Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Posted: 15-Nov-24
Location: Jefferson, Georgia
Type: Full Time
Salary: Based on qualifications.
Categories:
Salary Details:
Preferred Education:
Position Summary. The Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce, located in northeast Georgia along Interstate 85, is seeking a President and Chief Executive Officer to lead the business organization.
The new professional will be replacing Jim Shaw, who is retiring at the end of 2024.
The Chamber leads marketing and economic development initiatives for the county of 90,000 plus citizens with a full-time staff of five professionals.
Advocacy, networking, leadership development and entrepreneurship are also at the center of the Chamber’s programs.
The business organization has retained The Chason Group (www.thechasongroup.com) to lead the executive search.
About Jackson County, Georgia. The Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce in Georgia is located just 62 miles northeast of Atlanta, and approximately 20 miles north of Athens, Georgia. The county is home to nine municipalities including Arcade, Braselton, Commerce, Hoschton, Jefferson, Maysville, Nicholson, Pendergrass, and Talmo. Jefferson is the county seat and home to the Chamber office.
The area is known for its convenient location, strong economy, quality of life and is the fourth fastest growing micro area in the United States. The public schools in Jackson County are highly rated and have built strong relationships with local industry to ensure a successful local workforce. The county location offers access to top rated post-secondary school options such as The University of Georgia, North Georgia Technical College, Lanier Technical College, University of North Georgia, Brenau University, and more.
Citizens of the area also have access to top-rated healthcare systems such as Piedmont Health, Northeast Georgia Health System, and St. Mary's Health Care System.
Jackson County has entertainment options for people with various interests, whether it’s exploring the great outdoors, enjoying a car race, wine tasting, community events and festivals, golf, history, fine arts, or museums. The area also is convenient to take a day trip to watch SEC football games in Athens, visit Lake Lanier in Gainesville, or shoot up to wander the variety of hiking trails, mountains, and waterfalls in northeast Georgia.
The county is also an hour’s drive from Atlanta, home of Centennial Olympic Park, Zoo Atlanta, The Fox Theatre, Georgia Aquarium and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest international airport in the world.
About the President and CEO Position. The President and Chief Executive Officer is responsible for all aspects of operations for the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce and reports directly to the Board of Directors through an annually elected Chair. The professional provides vision, strategic direction, and management for the programs and personnel of the organization. The leader demonstrates expertise in collaboration, nonprofit governance and operations, financial management, marketing, public policy and advocacy, and community, economic, and workforce development.
The President and CEO serves as the lead spokesperson for the Chamber and strategic initiatives, representing the organization’s interests to the media, elected officials, and all community and organizational stakeholders. The professional is charged with the proficient management of all resources at the Chamber’s disposal, including both team members and volunteer efforts. These resources must be expertly deployed to align with the mission of the organization and to advance the growth and prosperity of the Chamber and community.
The professional is recognized as a dynamic servant leader with high integrity. Key skill sets required include the ability to manage and support current programs; develop new initiatives and collaborative partnerships; and to lead and engage all Chamber stakeholders.
- Bachelor’s degree in the area(s) of association management, economic development, community development, public relations, public administration, business and/or marketing from an accredited college or university or equivalent experience.
- A Certificate in Nonprofit Organization Management through the U.S. Chamber’s Institute of Management (IOM) and the professional designation of Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) are highly preferred. In the absence of these professional credentials, a strong desire to achieve them at the earliest opportunity is the expectation of the Board of the chosen candidate.
- Three years of executive-level leadership and personnel management experience with a Chamber of Commerce, destination marketing organization, or nonprofit organization of similar scale and complexity, with demonstrated working knowledge of business, public policy, tourism, community development, economic development, workforce development, event planning, and program development.
- A proven tenure in implementing a visionary strategic plan in collaboration with a diverse and influential body of organizational stakeholders.
- An innovative, creative, and strategic thinker who has experience in developing relevant initiatives and goals to enhance a region’s tax base and a track record of proven results.
- A strong financial background in budget management.