Deputy Economic Development Director

Location:  City of Fort Worth, TX Download:  City of Fort Worth, TX - Deputy Economic Development Director - Brochure

 

About Fort Worth, TX 

Fort Worth is known for warm greetings and hospitality, inviting neighborhoods, and a vibrant and rich culture. It’s no surprise that it is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S.  The most typically Texan of all Texas cities, Fort Worth began as a tiny outpost on a lonely frontier. Today, this metropolitan area of more than 900,000 people blends its cattle and oil heritage seamlessly with an ever-growing, diverse array of new businesses and industries. 

Fort Worth is the 12th-largest city in the United States, known for Texas hospitality and a dozen remarkable districts full of culture and fun. Fort Worth has seen strong advances in education, jobs, diversity of culture and industry that have created an unmatched pool of resources for business to grow as well. According to Money Magazine, “Fort Worth offers big city arts and entertainment without the attitude or high prices of comparable metros.”  

Fort Worth offers the historic western Stockyards featuring the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive, Billy Bob’s Texas, the world’s largest honky-tonk and the new Mule Alley, a connected downtown with the 35-block Sundance Square entertainment district, and the stunning museums of the Cultural District, the Botanic Garden and nearby Fort Worth Zoo. 

Accolades 

  •       50 Best Places to Travel in 2021, Travel & Leisure
  •       21 Best Places to Retire in 2021, RetireBetterNow.com, 2021
  •       #2 Zoo in America, USA Today, 2021
  •       The 25 Best Places for Young Professionals, U.S. News & World Report, 2020
  •       Ranked among the best cities to raise a family, Smartasset.com, 2017 

City Government 

Fort Worth has a council-manager government. Under the form, an elected governing body, usually called a city council will have elections held every two years for a mayor, elected at large, and eight council members, elected by district. 

The mayor is a voting member of the council and represents the city on ceremonial occasions. The council has the power to adopt municipal ordinances and resolutions, make proclamations, set the city tax rate, approve the city budget, and appoint the city secretary, city attorney, city auditor, municipal court judges, and members of city boards and commissions. 

The day-to-day operations of city government are overseen by the city manager, who is also appointed by the council. 

The Position 

The Deputy Economic Development Director assists in planning, directing, managing and overseeing the activities and operations of the Economic Development Department including business recruitment, retention, and expansion; budget and financial operations;  implementation and oversight of the economic development strategic plan, coordination and collaboration with community/economic development partners; management and oversight of various TIRZ, PID and Component Unit Boards and development of policies and guidelines. The Deputy Economic Development Director provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the Economic Development Director. 

Essential Functions and Responsibilities: 

  • Supervises staff, which includes prioritizing and assigning work; conducts performance evaluations; ensures staff is trained; ensures employees follow policies and procedures; maintains a healthy and safe working environment; and, makes hiring, termination, and disciplinary decisions or recommendations.
  • Assists and manages the development and implementation of departmental goals, objectives, policies and priorities for each assigned service and/or operational area; and oversees the development and implementation of policies and plans related to departmental services and operations.
  • Discover methods to enhance service delivery processes and procedures, determines resources needed, and implements changes.
  • Determines the proper staffing and service levels, tracks and assesses the efficacy and efficiency of processes and methods used to deliver services; and distributes resources appropriately.
  • Plans, directs, and assists, through subordinate level management staff, the Economic Development Department work plan; allocates projects and programmatic area of accountability; examines and assesses work practices and protocols; and convenes with key personnel to identify and address issues.
  • Acts in the absence of the Economic Development Director and as a professional resource/advisor to employees and management; including any special committees with regards to economic development programs.
  • Assists with the development of the department budget; forecasts funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials and supplies; and implements budgetary adjustments, as needed. 
  • Conduct return on investment analysis (ROA) of businesses seeking to relocate or expand in Fort Worth, and evaluate possible incentive recommendations made to city leadership. 
  • Oversees the City’s programs and planning for targeted development projects for neighborhoods. In collaboration with the Director, works with neighborhood groups and representatives, community service providers, business owners and developers to address neighborhood issues and concerns related to preservation and quality of life issues, community revitalization, and small business development.
  • Develops requests, evaluates and negotiates proposals for contracting various services.
  • Provides guidance, mentorship, and supervision to departmental staff, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment that promotes growth and development.
  • Performs other related duties as required.
  • Adheres to assigned work schedule as outlined in the Department and City attendance policies and procedures; ensures all behaviors comply with the City’s Personnel Rules and Regulations.
  • Pursuant to the City of Fort Worth’s Code of Ordinances and Personnel Rules and Regulations, employees in this position cannot file an appeal of disciplinary actions taken against them.

 Knowledge of

  • Principles and practices of program development and administration.
  • Methods and techniques of statistical data collection and analysis.
  • Principles and practices of municipal budget preparation and administration.
  • Pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations. 

The Ideal Candidate 

The ideal candidate should have experience in economic development and community revitalization principles and be well versed in job creation through business attraction and assisting local businesses with retention, expansion and trade. Knowledge of current trends, issues and strategies that affect and influence all aspects of economic and community development is necessary; understanding the complex issues related to a growing community will be beneficial.  

The ideal candidate should be an innovative leader with proven interest in building and maintaining relationships with other organizations and economic development practitioners and be able to effectively communicate with groups and individuals, engineers, architects, contractors, developers, businesses, supervisors, employees and the general public.  This person should set a positive example of competence, professionalism, energy and work ethic to the organization. 

The ideal candidate must possess the capacity and interest to be an effective mentor for staff while promoting good organizational health and morale. This individual should have experience in strategic planning and organizational development; strong collaboration, negotiating skills, and advanced written and oral communication skills are imperative to be successful. 

Education and Experience

Qualified applicants will have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Public Administration, Business Administration, Planning, or a related field and seven (7) years of increasingly responsible experience in economic development, community development, and/or diversification, human resources management, government relations, or a closely related field, including three (3) years of administrative and supervisory responsibility. A Master’s degree in these fields is preferable and professional certifications, such as Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) or working towards certifications will be given preference. 

Salary

The City of Fort Worth is offering a competitive salary between $165,000 – $190,000 commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. Relocation assistance will also be available for the successful out-of-area candidate. 

How to Apply

Interested applicants should forward a cover letter and resume to: 

resumes@affionpublic.com
Reference: FWDEDD 

Affion Public
PO Box 794
Hershey, PA 17033
888.321.4922
www.affionpublic.com 

*The deadline to receive resumes is August 08, 2024* 

The City of Fort Worth is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. 

 

 

Posted: 07/01/2024