Downtown Director
Saco Spirit
Saco, Maine
The Downtown Director for Saco Spirit will lead the community’s efforts to enhance its
downtown. The director must be a motivated, energetic, highly organized self-starter with
leadership, communication, volunteer recruitment, and volunteer management skills.
The Downtown Director is the central coordinator of the downtown program’s activities,
ensuring that activities in all four points of the Main Street Approach™ are synchronized. The
Downtown Director is an advocate for the downtown and coordinates a wide range of projects,
from supervising promotional activities to recruiting retailers and finding resources for the
development efforts, within the framework of the National Main Street Center’s Four Point
Approach. The Downtown Director will work with the board to implement Saco’s downtown
plan and the Saco Spirit annual work plan. The Downtown Director is responsible directly to
the president of the Board of Directors and works cooperatively with the entire board and
many committees. The Downtown Director will work in the following areas:
· ORGANIZATION: Coordinate the volunteer activities of the Saco Spirit Board of Directors
and committees ensuring that communication is well established. The director staffs daily
operations, provides staff support to committees working on these efforts, recruits volunteer
help for the work, and provides the hands-on involvement critical to a successful program, and
participate in sponsorship and fundraising activities.
· DESIGN: Assist the Design Committee in its activities including assisting individual
tenants or property owners with physical improvement projects through consultation or by
obtaining professional design consultants; assist in locating appropriate contractors and
materials; provide advice and guidance on financial mechanisms for physical improvements.
Work with the City on physical improvements and beautification in the downtown, including
parks, streetscape, and plantings.
· PROMOTIONS: Work with the Promotions Committee to develop and conduct ongoing
public awareness and education programs designed to enhance appreciation of the downtown
and keep the program in the public eye. Help create and manage promotional events and
attract people downtown; work closely with local media to ensure maximum coverage of
promotional activities; encourage design excellence in all aspects of promotion in order to
advance an image of quality for the downtown. Assist in organizing joint activities such as
promotional events, advertising, store hours, special events, business recruitment, parking
management and so on.
· ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING: Work with the Economic Restructuring Committee to
develop relationships with all persons and groups in the downtown commercial district,
including, the City of Saco, the Chamber of Commerce, the Heart of Biddeford, individual
businesses and lenders, and property owners. Help achieve the goal of increasing consumer
awareness of Downtown Saco’s goods and services, increase the share of expenditures by
residents of the trade area and enhance the image of downtown. captured downtown.
Business Development efforts will focus on achieving an optimal mix of retail and service
providers in the downtown. Efforts will include business attraction and recruiting programs
and assistance with business expansion efforts
Manage administrative aspects of the downtown program, including purchasing, record
keeping, budget development and accounting. Track the process and progress of the local Main
Street program in monthly, quarterly, and annual reports. These systems should include
economic monitoring, individual building files, documentation of physical changes and
information on job creation and business retention.
· Represent the community to important constituencies at the local and regional levels.
Speak effectively on the downtown program’s direction and findings. Encourage a cooperative
climate between downtown interests and local public officials. The Downtown Director will
work closely with the City on all aspects, especially on the physical improvements planning.
Education and Experience
A bachelors degree or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Applicants should have education and experience in some of the following areas: economic
development, retailing, marketing, design, volunteer management, historic preservation, small
business development, financial management, and mall management. Experience with the
National Main Street four point approach is desirable.
Other Necessary Skills
Word processing Spreadsheet
Research Email
Please Email Resume and References to Peter Morelli at Pmorelli@sacomaine.org