Job Announcement

Executive Director

Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA)

Salary Range: $90,000 - $110,000 DOE/DOQ

Applications due electronically by June 16, 2011

The Job

The Executive Director of the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) collaborates with leaders in business, government, education and non-profit entities to grow and diversify Kitsap County’s economy.

The Executive Director manages two full-time and one part-time staff members, and reports to an 8-member Executive Committee and a 36-member board of directors comprised equally of business leaders and elected officials. The Executive Director is a member of the board and serves as its Secretary.

The KEDA Priorities are:

r  Business Retention & Expansion – To keep local enterprises in the area and to support their continued growth and expansion

r  Business Recruitment – To attract new business operations that compliment and diversify Kitsap County’s economic base

r  Business Climate Improvement – Maintain, enhance or change factors that impact business investment, operations and employment growth in Kitsap County.

KEDA is a private, non-profit 501 (c) 6 corporation and has been in continuous operation for more than 20 years.

The Setting

Kitsap County is located on the west side of Puget Sound with easy connections to downtown Seattle via the Washington State Ferries from Bainbridge Island and Bremerton; to Snohomish County via ferry from Kingston; and to Tacoma and Olympia via highway. A peninsula with 236 miles of saltwater shoreline bordered by Puget Sound and the pristine Hood Canal, Kitsap County is the gateway to the Olympic Peninsula, a scenic national recreation area. With a forested and rural landscape, Kitsap County offers the best of Northwest living and recreation, fine K-12 schools, an excellent community college, high quality medical facilities, and friendly, diverse communities.

The major employer for the county is Naval Base Kitsap, comprised of installations at Bangor, Bremerton and Keyport. The Navy, civilian workers and associated Department of Defense contractors have provided a strong economic foundation for many years. Nearly half of the resident workforce commutes outside the county daily.

The population of the county is just over 240,000 and growing, and includes the cities of Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, Port Orchard and Poulsbo; the Suquamish Tribe; and the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe.

The Selection Criteria

The Executive Director, with policy direction by the Board of Directors, provides leadership to KEDA in its mission to help the local economy diversify, increase opportunities for commuters to work closer to home, and expand the number of primary jobs at a rate faster than the growth of the resident labor force.

Competitive candidates must demonstrate ability and accomplishments in the following areas. Attributes are listed alphabetically and are not intended to be listed in order of importance.

Business experience / Has senior level leadership and marketing experience in an economic development environment and demonstrated successful outcomes in business retention, expansion and recruitment
Collaboration / Strong collaborative skills with case examples resulting in community-wide buy-in and positive results
Communications skills / Excellent written and verbal communications skills including dynamic public speaking capabilities
Economic development / Proven ability to understand, communicate and implement the factors and dynamics of a community’s economic development process. CEcD (certified economic developer) certification desired.
Leadership / Visionary and focused leader with the ability to motivate people to common goals
Non-profit experience / Experience in fundraising and mobilization of a non-profit organization with a Board of Directors

The Application Process

KEDA’s Executive Committee is serving as the Executive Director Search Committee, which will review all application information (resumes, salary history, and other documentation) to select a group of semi-finalists. Personal or telephone interviews of the semi-finalists will result in at most three finalists, who will be invited to further interviews with the board and also to meet staff members. Additional background information on KEDA, the Kitsap economy, and economic development plans and budgets will be provided to finalists prior to interviews.

All application information is to be submitted electronically to Bill Stewart at with the following subject line: (Your Name): Application for KEDA Executive Director.

Applications must include the following:

  Cover letter (separate from email cover)

  Chronological resume

  Compensation requirements if outside the advertised range for this position.

Semi-finalists will be asked for references, so candidates should be prepared to provide at least two employment references; at least one community-related reference; and one or more business client references when requested.

Applications are due no later than COB June 16, 2011. We will acknowledge application information receipt by return e-mail. A competitive salary and benefits package will be negotiated based on the applicant’s history as well as the significant requirements, responsibilities, and needed experience and qualifications of the position.

KEDA is an equal opportunity employer.

KEDA Executive Director Job Announcement Page 1