to finger, handle, and 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 by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus unless otherwise required by management.