Main Street Director

Job Description

1. Work Objectives

The Main Street Manager facilitates the revitalization of the Jefferson Central Business District (CBD) through the use of the Main Street 4-Point Approach-Design, Economic Restructuring, Organization/Marketing and Promotions/Festivals.  The Manager coordinates activity within the CBD using historic preservation ethics and cooperation between groups and individuals to accomplish program goals.

The Main Street Manager is responsible for the development, conduct, execution and documentation of the Main Street program.  The Manager is the principal on-site staff person and coordinates all activities locally as well as representing the City regionally, as appropriate. 

2. Range of Duties to be Performed

• Coordinate activity of Main Street Jefferson committees, ensuring that communication between committees is well established; assist committees with implementation of work plan items.
• Manage all administrative aspects of the Main Street program, including purchasing, recordkeeping, budget development and accounting, preparing all reports required by the State Main Street Program and by the National Main Street Program, assisting with the preparation of reports to funding agencies and supervising part-time employees or consultants.
• Develop, in conjunction with the Main Street Jefferson Program’s board of directors, strategies for downtown economic development through historic preservation utilizing the Community’s human and economic resources.  Become familiar with all persons and groups directly or indirectly involved in the downtown commercial district.  Mindful of the roles of various downtown interest groups, assist the Main Street Jefferson board of directors and committees in developing an annual action plan for implementing a downtown revitalization program focused on four areas:  design/historic preservation, promotion, organization/management, and economic development.
• Develop and conduct the ongoing public awareness and education program designed to enhance appreciation of the downtown’s architecture and other assets and to foster an understanding of the Main Street Jefferson program’s goals and objectives.  Through speaking engagements, media interviews, appearances, keep the Main Street Jefferson program highly visible in the community.
• Assist individual tenants or property owners with physical improvement projects through personal consultation or by obtaining and supervising professional design consultants; assist in locating appropriate contractors and materials; when possible, participate in construction supervision; provide advice and guidance on necessary financial mechanisms for physical improvements.
• Assess the management capacity of major downtown organizations and encourage improvements in the downtown community’s ability to undertake joint activities such as promotional events, advertising, uniform store hours, special events, business recruitment, parking management, and so on.  Provide advice and information on successful downtown management.  Encourage a cooperative climate between downtown interest and local public officials.
• Advise downtown merchant’s organizations and/or chamber of commerce retail committees on Main Street Jefferson program activities and goals and assist in the coordination of joint promotional events, such as seasonal festivals or cooperative retail promotional events, in order to improve the quality and success of events to attract people downtown; work closely with local media to ensure maximum event coverage; encourage design excellence in all aspects of promotion in order to advance an image of quality for the downtown.
• Help build strong and productive working relationships with appropriate public agencies at the local and state levels.
• Act as staff liaison to the Downtown Development Authority. Duties may include acting as secretary of the organization, coordination of events to promote said authority or commission, maintain website or social media presence, and other duties as agreed upon by the authority or city council and the Main Street Manager.
• Utilizing the Main Street program format, develop and maintain data systems to track the process and progress of the local program.  These systems should include economic monitoring, individual building files, thorough photographic documentation of all physical changes and information on job creation and business retention.
• Represent the Community at the local, county and state levels to important constituencies.  Speak effectively on the program’s directions and findings, always mindful of the need to improve state and national economic development policies as they relate to smaller communities.  Appointments to committees and boards by the City Manager, Mayor and Council or by virtue of being the Main Street Manager. 

3. Resource Management Responsibilities

The manager supervises any necessary temporary or permanent employees, as well as professional consultants.   He/she participates in personnel and project evaluations.  The manager maintains local Main Street Jefferson program records and reports, establishes technical resource files and libraries, and prepares regular reports for the state Main Street program and the National Main Street program.  The manager monitors the annual program budget and maintains local financial records.

4. Job Knowledge and Skills Required

The manager should have education and/or experience in one of the following areas:  architecture, historic preservation, economics, finance, public relations, design, journalism, planning, business administration, public administration, retailing, volunteer or nonprofit administration, and/or small business development. 

The manager must be sensitive to design and preservation issues.  The manager must understand the issues confronting downtown business people, property owners, public agencies, and community organizations. 

The manager must be entrepreneurial, energetic, imaginative, well-organized and capable of functioning effectively in a very independent situation.  Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential.  Supervisory skills are desirable.

To apply please email your resume to careers@cityofjeffersonga.com or

Mail it to:

Wendy Wilson

City of Jefferson

147 Athens Street

Jefferson, Georgia 30549