Assistant Director Special Events, Film, and Tourism

General Office Management and Oversight

• Assist the Senior Director in overseeing all Special Events, Film, and Tourism staff.
• Manage and evaluate the day-to-day operations of staff, reviewing performance and analyzing work data to produce reports and studies that support operational improvements.
• Assist the Senior Director in developing action plans and initiatives to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of ordinances and policies that support the permitting process for events, parades, runs, films, etc.  
• Serve as a key liaison between the Special Events, Film, and Tourism Department and other departments, external offices, and agencies.
• Address and resolve complex inquiries, complaints, and sensitive or controversial issues.
• Participate in the development and management of the department’s annual budget, including forecasting needs for staffing, equipment, and materials; monitor expenditures and make necessary adjustments. Assist the Senior Director with preparation of reports and data to support funding requests.
• Manage the City’s digital permitting system, Eproval.
• Coordinate and participate in community outreach and educational programs related to applications, policies, and ordinances for special events, tourism, and film production, promoting awareness and understanding of City of Savannah regulations.
• Assist the Senior Director with departmental solicitation bids, managing contracts, and vendor relationships to ensure compliance with organizational standards, legal requirements, and the timely delivery of services and resources.
• Attend public meetings, address City Council requests, prepare agenda items, and make presentations to the community and City Council.
• Design printed material, including maps of marathons, parades, events and film locations.
• Positively represent the City of Savannah, fostering professional relationships with colleagues, leadership, and the public, while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Assist in the department’s Emergency Operations, including preparations, coordination during emergencies, and post-event activities to ensure departmental readiness.
• Serves as an Incident Command System liaison for various large-scale events organized by the Department and during times of emergency response.
• Other duties as assigned.

Special Event and Film Permitting

• Oversee the coordination of activities in City parks and facilities according to the availability of the venue and the suitability of the site. 
• Applies understanding of City rules and regulations and requests input from staff with specialized knowledge of the various parks and facilities and filming locations.
• Ensures a thorough review of each special event or film by the appropriate City Departments.
• Communicates extensively with event organizers, location managers, and City Departments and engages in frequent and continuing contact with applicants to ensure compliance with department rules and regulations and the special event and film permitting process.
• Assists with the coordination of logistics for special events and films conducted on City property and provides direction to applicants and event organizers in the area of event permitting.
• Exercises considerable care in issuing permits and ensuring event organizers are well informed; reviews insurance certificates; assists in obtaining approval for permits from all applicable Departments.
• Works collaboratively with the Communication Division to coordinate the promotion of co-sponsored community events.

Tourism Division

• Assist the Senior Director by providing oversight of the Tourism Division activities.
• Evaluate, develop, and standardize procedures and methods to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the City’s tourism related programs, projects and activities.
• Develop new strategies, programs, ordinances, and policies that promote responsible tourism and effectively manage tourism impacts.
• Coordinates and promotes efforts to mitigate community impacts resulting from the City’s tourism industry, including excessive litter, noise, overcrowding of public spaces, traffic and parking congestion, and enforces City codes pertaining to any public nuisances created by the City’s tourism industry.
• Oversee amendments to the Tour Service for Hire ordinance.
• Work with tourism industry representatives, residents, and other community stakeholders to address the impacts of tourism activity and to plan for tourism expansion areas.
• Assist in the preparation for and attend Tourism Advisory Committee meetings.

Core Competencies

• Planning Priorities - Recognizes, plans, focuses upon, and works toward what is most important or critical.
• Exercises Leadership - Uses appropriate judgment to handle critical, problematic, or a striking set of conditions with focus, ownership, and accountability.
• Creative Solutions Oriented -Ability to solve problems and find avenues to reconcile issues that would otherwise remain unsolved.
• Interdepartmental/Interagency Expertise - help expedite projects, knowing when to assist and when to compromise.

Requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Communications, Public Relations or closely related field with four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in Event Management, Marketing, Public Relations, Hospitality Industry; or possession of any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Public Safety Experience strongly preferred. 

• Knowledge of fiscal planning and budget preparation.
• Knowledge of City practice, policy, and procedure.
• Knowledge of website design.
• Knowledge of supervisory and managerial techniques and principles.
• Knowledge of public safety and general police guidelines.
• Skill in oral and written communications.
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
• Skill in using computers and related software applications.
• Skill in data analysis and problem solving.
• Skill in managing multiple programs, projects, and tasks.
• Ability to establish and maintain excellent communication and working relationships with City personnel and the public.

Salary : $80,702