Summary
Description
Position Summary
The Lake County Economic Development &Tourism Director is a unique opportunity for someone to help protect the identity of Lake County while welcoming responsible visitation and economic development to our community. As tourism visitation and development opportunities increase, Lake County Government is looking for a strong leader in shaping the future management of tourism and fostering economic development in our community. This position will provide tourism leadership and strategic direction for tourism dollars through long-term strategic vision, day-to-day communications, development of marketing materials, and state-wide partnerships. This position will also lead Lake County Government’s economic development priorities by leading teams, managing vendors, and driving forward economic development in Lake County.
This position will report to the Lake County Manager while engaging with and receiving general direction from a collaborative Lake County Tourism Panel (LCTP) appointed by the BOCC. This position will serve as the main point of contact for the LCTP and will execute their mission of: Bettering our community through responsible spending of tourism dollars.
General Duties and Responsibilities
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Business Development
- Lead and manage Visitor Center with a focus on capacity and strategy building, including developing/implementing a winter season program and strategic partnership building
- Identify, understand, and build relationships and new partnerships with community members, business owners and stakeholders to inform and support LCTP priorities
- Identify new opportunities and mechanisms to inform and support LCTP priorities.
- Develop Business roundtables for the community members
- Develop processes for responding to and administrating community tourism funding requests
- Other duties as assigned
Act as Representative for LCTP:
- Respond to community members’ inquiries through website and social media
- Respond to outreach by the press
- Manage and coordinate collaboration among existing staff and contractors serving the panel’s mission under the Panel and County Manager's direction and guidance.
- Represent Lake County at regional, statewide and national economic development and tourism-based panels.
- Collaborate with state agencies
Financial
- Oversight and general management of the LCTP/BOCC approved annual budget, approximately $300,000
- Ensure LCTP is following Lake County Procurement Policy and Financial Policies
Advocacy
- Meet with local businesses to understand how the LCTP can meet the community’s needs including general, tourism, and local business needs.
- Meet with local businesses to spread word of the panel’s resources and opportunities to support the community.
- Act as community liaison to the LCTP
- Attend pertinent City Council and BOCC meetings. Provide updates and requests to elected officials.
- Attend other stakeholder meetings as assigned.
- Build relationships with, and be informed by, other tourism related groups and stakeholders.
Communications
- Develop Lake County’s presence within the Colorado Tourism Office
- Create and post engaging/influential content on Social Media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and other emerging or relevant platforms
- Develop and implement paid marketing opportunities
- Create and distribute e-newsletters promoting tourism and events.
- Create and distribute media kits and press releases.
Economic Development
- Remain a strong partner with the Leadville Lake County Economic Development Corporation (LLCEDC) to support economic development efforts
- Represent the economic development interests of Lake County Government, with a focus on Board of County Commissioners’ priorities
- Perform a variety of professional, technical, and administrative duties related to business retention and recruitment for Lake County Government
- Work closely with appropriate Lake County Government departments on the administration of business support
- Collaborate with local, regional, state and national partners on economic development opportunities for Lake County.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Supervise the Tourism/Visitor Center Manager
- Assist in the supervision the Visitor Center Ambassadors
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED required. Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality, Business Development or Marketing preferred.
- Demonstrated experience in tourism industry (including but not limited to hotel, hospitality, cultural nonprofits, public events, outdoor recreation, and historic preservation)
- Holistic advocate for responsible tourism, including how tourism benefits a community
- Strong written/verbal communication skills
- Exceptional interpersonal skills and experience with coalition building
- Proven experience with social media platforms, website management and e-news programs including MailChimp, WordPress CMS, and photo editing programs
- Knowledge of basic html for minor formatting
- Proficient in Google Suite and Microsoft Office Suite
- Travel to conferences or events within and outside of the state of Colorado may be required.
- Preferred bilingual in English and Spanish.
Physical Activity & Work Environment
- Sitting: More than 50% of the time
- Using hands/fingers to feel or handle items: More than 50% of the time
- Reaching, pushing, or pulling with arms/hands: More than 50% of the time
- Talking or hearing: More than 50% of the time
- Lifting, moving, or exerting force of up to 10 lbs.: Less than 50% of the time
- Lifting, moving, or exerting force of up to 25 lbs.: Less than 50% of the time
- Seeing up close: More than 50% of the time
- Seeing long distances: Less than 50% of the time
- Seeing color: More than 50% of the time
- Use of peripheral vision: Less than 50% of the time
- Perceiving depth: Less than 50% of the time
- Adjusting and focusing vision: More than 50% of the time
- Working in a loud environment: Less than 50% of the time
EOE Statement
Lake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Assistance or accommodation during the application process due to a disability is available upon request.
Lake County Benefits – Full-Time Employees
As a reflection of the value we place on the contributions of our employees, the County offers a competitive benefits package for full-time employees. Please review the 2024 Benefits Guide for full details. The Guide provides information on Lake County Government's benefit offerings, including:
- Employer-Sponsored Medical and Dental Insurance Plans
- 100% Employer Paid Vision Plan
- Flexible Spending Account
- Health Reimbursement Account
- Employer-Sponsored Short-Term Disability Insurance
- 100% Employer Paid Long-Term Disability Insurance
- 100% Employer Paid Term Life Insurance
- Supplemental Life Insurance Plans
- 401(a) and 457(b) Employer Matched Retirement Plans
- Paid Vacation, Sick Leave, Personal Days and Holidays
- Employee Assistance Program
- Public Health Emergency Leave
- Discounts on concerts, major sporting events, electronics, travel, cars and more!
Lake County Benefits – Part-Time Employees
Lake County is also proud to offer paid sick time off and flexible work schedules for our part-time employees.
EOE Statement
Lake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Assistance or accommodation during the application process due to a disability is available upon request.
Notice of Work Authorization Requirement
Applicants must be authorized to lawfully work for any employer in the United States. Lake County is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.
Notice of Emergency/Disaster Responsibilities
All Lake County Employees may be required to work as a Disaster Service Worker when a local declaration of emergency or disaster is declared by the Board of County Commissioners. To be prepared for this role, all employees and emergency service function (ESF) leads will attend emergency management trainings and exercises as requested by the Director of Emergency Management. With advanced notification from OEM, employees will make reasonable efforts to attend training events in coordination with other employees and supervisors.
Other Duties
Please note that this job description does not intend to cover or contain a full comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Expected Duration of the Application Process
Due to the nature of the application and selection process for Lake County full-time positions, applicants can reasonably expect the application process to take a significant amount of time to complete before a decision is made to hire or not to hire. Typically, it takes approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks from the date of application to complete the entire selection process. The length of time it takes to complete the process can vary depending on a variety of factors. Please note that this is an estimated duration of the selection process.
