Director of Economic Development - Lucas County Commissioners

Lucas County, Ohio

Job Description

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Strategic Leadership and Organizational Management:

Develop, implement, and continuously refine the Department's strategic plan in alignment with County priorities.
Establish annual goals, KPIs, and performance benchmarks tied to economic growth, investment, and community impact.
Provide leadership, supervision, and performance management for department staff.
Oversee departmental budgeting, resource allocation, and financial stewardship.
Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and data-driven decision-making.

Business Navigation and Regulatory Leadership:

Lead and oversee the County's Business Navigation program as a core economic development function.
Serve as the executive-level point of contact for complex, high-impact development projects requiring coordination across jurisdictions.
Ensure the County delivers a best-in-class, predictable, and transparent permitting experience.
Oversee development and implementation of digital permitting platforms and tools.
Lead regulatory advocacy efforts by partnering with industry and government to improve policies, procedures, and permitting efficiency at local, state, and federal levels.
Identify systemic barriers to development and implement process improvements.

Site Development and Investment Readiness:

Lead strategy to identify gaps between market demand and available sites.
Oversee development of investment-ready sites, including coordination with developers, landowners, and public partners.
Guide site certification efforts and alignment with JobsOhio and regional partners.
Ensure sites are effectively prepared, positioned, and marketed for investment.

Community Development:

Provide executive oversight of CDBG and CHIP programs.
Ensure compliance with all federal and state requirements while maximizing community impact.
Align community development investments with broader economic development goals.
Promote equitable development and strategic deployment of resources across the County.

External Relations and System Building:

Serve as the primary representative of the County in economic development matters.
Build and maintain relationships with regional, state, and local partners.
Engage with developers, utilities, infrastructure providers, and regulatory agencies to align systems supporting development.
Represent the County in public forums, policy discussions, and high-level negotiations.

Data-Driven Decision Making and Accountability:

Ensure integration of data and performance tracking into all departmental strategies.
Oversee reporting on KPIs, including navigation timelines, site readiness, and community development outcomes.
Provide regular updates to the Board of County Commissioners and stakeholders.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Deep understanding of regulatory environments, permitting, and public sector processes.
Strong knowledge of site development and infrastructure planning.
Experience with federal community development programs (CDBG, CHIP) preferred.
Demonstrated ability to influence systems, policy, and cross-agency collaboration.
Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
Ability to translate strategic vision into measurable system improvements.

UNUSUSAL WORKING CONDITIONS

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Urban Planning, Business Administration, Economic Development, Construction Management, or a related field is preferred, OR
Associate degree in a related field and five (5) years of directly related experience, OR
an equivalent combination of education, certification, experience & training.

Certifications (Preferred, but not required):

Vacancy posted 18 hours ago

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