What are the responsibilities and job description for the Community Development Project Manager position at Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance?
We are seeking an energetic, dedicated, and high performer to serve as the Community Development Project Manager. Coordinates projects to boost local economy, managing everything from event planning to execution, budgets, and stakeholder outreach. Focusing on initiatives that spur commerce with focus on community vitality, activation, small business, and resource allocation is integral to success in this role. Experienced professional with board governance, management of volunteers, creative and tenacious in achieving goals.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Responsible for handling corporate events through leadership, great organizational, and creative problem-solving skills (i.e. Annual Meeting)
- Oversee community development programs and events, ensuring programs contribute to the vitality of our distinct quadrants (i.e. Downtown Farmers Market)
- Assists with activation and coordinates meaningful events in our region to include development of new programs as directed
- Connects 1:1 with small businesses through drop-in meetings to align with key affiliate organization goals
- Develops agenda items and leads Innovation Council meetings
- Maintains governance rosters with up-to-date information and supports year-end governance process
- Prioritizes and manages multiple projects simultaneously
- Identifies operational challenges and develops alternative solutions
- Ensures that events progress seamlessly by following established procedures, collaborating with other employees and ensuring accuracy
- Uses judgment to integrate current trends in event management and event design
- Conducts formal pre- and post-event meetings
- Solicits feedback from business partners to identify areas for improvement
Education & Experience Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree required
- 5-7 years’ experience working with boards and volunteers on programs/events and with investors
- Previous experience in meeting and event planning (at least 2 years) is required
Required Skills and Abilities:
- Maintains confidentiality with unquestionable integrity
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Strong computer skills, in particular Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Zoom and Teams
- Ability to exercise sound judgement with attention to detail
- Strong ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
- Demonstrates autonomy, organization, assertiveness, flexibility and cooperation in performing job responsibilities
- Must be of good moral character and possess patience, tact, and self-awareness
- Ability to exercise good judgment in setting priorities and organization of workload
- Demonstrated success in meeting or exceeding budget goals
- Demonstrated success growing and maintaining a strong core of volunteers
- Ability to bring everyone together toward the organization’s vision
- Boardroom experience with presentation skills, and information dissemination
- Strong understanding of community development
- Proficiency in data analysis and report writing
- Ability to manage multiple projects, budgets and stakeholders simultaneously
- Familiarity with applying for and administering grants