Economic and Community Development Director

TARGET CLOSE DATE:

12/31/2025

PAY GRADE:

Grade 31

TYPE:

Full time

JOB SUMMARY:

The City of Bessemer is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Economic and Community Development Director to lead the strategic planning, management, and administration of the City’s economic and community development initiatives. This executive-level position is responsible for evaluating, recommending, and implementing programs that promote sustainable growth, economic vitality, and community enrichment. The Director will conduct research and assess the feasibility, impact, and long-term effectiveness of various development programs, ensuring alignment with the City's goals and priorities. The role requires a results-driven leader capable of fostering collaborative relationships across departments, external agencies, and stakeholders. This position reports directly to the Mayor and provides leadership and oversight to departmental and program staff, ensuring objectives are met and outcomes are achieved efficiently and effectively.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

The City of Bessemer provides competitive pay and comprehensive benefits packages to include medical and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement plan (pension), generous paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, and more. The pay range for this job is presented below:

Bessemer $74,089.60 - $114,920.00

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

The following are job-related qualifications that are required for employment consideration for this position:

• Experience maintaining an annual operating budget of a government or private organization of at least $300,000.

• Experience recruiting and attracting businesses, offices, and/or retail locations to an urban area.

• Experience obtaining, allocating, and managing federal funds (i.e., HUD, CDGB, and revolving loans).

• Experience writing grant proposals (i.e., submitting plans, searching for data and resources, writing and packaging a proposal, submitting a proposal).

• Experience conducting negotiations with businesses and/or government officials.

• Experience overseeing community-wide housing development and rehabilitation projects (e.g., demolition, reconstruction, refurbishment of existing houses, buildings, or neighborhoods).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

The following are job-related qualifications deemed desirable by the City of Bessemer. These qualifications may be considered by Bessemer when reviewing applications and inviting candidates to participate in subsequent steps in the selection processes.

• Bachelor's degree in a field related to economic and/or community development (e.g., economics, urban planning, business).

• Certification related to economic and/or community development (e.g., IEDC, CEcD, etc.).

TYPICAL JOB DUTIES:

• Prepares, monitors, and administers departmental or organizational budget by reviewing spending trends and expenditure reports, analyzing financial data and ensuring expenditures are within annual budgetary limits.

• Enhances the quality of life for residents within the jurisdiction by recruiting businesses to the area, creating more jobs for residents, and improving homes so more job choices are available and residents have access to better quality homes.

• Establishes and maintains working relationships with other agencies by attending meetings, speaking with community groups, and collaborating with social service agencies in order to better serve the needs of the community.

• Implements various programs in the City by analyzing community needs, assessing program feasibility, identifying public facilities projects, and conducting field investigations to facilitate planning and identification of the long-term effects of various programs on community and economic development.

• Assists homeowners and potential homebuyers in obtaining loans and other funding for home renovations and/or purchases by assisting first time homebuyers, offering low interest loans for repairs, and determining the eligibility of participants applying for CDBG funding, so those in need of housing or home improvements can obtain the necessary funding.

• Engages in activities designed to ensure professional development, awareness of developments in the field, and knowledge of relevant practices, rules, laws, policies, and/or guidelines.

• Supervises staff by assigning and distributing work, directing staff in their job duties, monitoring progress of work, providing feedback and/or training.

• Reviews and monitors budget reports and expenditure information in order to maintain expenses within the established budget.

• Makes recommendations to city officials regarding economic and/or community programs and initiatives so leaders are equipped to make sound decisions.

• Recruits for-profit businesses to relocate to the city in order to contribute to the economy.

• Determines credit and homeownership counseling requirements for all applicants to reduce the number of future foreclosures.

• Analyzes community needs in order to determine program directions and goals.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Job is primarily sedentary involving sitting for long periods of time, but may involve occasional walking or standing for brief periods.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is conducted almost exclusively indoors in an office setting. Work involves use of standard office equipment, such as computer, phone, copier, etc.

EEO STATEMENT:

The Personnel Board of Jefferson County provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment with the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.  Each Merit System member city/agency operate its own equal employment opportunity policies available on the individual city/agency website.

ACCOMMODATION:

NOTE:

This job posting may close before, or be extended beyond, the listed Target Close Date based on the employment needs of the Merit System. More detail regarding this job is available by clicking Apply.

DISCLAIMER:

This job posting is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of the job duties, responsibilities, or skills and abilities required to do the job and may be changed at the discretion of the Personnel Board at any time.