Job Description:
As Alberta’s fastest growing municipality, the City of Chestermere has rapidly evolved from a charming summer village into a dynamic lakeside community for over 20,000 residents. The beautiful lake, excellent schools, safe communities, pleasant neighbourhoods, growing opportunities, and a 18 hole golf course all contribute to the ambiance of a family friendly oasis. By demonstrating Collaboration, Humour/Fun, Integrity, Professionalism and Accountability, employees at the City of Chestermere use their strengths and unique abilities to contribute to the vision of Chestermere becoming Alberta’s Oasis.
The City is currently seeking a full-time Manager of Economic Development to join our Corporate Services Services team. Reporting to the interim Director of Corporate Services, the Manager of Economic Development participates in building interdependent teams that work to achieve their objectives and, in collaboration with other departments, the overall vision of the City of Chestermere within the context of the Strategic Initiatives contained within the rolling 3 year Strategic Plan.
Main responsibilities:
Provide strategic, technical, management, municipal and business expertise and advice in the conceptualization, development, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of:
Facilitating the establishment of businesses in Chestermere, e.g., promote the growth of jobs, business and development; conduct social and economic surveys to assess development potential and trends; assess business opportunities and develop strategies to attract venture capital; develop social and economic profiles to encourage commercial investment;
Attracting new investment to Chestermere, e.g., actively engage in networking opportunities such as conferences and trade shows to generate leads; follow up on potential investment leads; ensure that the City investment website is current and attractive to investors; actively market Chestermere within the region;
Assist and support in the development of the City-owned industrial lands. e.g., assist the Engineering team by providing strategic, technical, management and business expertise and support in the development of the industrial lands as identified in the Municipal Development Plan, and lead the business attraction to the City-owned industrial land.
Support of local businesses, e.g., retention, expansion, investments; research and/or conduct workshops/webinars; develop/maintain a business directory; provide advice on planning and starting a business; collect and publish relevant demographic information; meet with Council to promote economic development initiatives.
Business policies and licenses, e.g., develop and implement the Economic Development Strategy, plans and policies; develop relationships with local and regional developers/builders; review and evaluate commercial development proposals and provide advice on procedures for approval; work with other City departments to ensure Chestermere is business-friendly, notify business owners of license renewal dates.
Manage the assessment of the current and future needs of the City and surrounding community, gathering input and feedback, utilizing evaluation tools, analyzing and reporting statistical and evaluative data for overall planning and development purposes.
Network and facilitate partnerships with local, regional, provincial and federal subject matter experts and service providers, e.g., peers in other municipalities, consultants, interest groups, maintain an awareness of best practices and opportunities.
Represent Corporate Services internally as a subject matter expert and champion of capacity building and excellence in economic development, e.g., undertake studies and provide recommendations to the CAO and/or Council regarding the feasibility of projects, services, and programs.
Manage the enhancement and implementation of City and Department Policies and Procedures within legislative, regulatory requirements and best practices.
Represent the City on a variety of professional associations and organizations, e.g., Chestermere Chamber of Commerce, Calgary Regional Partnership, foster good relationships with Rocky View County, the City of Calgary and neighbouring municipalities.
Participate in sensitive negotiations, contracts and intergovernmental agreements with service providers and partners.
Provide highly responsible and complex support to the Director, Corporate Services on sensitive citizen issues.
Participate as a member of the Chestermere Emergency Response team in preparing and enabling the community to respond in the event of a local disaster or regional disaster.
Please note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent of this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and activities required of this position.
Required education and experience:
University degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Community Economic Development or a related discipline.
8 years of related and progressive managerial experience including financial and budgetary experience.
Previous experience in a municipal environment is an asset.
Required knowledge, skills, and attributes:
Required certifications and/or documentation
Certification in Economic Development, e.g., Ec.D or CEcD is considered an asset.
Clear Criminal Record Check deemed satisfactory by the City.
Valid Class 5 Alberta Driver’s License and a Driver’s Abstract deemed satisfactory by the City.
Maintain valid Standard First Aid CPR C and AED certifications.
Expected skills and attributes
Strategic, analytical and creative thinking skills as a member of the Corporate Services team, e.g., analytical skills with the ability to solve problems, make decisions, negotiate and deal effectively with people in difficult situations.
Comprehensive knowledge of governance issues, e.g., policy development.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form, e.g., maintain ongoing communication to anticipate and prevent potential problems, develop and maintain positive and effective working relationships with Council, staff, the public and other stakeholders.
Proven leadership and management capability, e.g., ability to motivate staff towards constant improvement and encourage staff to make recommendations, coaching, mentoring, performance management and development.
Skilled advocate, balancing the needs of business owners with the needs of the City.
Business acumen, including budget management skills, grant or contract management skills and the ability to make effective decisions that are well-informed and that reflect the input gathered from stakeholders.
Strong work ethic and highly motivated, e.g., ability to work in a fast paced environment and respond to action requests and competing deadlines in a timely matter.
Proficiency with MS Office, e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Preferred skills and attributes
Certification in Economic Development, e.g., Ec.D or CEcD is considered an asset
Working knowledge of best practice managerial methods, techniques and practices
Closing Date: November 10, 2017
Application Return:
The City appreciates receiving resumes from all qualified individuals, however only those applicants who are short-listed for an interview will be contacted.
Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their cover letter and resume referencing Job Competition 2017-Manager of Economic Development by 4:00pm Thursday, November 9th to:
City of Chestermere
105 Marina Road, Chestermere, Alberta, T1X 1V7
Attention: N Teghtmeyer
Email: jobs@chestermere.ca
Fax: (403) 204-7681