Neighborhood Development Manager City of Fairfield, OH

Summary/Purpose:

Under the general supervision of the Director of Development Services, the Neighborhood Development Manager is a highly visible team member who leads the City’s efforts to assist residents in improving the desirability of neighborhoods through relationship building, blight abatement, active revitalization efforts, strategic use of property, and placemaking.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Leads Neighborhood Enhancement Action Team (NEAT) with a collaborative approach that engages community members, City staff, and partner organizations. Works with zoning enforcement staff to target efforts based on data-driven assessment and preemptive scheduling.
• Collaborates with the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC), the Fairfield Community Foundation, and other groups to develop and to administer home improvement programs to address expensive code violations, with special attention to the needs of vulnerable populations (e.g., financially distressed, disabled, elderly).
• Stabilizes neighborhoods through direct residential market intervention. Partners with CIC and other groups to acquire, rehabilitate, market, and sell residential properties to owner occupants. Targets strategic or highly visible properties that are in the foreclosure process, have numerous code violations, receive frequent law enforcement calls for service, and/or are owned by absentee rental companies/landlords.
• Identifies and engages new Fairfield residents. Prepares, updates, and distributes welcome packets with community information.
• Performs community outreach by developing and implementing proactive strategies to welcome, and to build engagement among new Fairfield residents, with a special focus on new Americans and non-English speaking community members. Learns about residents’ diverse customs, cultures, and unique needs. Liaises between community members and City staff to ensure mutual learning, understanding, and relationship building.
• Develops and administers residential and neighborhood micro-grant programs for small community led projects that improve livability through placemaking, beautification, redevelopment, and resident engagement.
• Organizes community contests (e.g., property improvement, yard-of-the-month, photo-of-the-week) with modest awards and recognition for participants.
• Coordinates with non-profit organizations, churches, schools, and community volunteers to facilitate housing rehabilitations, litter collection, plantings, and other events. Collaborates with Butler County and Rumpke to organize neighborhood cleanup and collection of tires, electronics, appliances, Freon, furniture, etc.
• Uses City website and social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, etc.) to actively participate in the City’s communications efforts. Writes articles and contributes relevant residential content to the Fairfield Flyer and other City publications.
• Operates with a strong sense of duty to the community, respect for others, and high level of professionalism at all times.
• Requires scheduling flexibility, with evening and weekend obligations occasionally required. Light travel required for meetings, seminars, events, trainings, etc.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Requirements/Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree with a major in business, social sciences, human services, social work, urban planning, community development, public administration or related field. Two to three years of relevant professional experience.  Proficiency in at least one language in addition to English preferred. Experience with real estate purchasing and/or renovation is desirable. Strong oral and written communication skills in addition to general computer literacy (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, data entry and analysis). Outgoing personality, with an ability to interact with a wide variety of people of varied backgrounds and interests. Valid driver’s license with ability to be and remain insured under the City’s carrier.

Physical and Environmental Requirements

Generally, low physical effort required to sit, stand at files, stoop, bend, lift and carry. Maximum unassisted lift is 25 lbs., average lift less than 10 lbs. Requires somewhat frequent visits to residential neighborhoods, building and construction sites, often in uneven terrain. Requires travel by car and driving locally to various sites in City. Work is generally indoors in temperature-controlled environment. Requires ability to communicate verbally in person and via telephone.  Requires ability to use keyboard, monitor, calculator and other office equipment.

Salary Range: $63,117.60 – $91,531.44
Full-Time – Exempt

Please apply online by visiting www.fairfield-city.org

Deadline to apply is 1/15/2021.

Please include a current resume & cover letter with application.

EOE