Economic Development Program Manager

Tumwater is a vibrant community, rich in history, community, and opportunity.

Nestled into the base of Puget Sound, Tumwater is the southern gateway to the Seattle/Tacoma metropolitan area. It?s just a little over an hour from the Pacific Ocean beaches, the Olympic Peninsula, and Mount Rainier with beautiful landscapes of prairie, river, estuary, and lush green trees. With its central location, Tumwater is a picturesque Northwest community with convenient access to arts, cultural and outdoor recreation.

Our vision is to create a future that is highly livable with diverse and engaged residents, a strong economy, and a healthy natural environment. Safe neighborhoods, quality schools, and a sense of community pride make Tumwater a great place to live, work, and play.

General Statement of Duties: Under general direction of the City Administrator, works with businesses, developers, commercial real estate brokers, internal staff, and outside agencies to achieve the objectives of the City?s economic development policies and plans through a focused and comprehensive commitment to business retention, expansion, and recruitment. Plans, organizes, and manages initiatives, communication, and activities in support of economic goals. Represents the city to the business community and works with regional and state economic development partners. Coordinates the annual Legislative Agenda to direct the City's requests for funding and policy support from the State Legislature. 

Essential Job Duties:

• Develops, implements, and maintains Economic Development goals, objectives, policies, and priorities and tracks achievement toward established goals and priorities. Implements and adjusts Economic Development strategies to promote job creation, tax base growth, redevelopment, Tumwater Craft, diversity and equity, and other stated objectives. Leads the regular update of the Economic Development Plan in cooperation with key community stakeholders.
• Acts as liaison between the City and the private sector for business retention, expansion, and recruitment. Works with the Communications staff and consultants to develop internal and external communication tools for sharing information and promoting business within the City. Collaborates with other cities in the region to foster a desirable business environment.
• Implements, coordinates and markets programs to strengthen the City's economic base.
• Analyzes data trends for the purpose of supporting, developing, and monitoring programs and projects administered by the City.  
• Advises the Mayor, City Administrator, Department Directors, and City Council on and coordinates appropriate strategies and processes to assist the business community; confers with government officials to effect changes in local policies regarding new development.
• Prepares reports, makes presentations, and facilitates third party presentations; actively participates in the discussion to guide outcomes that are consistent with the City's economic development policies and goals, including the Economic Development Plan and economic development elements of redevelopment plans and strategies.
• Manages the City?s implementation of Habitat Conservation Plan for the Mazama Pocket Gopher and other prairie species, including the purchase of land, contracting for habitat development, permitting, approval of mitigation credits, sale of mitigation credits, and reporting.
• Lead the City?s work on brewery redevelopment, craft brewing and distilling development, Tumwater Craft, and specific sub-areas related to these initiatives. Manage implementation and reporting of existing brownfield redevelopment grants from the Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection Agency. 
• Coordinates contracts and activities to meet the City's tourism goals; coordinates business assistance programs; conducts special projects; and prepares and coordinates federal and state grants relating to economic vitality. 
• Serves as the City representative and liaison to the business community by developing and engaging in productive relationships with community organizations and business partners involved in business and tourism activities; works and engages with the business community through the Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Council, Visitors and Convention Bureau, commercial real estate brokerage community, and financial institutions; meets regularly with employers in the City. 
• Work with developers of pending projects and City staff to resolve regulatory issues consistent with the City?s plans and policies.
• Lead the City's efforts specific to support for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and historically disadvantaged businesses (including but not limited to LGBTQ+, woman, and minority owned businesses).
• Collaborates with City departments on projects, goals, and other economic development efforts. 
• Makes presentations relating to the City's economic development goals, objectives, programs, and policies to public and private groups.
• Coordinates adoption of the annual Legislative Agenda by City Council. Manages and works closely with the City?s contract lobbyist to advocate for funding and policy support from the State and Federal legislatures. Meets directly with State and Federal elected officials and staff to elevate City?s legislative priorities. Serves as the City representative in the Thurston Shared Legislative Agenda regional effort with partner agencies.
• Serves as City staff representative on the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Provides technical support to help the Committee develop a recommendation to the City Council for distribution of lodging tax funds. 
• Oversees the selection and management of consultants hired to assist in achieving economic development goals.  
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of the issues, strategies, and techniques of economic development.
2. Knowledge of Federal and State economic development programs.
3. Knowledge of principles and practices of economic development, real estate development, zoning and land use regulation, municipal finance and commercial lending, and contract and agreement development and administration.
4.  Knowledge of federal and state legislative functions, processes, and organizational structures.
5. Knowledge of state and federal grant administration, application development, implementation, and reporting. 
6. Ability to work effectively and as a team with other staff, economic development partners, elected officials, and the private sector.
7. Ability to analyze data, plans, proformas, and trends relating to economic development, redevelopment, and economic development goals.
8. Ability to prepare written reports and make presentations to a variety of audiences, including the city council, public meetings, hearing examiner, community and business groups, media, and businesses.
9. Ability to handle multiple issues and projects simultaneously.
10. Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information related to redevelopment while still complying with City policy and public records.
11. Ability to market and promote the City based on defined objectives.
12. Ability to collect, store and monitor relevant economic development data. 
13. Ability to mediate, balance and facilitate different points of view to achieve established goals; negotiate and administer contracts and agreements.
14. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision; and
15. Ability to develop and maintain positive and constructive relationships with co-workers, organizational partners, elected officials, businesses, and others involved in economic development.

Minimum Qualifications:  A combination of education, training, and experience equivalent to a bachelor's degree in planning, economics, business or public administration, or a related field and three years of increasingly responsible professional economic development experience in the public or private sector are required.  

Training/Licenses/Certifications: Must possess or have the ability within a reasonable time to obtain Washington State Drivers License. 

Preferred Qualifications:   A master's degree in planning, real estate development, business or public administration or related field is preferred.

Supplemental Information:  

Contacts: Other city staff and supervisors, business owners and groups, the public, advisory/citizen groups, City Council, elected officials, contractors, vendors/manufacturers, other governmental agencies, intergovernmental economic development organizations, and the media. The incumbent will have daily contact with staff from multiple departments for leading projects, work coordination and information sharing/gathering.

Supervision: This position is supervised by the City Administrator through general review of work plans, progress and results; and achievement of program objectives.  Supervision of program interns is required, as applicable. 

Accountability: The Economic Development Program Manager is accountable for the successful completion of the assigned projects and tasks and for the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness.  

Working Conditions: Positions in this class perform work primarily in indoor office conditions with some exposure to the outdoors; drives a vehicle to different locations; attends evening meetings; works under pressure, in potentially stressful situations, and with media scrutiny. Opportunities exist for teleworking. Employee must remain a Washington State resident. 

Physical Requirements: Work is often performed in an office setting. Specific physical requirements and typical working conditions for this position are on file in the Administrative Services Department. hearing and speaking sufficient to exchange information in person, at formal presentations, or on the telephone; sitting or standing for extended periods of time; uses hands to handle, feel or operate standard office equipment including personal computer; mental capability to read and interpret statistical data and documents, observe and interpret people and situations, perform highly detailed work on multiple concurrent tasks, work under intensive deadlines and with media scrutiny.  The City of Tumwater is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE), committed to a diverse workforce. Women, minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.