Salary : $125,049.60 - $152,235.20 Annually
Location : Merced County Planning/CED Department 2222 M St Merced, CA
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number:
Department: Community and Economic Development
Opening Date: 09/22/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
Bargaining Unit: 20B Management

Examples of Duties

Please Note: This is an at-will class under the direction of and serves at the pleasure of the Community and Economic Development Director.

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Assist the Director with the management of Castle Airport and Castle Commerce Center, including but not limited to property management, airport operations, grants and overall policy implementation.
• Assist in the planning, organizing and administering the operations of the County business-economic opportunities, business assistance and business recruitment programs.
• Participates as part of the county team in business recruitment and expansion activities.
• Develops department and program budgets and maintains control over expenditures within budgetary allotments.
• Plans, directs, coordinates, trains and evaluates assigned staff.
• Interprets and implements Federal, State and local laws, regulations and policies.
• Identifies and develops grant funding opportunities.
• Monitors fiscal and program compliance with grant regulations.
• Assists with marketing and oversight of the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) activities.
• Assist businesses with activation, expansion and location into the FTZ.
• Assists with activities of the Central San Joaquin Valley Foreign Trade Zone Advisory Committee.
• Monitors activated FTZ sites for compliance with U.S. Customs Service regulations.
• Assists with development and monitoring FTZ tariff and fee schedule.
• Assists with the development and oversight of public-private partnerships and miscellaneous entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Oversees management of business Revolving Loan Fund and business assistance activities.
• Assists Director in coordinating and providing oversight on County's role in census.
• Manages Economic Development Administration and Community Development Block grants involving economic development activities.
• Manages County Housing Programs, including first-time homebuyers' assistance program, rehabilitation program, foreclosure stabilization program and other related housing programs that may be assigned.
• Prepares audit plans and resolves audit problems.
• Provides fiscal data necessary for planning Department goals and objectives.
• Supervises and monitors the management information system functions of the department, including use of data processing equipment to maintain data and develop reports.
• Develops improvements to the maintenance and reporting of management information data.
• Develops and maintains effective fund management procedures.
• Conducts special studies and prepares reports and recommendations.
• Prepares financial reports as required.
• Establishes, reviews and evaluates loan program accounting procedures to ensure compliance with requirements.
• Confers with the department head, County, State and Federal officials on economic development programs.
• Assists in developing and implementing departmental policies and procedures.
• Acts for and in the absence of the Director on matters pertaining to economic development.
• Performs a broad range of management and administrative duties.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience:
Five (5) years of professional experience in economic development, business assistance programs or corporate/ commercial real estate site selection, including at least (2) years in a supervisory or project lead capacity. Experience in business attraction, expansion and retention is highly desirable.

Education:
A degree from an accredited four (4) year college or university with course work in business or public administration, economics, or related area.

License:
Possess a valid California Driver License at the time of appointment and maintain, for some positions in this classification.

Essential Functions

• Assist the Director, as assigned, in providing oversight and participating in business assistance, business recruitment and marketing for the Foreign Trade Zone.
• Represent the County and act on behalf of the Board of Supervisors with corporate officials relative to the Foreign Trade Zone.
• Operate a personal computer and other office equipment.
• Communicate effectively with others in person and over the telephone.
• Analyze data, interpret policies, procedures and regulations, develop appropriate conclusions and prepare reports.
• Conduct research and prepare appropriate correspondence.
• Meet deadlines under stressful conditions.
• Complete multiple priority projects with conflicting deadlines.
• Make presentations to the Board of Supervisors and other groups.
• Maintain confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations.
• Administer a budget, personnel and programs.
• Establish, implement and achieve goals and objectives.
• Effectively represent the County and department with the community and outside groups.
• Resolve conflict and respond appropriately to complaints.
• Train, evaluate and supervise staff.
• Regular attendance, as scheduled, is an essential function.

Knowledge of:

• Foreign Trade Zone administration, marketing and operations in compliance with U.S. Customs Service regulations.
• Grantsmanship activities, including requirements, administrative techniques, and record keeping necessary for securing, maintaining and effective functioning of grant programs.
• Current trends in economic and community development.
• Federal, State and private economic development resources.
• Housing-based community development programs.
• Budget development and expenditure control.
• General accounting principles, theories and practices.
• Governmental cost accounting, budgeting and procurement procedures.
• Laws, ordinances and regulations governing County financial and budget operations.
• Auditing theory and principles and their applications to governmental agencies and government grants.
• Principles and techniques of effective employee management, training and supervision.
• Computer applications relating to accounting and management information systems.
• Development of public-private partnerships.
• Revolving loan fund portfolio management, documentation and accounting.
• Grant reporting and compliance monitoring.

Ability to:

• Provide effective direction, supervision, training and evaluation for assigned staff.
• Plan, organize, direct, manage and coordinate the work of assigned functions and programs of the Community and Economic Development Department and assist with the general administration of the department.
• Review the work of assigned staff and resolve problems.
• Evaluate accounting and management information needs and develop appropriate systems.
• Prepare and monitor complex budget documents.
• Prepare comprehensive and accurate reports of various types and complexity.
• Identify and correct accounting and management information system problems.
• Be responsible for the development, maintenance and preparation of statistics, records and reports.
• Effectively represent the Community and Economic Development Department.
• Establish and maintain cooperative relationships with those contacted during the course of the work.

Can you please detail your experience responding to economic development leads from site selectors, brokers and government sources. Describe what steps you will take to accomplish the response in a timely fashion and what the final product will ultimately look like.
02

What steps would you regularly undertake to manage expectations related to economic development opportunities with policy makers and community members?
03

What is the single greatest challenge facing economic development in the San Joaquin Valley, and why?
04

What type of economic development incentives do you believe are most important to attract and/or retain business in the San Joaquin Valley (specifically in Merced County)?
Required Question