CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (GCEDC) - 0626

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (GCEDC) - 0626

Salary

Depends on Qualifications

Location

206 S. Main Street (City Hall) - Greenville, SC

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

01544

Department

GREENVILLE CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (GCEDC)

Division

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Opening Date

06/29/2026

FLSA

Exempt

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Brief Description

Job SummaryWithin broad parameters and in accordance with general organizational requirements and accepted practices, assists the President and CEO (CEO) in the development and implementation of Greenville City Economic Development Corporation (GCEDC) policies, programs, practices, and procedures. Oversees and manages the daily operational and administrative functions of the organization. In alignment with the CEO and the direction set by City Council and the City Manager's Office, translates the GCEDC vision and strategic plan into executable business plans and processes to ensure a highly effective and efficient operation. Provides the necessary leadership to develop long and short-term plans, goals, and strategies. Provides clear leadership, direction, and supervision to assigned staff. Develops and manages the organization's annual corporate and work-program operating and revenue budgets in partnership with the CEO, Finance Department, and legal counsel, while ensuring ongoing compliance with 501(c)(3) requirements. Directs corporate financial accounting, monitoring, and reporting systems and ensures compliance with all accounting policies and regulatory requirements. Assists the CEO in championing and implementing a cutting-edge economic development strategy. Ensures the execution of innovative programs and initiatives that align with Greenvilles Economic Development Strategic Plan. In coordination with the CEO, develops and implements policies and procedures applicable to administrative functions. Presents departmental issues and recommendations on major issues requiring policy direction to the CEO. Provides policy guidance and leadership to ensure compliance with department policies and procedures.

Job Duties

Essential Functions

• Manage Daily Operations: Oversee and manage the daily operational and administrative functions of the organization. In alignment with the CEO and the direction set by City Council and the City Manager's Office, translate the GCEDC vision and strategic plan into executable business plans and processes to ensure a highly effective and efficient operation. Provide the necessary leadership to develop long and short-term plans, goals, and strategies. Assist with planning, directing, and coordinating the corporation's work plan through subordinate level managers. Develop and manage expected standards; monitor and report on performance metrics; and implement accountability measures. Establish key performance indicators such as jobs created, capital investment generated and square footage absorbed. Oversee customer relationship management databases. Design, or refine as needed, and execute internal operating procedures to maximize the efficiency of the corporation's multi-faceted economic development strategies and work program. Optimize organizational performance by identifying operational inefficiencies and streamlining workflows. Lead department efforts to improve efficiency through work assignments, reassignments, process improvements, and reorganization efforts. Continuously evaluate and optimize organizational processes, ensure efficiency, transparency, and accountability in executing the strategic plan. Monitor and assess trends and innovations and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Keep the CEO apprised of work activities, initiatives, engagement, and operations as well as any issues needing CEO attention. Assist the CEO in establishing appropriate service and staffing levels. Oversee and strategically implement complex projects and system changes including annually updating the GCEDC Business Plan, creation of an MOU between the City and the GCEDC, formation of a 501(c)6 entity to complement the established 501(c)3 organization, finalization of the corporate CRM and the GCEDC performance dashboard for monitoring KPIs and metrics, enhancement of processes for preparing recommended incentive packages (including Resolutions, Ordinances, and Development Agreements) and corresponding City Council presentations, development of economic impact studies and ROI analyses in relation to proposed incentive packages, and assisting the CEO on other major economic development initiatives as needed or assigned. Represent CEO as needed at City Senior Leadership and City Council meetings and/or work sessions. Monitor changing state and federal legislation that may affect the department. Provide timely and thorough responses to inquiries made by the CEO, City Council, City Manager's Office, and the public. Manage the department in the absence of the CEO.

35%

• Manage Assigned Department Personnel: Provide clear leadership, direction, and supervision to assigned staff, including the Real Estate Development Manager, Senior Economic Development Research & Marketing Administrator, Senior Project Manager & Real Estate Coordinator, Entrepreneurship & Small Business Development Manager, Existing Business and Investor Relations Manager, and Senior Administrative Assistant. Foster a cohesive business culture. Manage team member performance within a supportive yet accountable framework by conducting regular team meetings that provide the direction, guidance, and resources necessary to ensure the successful attainment of departmental objectives. Direct subordinate managers' annual work plans, goals, and objectives, monitoring progress in accomplishing goals. Work with staff to identify and resolve problems and issues proactively. Provide the leadership and management necessary to maximize team member productivity and morale through effective hiring, disciplining, mentoring, coaching, evaluating employee performance, investigating, and resolving grievances and other human resources actions. Ensure department staff are compliant with departmental and City Human Resources policies and procedures. Ensure assigned staff have adequate opportunities for professional development. Lead and support department career progression and succession planning. Manage department completion of personnel related projects including but not limited to updating job descriptions, participating in Compensation Committee meetings, and completing and managing annual performance evaluations. Review and approve time sheets. Approve leave requests and authorize work hours and overtime, as needed, to ensure operational coverage.

20%

• Develop and Manage GCEDC Budget, Finance & Compliance Activities: Develop and manage the organization's annual corporate and work-program operating and revenue budgets in partnership with the CEO, Finance Department, and legal counsel, while ensuring ongoing compliance with 501(c)(3) requirements. Oversee all corporate budgets supporting the seven core mission areas of the Strategic Plan (Investment, Innovation, Talent, Livability, Inclusivity, Placemaking, Operational Excellence) for Economic Development and corresponding GCEDC Corporate Business Plan. Oversee and ensure effective management of all GCEDC project accounts, as well as sponsorship and investment accounts. Review and analyze year-end projections that will evolve with new economic development projects and initiatives that routinely arise, as well as variance analyses to stay fully abreast of budget statuses. Review outstanding balances due or incurred in all areas, and ensure proper action is taken for collections and payments. Continuously refine and monitor budget and financial analysis documents for use throughout the year, as well as provide routine reports on revenues and expenses for the delineated non-profit economic development corporation. Prepare monthly and annual financial reports for corporate and contracted budget administration for Public-Private Partnerships and other key economic development initiatives. Provide cost benefit analysis for corporate programs and initiatives as needed. Investigate ways to generate new revenue streams for the corporation that are fully compliant with IRS guidelines in tandem with the GCEDC's corporate 501(c)3 and 501(c)6 legal counsel and the CEO. Improve corporate and work program efficiencies by analyzing economic development and market trends and opportunities. Oversee all GCEDC related invoicing, and process payments accordingly. Provide final corporate approval for any GCEDC purchase orders, requisitions, and check requests in alignment with the CEO. Direct corporate financial accounting, monitoring, and reporting systems and ensure compliance with all accounting policies and regulatory requirements. Oversee any/all online invoicing systems that may be developed for the investor relations platform or economic development events hosted by the GCEDC. Oversee and administer as needed work program services and partnerships related to economic development projects, including preparing all required documents to manage and track progress, results, and reconciliation. Oversee the processing and management of annual non-profit registrations, annual tax reporting, and annual Form 990 submissions. Work with appropriate Finance Department staff to identify relevant grant/funding opportunities, assist with writing grant applications when appropriate, prepare necessary grant cycle reporting for the GCEDC & Community Development Microgrant program, as well as other programs that may be developed.

20%

• Provide Strategic Leadership: Assist the CEO in championing and implementing a cutting-edge economic development strategy that leverages Greenvilles unique advantages, making it an even more attractive mid-size city for businesses, quality real estate developers, entrepreneurs, talent, and investors. Ensure the execution of innovative programs and initiatives that align with Greenvilles Economic Development Strategic Plan and the current GCEDC Business Plan. Assist the CEO by collaborating with the board of directors, City officials, City Manager, City departments, community stakeholders, corporations, and other relevant organizations (Greenville Area Development Corporation, Upstate Alliance, SC Department of Commerce, NEXT, Greenville Chamber, Greenville Local Development Corporation, etc.) to forge dynamic partnerships and achieve the shared economic development objectives.

15%

• Support Department Policy Development, Implementation and Oversight: In coordination with the CEO, develop and implement policies and procedures applicable to administrative functions. Present departmental issues and recommendations on major issues requiring policy direction to the CEO. Provide policy guidance and leadership to ensure compliance with department policies and procedures. Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, and standards governing the delivery of economic development services.

10%Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Job Requirements

• Bachelors degree in business administration, economics, or a related field.
• Over six (6) years of experience in senior management and leadership success in driving economic development, entrepreneurship/innovation, community non-profit, general business, or real estate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in economics, finance, planning, real estate, public administration, or a related field.

Drivers License Requirements

• Valid South Carolina Class D Drivers License.

Performance RequirementsKnowledge of:

• Federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, and standards governing the delivery of economic development or related services.
• Real estate development, retail attraction, business recruitment, innovation/entrepreneurship, and general business support services.
• Economic development issues, principles, and techniques, including state and federal policies and programs, capital improvements programming, applicable regulations and regulatory devices, associated data sources and information systems.
• Redevelopment laws and processes; local government revenue sources and tax increment financing.
• Principles and practices of effective strategic planning and project management.
• Principles of personnel management, training, and performance evaluation.
• Principles and practices of non-profit, business and municipal budget development, administration, procurement procedures, and accountability including funding sources impacting program and service development.
• Principles and best practices of long-range financial forecasting, budget execution, budget control, and the financial impact of economic changes.
• Electronic financial systems and software programs.
• Management principles and practices necessary to plan, analyze, develop, direct, and evaluate programs, administrative policies, and organizational structures.
• Methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation.
• Principles and practices of customer service.

Ability to:

• Demonstrate a strong strategic mindset with a forward-thinking approach, staying abreast of emerging trends and best practices in economic development.
• Successfully work with boards of directors, elected, and appointed officials.
• Apply the highest level of creative thinking, complex analysis, and reasoning to originate and develop innovative program or production concepts, techniques or procedures which can have a major impact on the nature and quality of programming or operations.
• Stay abreast of City of Greenville issues and current news to conduct managerial and administrative functions to support GCEDC initiatives.
• Establish and maintain effective and trusted working relationships with the CEO, board of directors, City Manager, City officials, City departments, community stakeholders, corporations, state officials, vendors, community board members, other municipal governments, provincial agencies, and the public.
• Successfully manage multiple and high-profile projects through collaboration, consensus, and creativity.
• Effectively lead and direct the department, projects, programs, and activities to produce desired results.
• Consult on issues, presenting complex information, explaining analysis and rationale, and making recommendations with the requirement to exercise persuasion to obtain cooperation, consensus, or approval of action to be taken.
• Effectively manage communications involving a high degree of difficulty (i.e., contentious confidential sensitive or political) with very diverse, very important contacts both inside and outside of the organization.
• Use discretion, persuasion, conciliation, dispute resolution, mediation or negotiation skills when dealing with complex situations.
• Exercise integrity, ingenuity, and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks.
• Expertly conduct research, locate relevant information, and critically evaluate the research findings.
• Translate technical data, financial documents, and accounting records into an easily understood format.
• Prepare comprehensive reports and make public presentations explaining technical information clearly, as needed.
• Understand, interpret, and apply accounting standards and procedures, applicable rules and regulations, and Corporate & City policies and procedures.
• Make sound, logical interpretations of complex codes and regulations, laws, and guidelines.
• Establish appropriate financial and administrative structures and controls.
• Analyze and interpret financial documents and prepare complex financial reports.
• Develop financial forecasts, create budget projections, reconcile accounts, and utilize statistical evaluation measures.
• Provide supervision, leadership, training, and work direction for assigned staff or for managers undertaking projects under your direction.
• Negotiate, evaluate, and develop contracts and agreements for GCEDC, services, facilities, and programs.
• Manage situations that are often unique where precedents and/or prescribed solutions do not exist.
• Regularly work within situations requiring confidentiality.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines; and exercise integrity, ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks.
• At an advanced level, write policies, contracts, speeches, formal presentations, and/or technical and legal documents and correspondence, reports, business letters, summarize meeting minutes, and compose emails in a clear and professional manner.
• At an advanced level read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical journals and procedures, financial reports, legal documents, contracts, and governmental regulations as well as literature, books, reviews, reports, and abstracts.
• Operate general office equipment to include scanner, printer, copier, smartphone, and computer with Microsoft Office Suite and related business software.
• Utilize specialized software and systems to include financial reporting and tracking systems.

Other Information

Working ConditionsPrimary Work Location: Office environment. Protective Equipment Required: None. Environmental/Health and Safety Factors: Relatively free from unpleasant environmental conditions or hazards. Seasonal exposure to extreme temperature and wetness and/or humidity.Physical Demands: Constantly requires fine dexterity, vision, hearing, and talking. Frequently requires standing, walking, sitting, and handling/grasping. Occasionally requires kneeling, pushing/pulling, climbing, and twisting. Sedentary strength demands include exerting up to 10 pounds occasionally or negligible weights frequently; sitting most of the time. Mental Demands: Frequently requires time pressures, frequent change of tasks, irregular schedule/overtime, performing multiple tasks simultaneously, and working closely with others as part of a team. Occasionally requires emergency situations, tedious or exacting work, and noisy/distracting environment.Americans with Disabilities Act ComplianceThe City of Greenville is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. Prospective and current employees should contact Human Resources to request an ADA accommodation.DisclaimerThe above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

The City of Greenville offers a comprehensive and affordable benefits package designed to provide a variety of choices to best fit the needs of our employees and their families. View more details about these benefits here: City of Greenville Employee Benefits.

HEALTH INSURANCE

The City offers the following health insurance options to eligible employees:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Basic Term Life
• Employee Supplemental Life
• Spouse Term Life
• Child Term Life
• Short Term Disability (STD)
• Long Term Disability (LTD)
• Voluntary Benefits (Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital Care, etc.)

All health insurance coverage is effective the first of the month following the employee's hire date except for LTD which is effective the 91st day following date of hire.

LEAVE & HOLIDAY BENEFITS

• General Leave is earned/accrued biweekly by all regular, full-time and permanent part-time employees as a percentage of normal work hours.
• The City of Greenville observes 11 paid holidays.

RETIREMENT BENEFITS

The City is a member of the South Carolina State (SCRS) and Police Officers (PORS) defined benefit Retirement Systems.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

• Employee Recognition & Awards Program (ER&A)
• Employee Service Awards
• Longevity Bonus

OTHER BENEFITS & OPPORTUNITIES

• Workers Compensation
• Deferred Compensation
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

01

In order to be considered for this position, your application must include both a resume and a cover letter. Have you uploaded these items with your application?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Greenville (SC)

Address 206 S. Main St

Greenville, South Carolina, 29601

Phone 864-467-4530

Website https://jobs.greenvillesc.gov