careers

Leeds Main Street is now hiring!

Please send all resumes to: leeds@leedsmainstreet.com

Position: Executive Director, Main Street Leeds
Reports to: Main Street Leeds Board of Directors
Supervised by: Main Street Leeds Executive Board

Job Summary
Highly responsible position involves planning, organizing, directing and managing administrative functions of the Main Street Leeds organization. The Main Street executive director coordinates activities within a downtown or commercial district revitalization program that utilizes historic preservation as an integral foundation for downtown economic development. The executive director is responsible for the development, conduct, execution, and documentation of the Main Street program. The executive director is the principal on-site staff person responsible for coordinating all program activities and volunteers, as well as representing the community regionally and nationally as appropriate. In addition, the executive director should help guide the organization as its objectives evolve.

Responsibilities
• Coordinate the activity of the Main Street program committees, ensuring that communication among committees is well established.
• Assist committee volunteers with implementation of work plan items.
• Manage all administrative aspects of the Main Street program, including purchasing, record keeping, budget development, accounting, preparing all reports required by the State Main Street program and by the National Main Street Center, assisting with the preparation of reports to funding agencies, and supervising employees or consultants.
• Develop, in conjunction with the Main Street program’s board of directors, downtown economic development strategies that are based on historic preservation and utilize the community’s human and economic resources.
• Become familiar with all persons and groups directly and indirectly involved in the downtown.
• Mindful of the roles of various downtown interest groups, assist the Main Street program’s board of directors and committees in developing an annual action plan for implementing a downtown revitalization program focused on four areas: design/historic preservation; promotion and marketing; organization/management; and economic restructuring/development.
• Develop and conduct on-going public awareness and education programs designed to enhance appreciation of the downtown’s assets and to foster an understanding of the Main Street program’s goals and objectives.
• Use speaking engagements, media interviews, and personal appearances to keep the program in the public eye.
• Assist individual tenants or property owners with physical improvement projects through personal consultation or by obtaining and supervising professional design consultants.
• Assess the management capacity of major downtown organizations and encourage improvements in the downtown community’s ability to carry out joint activities such as promotional events, advertising, appropriate store hours, special events, business assistance, business recruitment, parking management, and so on.
• Provide advice and information on successful downtown management.
• Encourage a cooperative climate among downtown interests and local public officials.
• Advise downtown merchants’ organization and/or chamber of commerce retail committees on Main Street program activities and goals.
• Help coordinate joint promotional events, such as festivals or business promotions, to improve the quality and success of events and attract people to downtown; work closely with local media to ensure maximum coverage of promotional activities; encourage design excellence in all aspects of promotion to advance an image of quality for the downtown.
• Help build strong and productive relationships with appropriate public agencies at the local and state levels.
• Utilizing the Main Street program format. Develop and maintain a data system to track the progress of the local Main Street program. These systems should include economic monitoring, individual building files, photographic documentation of physical changes, and statistics on job creation and business retention.
• Represent the community to important constituencies at the local, state, and national levels.
• Speak effectively on the program’s directions and work, mindful of the need to improve state and national economic development policies as they relate to commercial districts.
• Fundraising
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge & Skills
• Knowledge of standard office procedures.
• Knowledge of basic spreadsheet development, presentation aids, and ability to present electronic information in a professional manner.
• Verbal communication skills to communicate with the public and other professionals.
• Writing skills to correspond with professionals in related fields.
• Math skills to perform budgeting and business plan analysis.
• Reading skills to understand work related rules, regulations, and materials.
• Ability to write clear, concise reports.
• Ability to work independently and make appropriate decisions.
• Willing to work nonstandard hours as well as travel to attend meetings and conferences as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in marketing, planning, public administration, or a related field preferred. Education and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: commercial district management, finance, public relations, planning, business administration, public administration, retailing, volunteer or non-profit administration, architecture, historic preservation, and/or small business development. Be sensitive to design and preservation issues and must understand the issues confronting downtown business people, property owners, public agencies, and community organizations. Must be entrepreneurial, energetic, imaginative, well organized, and capable of functioning effectively in an independent environment. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential. Supervisory skills are desirable.

Requirements
Valid Alabama driver’s license; reliable transportation; proof of automobile insurance commensurate with state law; background checks to include but not limited to criminal record and drug screen; must meet and maintain eligibility requirements to be insured.

NOTE:
The Main Street Leeds Executive Director serves as an at-will employee and may be removed from the position for any lawful reason, subject to any due process afforded to exempt employees by the personnel policies adopted by the governing body of Main Street Leeds. The statements contained herein reflect the general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of the position, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties 

Please send all resumes to: leeds@leedsmainstreet.com

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY:

Leeds Main Street strongly believes in equal opportunity for all.  In furtherance of this policy, Leeds Main Street will continue to recruit, employ, train, promote and compensate its employees without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, military status, or any other personal characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.  In addition, Leeds Main Street endeavors to make reasonable accommodations, as required by law, for known and obvious physical and mental disabilities of otherwise qualified employees and applicants unless an accommodation would impose undue hardship on our business.