Tourism Development Director

Summary

Job Description The Tourism Development Director performs professional, promotional and consultative work to manage and administer the Washington Tourism Development Authority within the framework of state statutes governing funding and management. The incumbent is responsible for consulting with local officials, business, and community leaders for the purpose of marketing and promoting the City. Primary focus is to market and promote the City as a destination, marketing the downtown, planning and implementing special events to promote the downtown and related tasks. Duties include development of data, statistics and publications which favorably portray all aspects of the City; maintaining proper records, reports and public information for the program. Work requires considerable planning and timely execution of work. Employee must exercise independent judgment and simultaneously must consider financial, socioeconomic, legal and regulatory variables as they affect the City. This role also serves as the City's Public Information Officer.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Tourism Development Authority Responsibilities

• Market and promote the City as a destination, marketing the downtown, planning and implementing special events to promote the downtown and related tasks.
• Reviews and prepares financial reports and oversees budget; communicates with Board; maintains all Board documents in preparation for financial audit.
• Develops marketing plans, brainstorms ideas with ad agency, approves ads and copy, pitches stories to media.
• Participates on committees and boards working together to enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of the community.
• Coordinates employee work schedules, conducts performance evaluations, provides job instruction, payroll and communicating City directives to staff.
• Oversees and identifies civic center maintenance needs; maintains facility for use by renters; coordinates repairs and improvements while maintaining the character of a historic property.
• Takes photos and shares timely information regarding events, restaurants, attractions and attributes of the City.
• Maintains department website; adds, edits and develops website content; ensures site is working properly; reviews statistics to determine functionality and effectiveness of this marketing effort.
• Maintains records of hotel occupancy, visitation statistics, trends from attractions, website traffic, state travel trends, etc. to determine effectiveness.
• Provides outreach in the community, with stakeholders and others, to facilitate awareness and understanding of on-going projects by way of regularly scheduled outreach as well as on-going and as-needed press release development; responds to outside inquiries about the City.
• Manages the work of department staff.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Public Information Officer for the City of Washington

• Maintains City of Washington Facebook, and Twitter; adds, edits and develops website content.
• May coordinate and assist with the preparation and response to correspondence received by the City Council.
• Participates in crisis management planning and develops crisis communications plan.
• Responsible for special events, sponsored by the City.
• Gather facts and distribute them to the media. Write and distribute press releases and newspaper articles to the media.
• Prepare City staff and elected officials for media interviews, and handles media relations.
• Produce printed and video material about the City and City projects for dissemination to the public.
• Communicate important City business both internally and externally through electronic distribution and limited printing of a variety of newsletters, reports, brochures, fliers, etc.

Required Education And/or Experience

Bachelor's degree from four-year College or university in Business, Marketing, Public Relations, or related field of study; and three or more years directly related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Requirements

Valid N.C. driver's license and acceptable driving record

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of principles and practices of public/business administration as applied to natural resources, population, cultural features, and other economic and social matters.
• Thorough knowledge of government programs, laws, and services.
• Thorough knowledge of office computer software, working familiarity with other technology used to perform position duties.
• Thorough knowledge of marketing and advertising.
• Knowledge of finance and budgeting.
• Ability to interpret and apply broad trends to local circumstances
• Ability to make important judgements with regard to varied business matters of significance.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Ability to plan, coordinate and supervise the work of others
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with municipal officials, employees, and the general public and to exhibit a professional demeanor
• Ability to exercise judgment in decisions with confidential information, data, and materials in conformance with laws, regulations, and policies
• Ability to maintain moderately complex records and prepare written narrative reports including those requiring statistical summaries and charts
• Ability to plan and prioritize work functions, coordinate activities with management and other staff

Physical Requirements

Work in this class is generally classified as light work requiring the exertion of up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Work requires physical activity such as stooping, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling and repetitive motion. Work also includes the ability to see, hear, talk, and physically move about the office. Visual acuity is necessary to read materials and operate computer terminals and other office equipment.

Working Conditions

Work is performed primarily in an environmentally controlled environment without exposure to harmful chemicals, personal danger, or other workplace hazards; however, a significant portion of time can be performed in an outside environment where the employee is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions. Ability to work evenings and other flexible schedules.

Health, Dental And Vision Insurance

The City of Washington provides, at no cost , employee only coverage for Medical (High-Deductible with H.S.A), Vision and Dental insurance. Coverage is available for all regular status full-time employees scheduled to work 40 hours. Employees may also choose to cover eligible dependents. Benefits begin on the 1st day of the month following 30 days of employment.

Paid Life Insurance

The City provides $15,000 of term life insurance and $15,000 of accident death insurance to all full-time employees at no cost. Employees may elect additional coverage, including dependent coverage, at their own cost.

Employer Paid Leave

Paid Vacation: Full-Time employees earn 8 hours of vacation leave per month. Leave accruals increase based on the number of years of City service. (Ex: at 5 years increases to 10 hours per month)

Paid Holidays: The City of Washington observes 13 paid holidays per calendar year. The approved holidays are New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, 2 days at Thanksgiving and 3 days at Christmas.

Sick: Full-Time employees earn 8 hours of sick leave per month (Fire Personnel earn 14.15 hours). Sick leave hours accumulate without limits and may be used toward credible service upon retirement from the NC Local Government Retirement System.

Retirement

The City assists our employees in securing their financial future during retirement by participating in the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System, administered by the State of North Carolina. Regular status employees, scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week, become members in the retirement system upon employment. As a member of this system, employees are required to contribute 6 percent of their gross salary on a tax-deferred basis.

Deferred Compensation Plans

To further assist employees in saving for retirement, the City offers two supplemental retirement savings programs. These programs offer employees an opportunity to save a portion of their salary on a tax-deferred basis to supplement their retirement benefit. The programs offered are 401(k) Supplemental Retirement Income Plan and the 457 Plan through Prudential.

Cafeteria Plan / Supplemental Benefits

• Supplemental Term Life Insurance
• Cancer Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Whole Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (Pre-tax basis)

Death Benefit

After one year as a contributing member of the Retirement System, a death benefit is provided that is equal to the highest 12 months' salary in a row during the 24 months before death, no less than $25,000 and no more than $50,000. There is no cost to the employee for these benefits.

Pay Periods/Direct Deposit

City employees are paid bi-weekly, every other Friday through direct deposit.

Full benefit details may be viewed here: