Job description

TYPE OF APPOINTMENT
This position is a one-year appointment. Upon review near the end of the first year it may be extended. This position may be full- or part-time.

PURPOSE & PRIMARY FOCUS
This position will direct the county’s efforts to support small, local businesses and provide staff support to the Council for a Sustainable Local Economy (CSLE). The project director will employ an economic development approach that focuses on supporting a “local living economy” (http://www.livingeconomies.org/). This approach concentrates on existing local businesses, supports entrepreneurs in the creation or expansion of local businesses, encourages the production, processing and consumption of locally raised food, values green jobs and green buildings, and recognizes that a triple bottom line approach is an important element in the development of a more sustainable community.

The project director’s primary responsibility will be to assist the CSLE in performing its charge.

The CSLE will engage existing institutions, small businesses and the community as a whole in its efforts to raise awareness of the importance of supporting local businesses and creating an environment in which entrepreneurs, creativity and innovation thrive and a clearly discernable and desirable sense of “place” is apparent.

The CSLE is charged with performing research and analysis, educating the community, developing strategies and making policy recommendations that encourage the development of a resilient, robust and sustainable local economy in which entrepreneurs and creativity thrive and the community prospers.

The CSLE is given discretion in fulfilling its charge; however, it is specifically directed to address the following:

1. Identify “leakage” in the local economy. That is, determine how much money is spent by local businesses, institutions, governments and residents purchasing goods and services from outside Cabarrus County that are (or could be) available from businesses within Cabarrus County. Additionally, determine the impact, in terms of the number of jobs, of diverting some or all of that spending from outside the county to businesses inside the county.

2. Identify barriers to success encountered by small businesses as a result of government policies and regulations. Conversely, identify government policies and regulations, existing or new, that are helpful to small businesses. For examples, review efforts of the New Rules Project (www.newrules.org) and the many recommendations found in The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses are Beating the Global Competition by Michael H. Shuman.

PRIMARY DUTIES

• Plan, implement and evaluate culturally appropriate educational programs directed at community needs on issues relating to the purpose of the position
• Use appropriate means to critically review and disseminate research related to local business development
• Regularly prepare educational materials, program evaluations and reports using appropriate technology
• Provide professional support and guidance to the Council for a Sustainable Local Economy and other program related groups
• Plan and implement appropriate impact evaluations and reports to improve and document program effectiveness
• Build community coalitions and partnerships while collaborating with a diverse network of community based agencies, groups and individuals to address local concerns through educational programming
• Provide relevant program outcome information to public officials, legislators, the general public and other interested parties
• Make reasonable efforts to reach a diverse audience and to ensure equitable access to programs and facilities
• Develop plans of work based on ongoing assessment of the local economy
• Participate in regional and/or state program activities as appropriate and needed
• Keep accurate, complete and timely work records
• Make individual arrangements for transportation adequate to meet position responsibilities and essential job functions
• Assume weekly travel throughout the county and occasional travel within the region and state

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree with content expertise related to small business development preferred
• Extensive knowledge small business development and related issues
• Knowledge of small business-related regulations and legislation
• Ability to plan, implement and evaluate community-based, non-formal educational programs that reach, and are accessible to, a wide range of audiences
• Ability to teach and communicate ideas effectively verbally, in writing and through educational technology to adults and youth
• Strong group and educational facilitation skills
• Experience developing the capacity of volunteers to implement and maintain educational programming
• Ability to write grants and establish partnerships that pool and/or leverage public and private funds
• Ability to organize work and to work productively with indirect supervision in a highly visible public sector environment
• Ability to work collaboratively with other paid and non-paid staff; ability to take personal responsibility to help team efforts succeed
• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills in a team setting; ability to effectively manage conflicts
• Skillful in establishing and maintaining professional work relationships and networks
• Demonstrated ability to initiate, form and effectively maintain working relationships with persons or associations from cultures other than one’s own
• Demonstrated willingness to learn on an ongoing basis
• Ability to adapt to changing programming and workplace priorities
• Ability to use outcome data for program improvement and accountability

Compensation commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Compensation

this position is:

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline