Director Economic Development & Entrepreneurship

Grade: GS.14    Salary: $75,021 - $90,634

Work Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments or projects.*

Work Location: 101 E. 11th Street, Chattanooga, TN

FLSA Status: This is an Exempt position.

Department: Economic Development

CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:

The Director Economic Development & Entrepreneurship will be responsible for providing direct management and implementation of and strategic direction for the City of Chattanooga’s efforts to promote and leverage Chattanooga's small business environment and ecosystem.

The Director Economic Development & Entrepreneurship will design and implement a strategy that will grow and enhance the city’s small business economy; help small business owners grow and scale their businesses; develop programs to help entrepreneurs and small business owners access needed resources to grow their businesses; and coordinate City of Chattanooga-led initiatives related to entrepreneurship and the growth of the city’s small business economy. 

The Director Economic Development & Entrepreneurship will help entrepreneurs and small business owners by collaborating and designing systems which help entrepreneurs navigate various challenges, including, but not limited to, accessing various types of capital; seeking and receiving technical assistance; accessing procurement opportunities with government agencies and large companies; developing joint ventures and partnerships for strategic growth; and helping local entrepreneurs and small business owners to enhance their sales and/or market share.
 

SERIES LEVEL:  

The Director Economic Development & Entrepreneurship is a stand-alone position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 
(The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)

Provides strategic guidance, direction, and implementation of small business and entrepreneurship programs, including any programs or initiatives supported by grant funding.

Works with the Administrator to develop short, medium, and long-term economic goals for the small business economy.

Ensures implementation of entrepreneurship directives issued by the Mayor; Senior Advisor for Economic Opportunities; and the Administrator of the Department of Economic Development.

Administers and designs all small business programs and small business incentives, including small business grant and loan programs, where applicable.

Evaluates, recommends, coordinates, produces, and advocates for small business resources.

Oversees and supports the programming, strategies, and outcomes of the proposed Minority Business Resource Center, in collaboration with external partners that may manage the daily operation of the Minority Business Resource Center.

Develops and implements new program initiatives.

Collaborates with community stakeholders by serving as a convener for community partners.

Seeks and applies for funding opportunities to support entrepreneurship initiatives.

Provides information and/or makes presentations to boards, commissions, civic groups, businesses, individuals, and the general public on entrepreneurship and small business programs.

Identifies budgetary needs and works with the Administrator and/or Deputy Administrator to formulate budgetary requests.

Participates in and coordinates community meetings and community engagement opportunities to keep constituents informed of entrepreneurship opportunities; and provides and maintains transparency with the general public.

Consults with the City Attorney on legal issues related to the operations of the office.

Collaborates and confers with internal staff, external agencies, community organizations, residents, and/or other interested parties in executing the Mayor’s goals, objectives, and strategies.

Prepares grant proposals and applications and other necessary documents as may be required for necessary services.

Advises the Administrator of the Department of Economic Development and/or the Deputy Administrator for Economic Development, the Mayor and City Council on all matters related to small business growth.

Maintains strong working relationships with the general public, small business owners and entrepreneurs, elected officials, the media, and others.

Works closely with community partners to support entrepreneur-focused events, programs, and workshops, like Chattanooga’s StartUp Week, as an example.

Serves as a member of various committees as assigned.

Must meet regular attendance requirements.

Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers and citizens.

Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.

Performs other duties as assigned.

DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC DUTIES (if any): N/A

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

Bachelor’s degree and ten (10)+ years of experience in roles of growing scope, responsibility, and demonstrable results in business, entrepreneurship, economic development or a related field, including five (5) years at the management level; or any combination of equivalent experience and education; Advanced degree in business administration, economics or a related field may be substituted on a year-for-year basis up to two (2) years of the required ten (10) years of experience as described above. 

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS:  

Tennessee Certified Economic Developer program or the International Economic Development Council certification preferred within 12 months.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

Knowledge in shaping, guiding, and implementing successful and effective strategies to grow prosperity of and uplift underserved communities, especially culturally diverse communities;

A strong commitment to providing services that will improve and enhance the quality of life for all residents.

Skill in executing projects while balancing multiple competing priorities on tight deadlines, all while providing continual attention to detail and quality. Politically astute with a proven track record of working effectively in partnership with City departments, elected officials, local, regional, and state governments, outside agencies, residents, small businesses, and other key stakeholders to achieve goals and objectives. Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and manage organizational cultural change and development, comprehensively leading and energizing a diverse team. Highly effective communicator with maturity who demonstrates cultural competence, active listening, and responsiveness to the community, residents, and staff. Ability to both collaborate and work independently and a self-starter.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

Positions in this class typically require fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human  body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: N

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check.

The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

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