Economic Development Coordinator

at  County of Huron

POSITION SUMMARY:

As a member of the Economic Development Department, the Economic Development Coordinator – Workforce Development is a key member of the team that is focused on executing the Huron Works Action Plan and meeting the contractual requirements of the RED funding agreement. Huron Works is designed to fill jobs and retain a qualified workforce allowing local businesses to grow and thrive. Activities include but are not limited to working with community partners involved in workforce including educational partners, local business associations, businesses – owners and HR specialists, those seeking employment or facing barriers to employment. Work collaboratively to catalogue and coordinate existing services to create one window access to services. Create advertising materials, toolkits and other resources to promote living and working in Huron County. In addition to client services, administrative duties include report writing, note taking, and building trust with colleagues, clients, and partners.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• A University or college diploma in business, economic development, HR or related discipline (3 years) or equivalent work/life experience
• 2 years’ experience in a similar role.
• Training and/or experience in economic development, collective impact and workforce development.
• Management experience including executing effective projects; facilitating community conversations and working in collaborative meeting environments.
• Experience using a Customer Relationship Management system
• Knowledge of virtual delivery methods and tools
• Knowledge of Workforce challenges and those specific challenges faced by Huron County employers and job seekers

PREFERRED SKILLS:

• Must be a motivated self-starter with a passion for helping others.
• A personal knowledge and understanding of the county, the community, and community partners.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills, including experience in presentations, facilitation, media relations and building successful collaborations
• Thorough working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and basic computer functions
• Travel is required so willingness to travel and a valid Ontario Driver’s License is required.
• Able to respect and exercise confidentiality
• Political acuity and an understanding of Municipal government is an asset.

DON’T MEET EVERY SINGLE REQUIREMENT?

Studies have shown that women are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles. At the County of Huron, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace.

• Primary contact for Huron Works project, and possibly the spokesperson
• Dedicated to Huron Works project, with sufficient time to manage and implement activities
• Organize meetings and facilitate meetings
• Co-ordinate the design planning of the project
• Coordinate data collection and manage access to the data
• Respond to stakeholder concerns
• Lead and coordinate data entry and analysis process
• Write the final report and action plan
• Coordinate action planning, program assessment and reporting
• Sign confidentiality contract
• Maintain confidentiality
• Work with other team members
• Creation of a central portal (HuronWorks.ca) to assist employers and job seekers to connect to existing resources across the county and region, allowing;
• Job seekers to gain training, upskilling, job search assistance and connections to available jobs
• Employers to connect to workforce development organizations, job seekers and resources for current employer best practices including employer roundtables, an Employer of Choice toolkit and educational webinars.
• Promotions enticing individuals including those residents working outside the County to employment in Huron.
• Building collaborative relationships with municipal partners, employers and organizations such as Huron Manufacturing Association, Technical Training Group and educational institutions
• Working with regional partners to maximize impact of budget and products developed
• Coordination of social media channels, targeted advertising campaigns and podcasts will be used to entice newcomers and locally housed, non-participating individuals into the workforce.
• Design and implement a targeted campaign to build a workforce by attracting young couples and families to the County. Some elements of the project for this attraction work will include;
• Videos highlighting diverse residents who chose Huron County as a place to live and work.
• Community profiles to highlight advantages of living in Huron County.
• Foster strong partnership with local Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) and ensure collaboration with municipal economic development officers, Business Improvement Area (BIAs), Post-Secondary Institutions and Chambers of Commerce and local Human Resources association
• Works with a continuous improvement mindset
• Creates and delivers reports to County Council, Partner Municipalities and key stakeholders and the Funder
• Works with customer relationship management (CRM) software
• Access and collect information from those housed but not participating in the workforce to assess barriers to entering the workforce and design solutions to reduce barriers
• Implement findings from the 2021 BR&E study
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively to drive community engagement
• Create tools and resources for employers, job seekers and service providers to minimize the workforce issues in Huron County.
• Work collectively on issues supporting workforce such as rural housing issues