Executive Director of BEDC

JOB SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Belton Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) Board of Directors, the Executive Director serves as the Corporation’s chief staff executive and lead economic development professional.  The position exercises substantial independent judgment; leads BEDC staff and operations; manages complex projects, incentives, real estate and partnerships; and represents BEDC with businesses, site selectors, developers, governmental entities and community partners. 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS  Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills.  This is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class; employees may be assigned duties which are not listed below; reasonable accommodations will be made as required. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change at any time by the employer. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Executive Leadership & Board Relations 

• Serve as the chief staff executive to the BEDC Board; translate Board direction into strategic priorities, annual work plans, projects and measurable results.
• Prepare clear, timely recommendations, reports, agendas, presentations and supporting analyses for Board consideration; maintain regular communication regarding project status, opportunities, risks and decisions needed.
• Implement Board policies and authorized actions and ensure appropriate documentation, follow-through and accountability.
• Advise the Board on emerging economic, market, workforce, real-estate and development trends that may affect Belton’s competitiveness.

Business Recruitment & Project Development 

• Lead business attraction and project-development activities from prospect identification and initial inquiry through due diligence, negotiation, Board consideration, construction/occupancy and post-project follow-up.
• Build and maintain relationships with site selectors, corporate decision-makers, brokers, developers, utilities, consultants and state/regional economic-development partners.  
• Develop project proposals and solutions using site, workforce, infrastructure, financial and market information; coordinate internal and external partners to respond competitively and on schedule.
• Negotiate economic-development incentives and other project terms based on job creation, payroll, capital investment, strategic value and applicable Board policy and law.

Business Retention, Expansion & Workforce  

• Maintain an active business retention and expansion program and regular relationships with Belton employers to identify expansion opportunities, workforce needs, infrastructure issues and barriers to growth.
• Identify and respond proactively to circumstances that may threaten the retention of existing Belton businesses, including major infrastructure projects, redevelopment, property constraints or other changes affecting business locations; coordinate with businesses, the City, and partner agencies to identify relocation or retention solutions when appropriate.
• Coordinate training, workforce and talent-development solutions with educational institutions, workforce agencies and industry partners.
• Develop initiatives that strengthen the long-term competitiveness and resilience of Belton’s existing primary employers.

Real Estate, Sites & Infrastructure 

• Lead strategy for BEDC-owned or controlled real estate, including site readiness, due diligence, utilities, access, infrastructure, marketing, development agreements and disposition/lease recommendations.
• Coordinate infrastructure projects and development-related issues with City departments, utilities, engineers, property owners, developers, and other public entities.
• Identify future land, building and infrastructure needs and recommend acquisitions, capital investments or partnerships that improve Belton’s competitiveness for targeted projects.
• Manage special development projects through completion, including schedules, budgets, consultants, contracts, critical paths, obstacles and stakeholder coordination.

Incentives, Agreements & Compliance 

• Structure, negotiate, administer and monitor incentive, performance and development agreements in accordance with Board policy and applicable Texas law.
• Establish and maintain appropriate project files, performance measures, compliance documentation and reporting for incentive-supported projects.
• Coordinate with legal counsel, City staff and outside advisors on statutory authority, contracts, public information, open-government requirements and other compliance matters affecting BEDC activities.
• Protect the integrity of BEDC decision-making through consistent analysis, documentation, transparency and ethical conduct.

Strategic Planning & Community Competitiveness 

• Develop and maintain BEDC's Economic Development Strategic Plan in alignment with the City of Belton's Strategic Plan and the priorities established by the BEDC Board of Directors.
• Lead periodic strategic planning and annual priority-setting for BEDC; identify initiatives that strengthen Belton’s position for investment, job growth, and talent attraction.
• Use market intelligence, demographic/workforce data, industry trends and performance measures to inform Board strategy and resource allocation.
• Support community-development and quality-of-place initiatives when they advance BEDC’s economic development mission and Belton’s ability to attract and retain employers and talent, including collaborative initiatives such as Imagine Belton.
• Identify and evaluate new economic-development tools, partnerships, programs and opportunities for Board consideration.

Marketing, Research & External Relations  

• Lead BEDC’s business-development marketing, research and lead-generation strategy and ensure accurate, current site, building, workforce, demographic, infrastructure and community information is available to prospects and partners.
• Position Belton effectively within target industries and regional, state and national markets; coordinate attendance and representation at appropriate trade shows, conferences, prospect events and site-selector engagements.
• Serve as BEDC’s principal spokesperson and community ambassador; make presentations to the BEDC Board, City Council, partner organizations, businesses and the public as appropriate.
• Collaborate with regional economic-development organizations, chambers, educational institutions and other partners to market Central Texas and advance shared opportunities.

Budget, Finance & Administration 

• Prepare and recommend the annual BEDC budget in coordination with the City of Belton’s annual budget development process and schedule. Develop multi-year resource priorities; monitor revenues, expenditures, contracts, commitments, and financial performance throughout the year.
• Exercise prudent stewardship of public funds and recommend expenditures and investments that advance BEDC’s mission and Board priorities.
• Coordinate with City Finance, Human Resources, legal counsel and other administrative partners on accounting, procurement, payroll/benefits, records, contracts and organizational compliance.
• Develop performance measures and reporting that connect BEDC resources and activities to measurable economic-development outcomes.

Staff Leadership & Organizational Management 

• Recruit, supervise, evaluate, coach and develop BEDC staff; establish clear roles, expectations, accountability and professional-development priorities.
• Create a collaborative, responsive, ethical and service-oriented culture that values teamwork, continuous improvement and strong customer service.
• Assess staffing, technology, processes, and organizational capacity and recommend changes needed to execute BEDC priorities effectively.
• Delegate appropriately while maintaining executive oversight of high-impact projects and relationships.

Partnerships & Community Engagement 

• Maintain strong working relationships with the City of Belton, Bell County, educational and workforce partners, utilities, business and industry, the Belton Area Chamber of Commerce, regional organizations and other stakeholders.
• Participate actively in community, business, professional and economic-development organizations and events that advance BEDC relationships and visibility.
• Represent BEDC professionally in high-profile, sensitive or complex situations and exercise tact, discretion and sound judgment.

Other Duties 

• Respond to inquiries from businesses, prospects, partner organizations, public officials and the public regarding economic development.
• Perform other job-related duties and special assignments as directed by the BEDC Board.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Training and Experience Guidelines:

• Bachelor’s degree in economic or community development, business administration, economics, finance, public administration, planning, marketing, real estate or a related field, OR an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience that demonstrates the knowledge and abilities required for the position.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in economic development, corporate or business development, site selection, real estate/development, public administration, finance, industry, or a closely related field, including demonstrated leadership of complex projects and stakeholder relationships.
• Experience leading employees, teams, consultants or major cross-functional initiatives is strongly preferred.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of economic development, business recruitment and retention, site selection, real estate/development, project management and public administration.
• Business decision-making factors involving workforce, transportation, utilities, real estate, incentives, capital investment, operating costs and quality of place.
• Texas economic-development tools and laws applicable to Type A/Type B corporations, incentive and performance agreements, public-sector partnerships and related compliance requirements.
• Budgeting, financial analysis, contracts, performance measurement and responsible stewardship of public funds.
• Community and workforce development principles, marketing, demographic/market research and data-driven decision-making.
• Modern office, data, customer-relationship, mapping/presentation and communication technologies used in economic development.

Skills and Abilities:

• Think strategically while managing multiple active projects, deadlines and relationships with strong attention to execution and detail.
• Analyze complex information; formulate sound recommendations; and communicate findings clearly and concisely in writing, presentations and public meetings.
• Build trust and maintain effective working relationships with Board members, City officials and staff, business executives, site selectors, developers, partner agencies and the public.
• Negotiate effectively, exercise discretion, resolve problems creatively and make well-informed decisions under pressure.
• Lead, motivate, evaluate and develop employees and create a culture of accountability, teamwork and professional service.
• Collaborate effectively with City Council, City management and City departments as strategic partners in advancing shared community and economic development priorities.
• Travel as necessary and maintain regular in-person availability for prospect visits, business meetings, professional events and community engagement.
• Work frequent evening meetings/events and occasional weekend events as required by the position.
• Be punctual and regular in attendance and maintain a consistent professional presence in the Belton community.
  

The City of Belton is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation/At Will employer and does not discriminate on basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.