Community relations Jobs in Tuscaloosa, AL

Job Title

This position serves as a primary point of contact for the current and potential retail, commercial, tourism, and development communities of the City of Northport.

Job Description

Under the general direction of the City Administrator, this position supports the City's economic development, business recruitment and retention, community revitalization, tourism and Main Street initiatives. The position assists businesses, developers, tourism-related organizations, and other stakeholders through applicable City processes and commercial development activities. The position works to promote Northport as a destination for business, tourism, events, shopping, dining, recreation, cultural activities, and investment, while coordinating these efforts with the City's broader economic development and community development goals.

The position also provides administrative oversight and strategic direction for Experience Northport, the City's unified brand and marketing initiative designed to promote Northport to visitors, businesses, families, residents, and prospective investors.

The position works to develop a culture of partnership and teamwork among City employees, businesses, developers, tourism organizations, and the Northport community.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, plus a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience, including significant experience in municipal government, with additional experience in economic development, tourism, business development, community development, marketing, event management, facility or venue management, Main Street, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Qualifications:

• Possession of a valid, State of Alabama driver's license to operate a motor vehicle. Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment.
• Significant experience in the management and administration of programs, initiatives, projects, events, contracts, facilities, or community-based organizations, with demonstrated ability to establish goals, develop work plans, manage resources, monitor performance, and achieve desired results.
• Demonstrated experience supervising and managing employees, including assigning work, establishing expectations, providing direction, evaluating performance, addressing performance issues, and fostering a positive and productive work environment.
• Demonstrated experience planning, coordinating, and overseeing events, including working with event organizers, vendors, contractors, sponsors, community partners, and the public.
• Experience overseeing contractors, vendors, or third-party operators responsible for public facilities, event venues, sports facilities, recreational facilities, or similar community assets preferred.
• Experience monitoring service contracts, contractor performance, budgets, schedules, and compliance with established standards and City expectations preferred.
• Experience in economic development, business recruitment and retention, tourism, hospitality, marketing, community development, downtown revitalization, branding, or Main Street programs preferred.
• Experience working with businesses, tourism organizations, chambers of commerce, Main Street organizations, economic development organizations, community organizations, or similar partners preferred.
• Experience working in a municipal or public-sector environment preferred.
• Experience with a municipal software management system is preferred.
• Must be bondable.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities/Physical Demands/Work Environment

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to effectively supervise, lead, and develop employees, establish clear expectations, delegate responsibilities, monitor performance, and maintain accountability.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple programs, projects, contracts, initiatives, and priorities simultaneously while meeting established goals, deadlines, and budgetary requirements.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and professionally with elected officials, City employees, businesses, developers, contractors, tourism partners, community organizations, event organizers, residents, and the general public.
• Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to organize, review, analyze, and accurately communicate complex information and ensure that projects, programs, contracts, and initiatives are carried through to completion.
• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to establish priorities, manage competing demands, exercise sound judgment, and develop practical solutions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of economic development, business recruitment and retention, tourism, downtown revitalization, Main Street principles, marketing, branding, event development, and community engagement.
• Ability to provide strategic oversight and direction for Experience Northport and align branding, marketing, tourism, business development, and community initiatives with the City's overall goals.
• Ability to provide effective administrative and strategic oversight of the Main Street Alabama program and directly supervise the Main Street Alabama Coordinator while maintaining appropriate accountability and performance standards.
• Ability to oversee contractors and third-party operators responsible for City-owned facilities and venues, including monitoring performance, contracts, budgets, schedules, deliverables, and compliance with City expectations.
• Ability to develop and maintain productive relationships with a diverse range of businesses, organizations, governmental agencies, community partners, and stakeholders and represent the City of Northport in a professional manner.
• Ability to collect, analyze, and apply demographic, economic, tourism, visitor, business, event, and other relevant data to support sound recommendations and decisions.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise discretion, demonstrate integrity, and consistently represent the City of Northport at the highest ethical standards.
• Knowledge of communication and public relations.
• Knowledge of City ordinances, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of modern office practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other similar programs).
• Skill in planning and organizing work.
• Skill in utilizing such office equipment as a computer, calculator, typewriter, facsimile machine, and copier.
• Skill in interpersonal relations; establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees and the general public.
• Skill in verbal and written communication.
• Skill in the use small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone.
• Skill in using computers for data entry, word processing, and/or accounting purposes.
• Ability to schedule flexible work periods outside the normal workday.
• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Ability to organize and communicate effectively.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationship with elected officials, community groups and organizations, media, other government agencies, other employees and the public.

Physical Demands:

• The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:
• Sitting: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand. Must have the ability to place records, files, and boxes weighing no more than 25 pounds on shelves about head level.
• Hearing 2: Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound. Must have the ability to hear well enough to carry on a normal conversation with clients both in person and on the telephone.
• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling. Must have the ability to efficiently operate a computer, calculator, fax, copy machine and other related office machines.
• Visual Acuity 1: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading. Must have the ability to see well enough to interpret data on a computer monitor.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another. Must have the ability to move freely about the office.

Work Environment:

Work is primarily performed indoors without exposure to harmful conditions.