Jefferson County is working to fill its finance and grants manager position, a role responsible for overseeing county finances, managing the budget, and helping secure grant funding for community programs and infrastructure projects.
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Jefferson County leaders say grants can be especially important for smaller communities by helping stretch local tax dollars and fund improvements residents rely on every day.
County Manager Douglas Baber said the position was recently posted and will keep a dedicated person busy pursuing and managing grant opportunities.
"We're starting to create some jobs that are here in Jefferson County...some of them, for example, we just posted today for the finance and grants manager," Baber said.
Baber said the Finance and Grants Manager role will be a new in-house position, replacing a contractor the county had previously relied on.
"So the animal control director is..that position is vacant, and we are actively looking for some folks to take over that position. the finance director position has been outsourced, and we've been using a contractor. I've asked the commissioners to bring that in-house so that position would be starting October 1st, and they approved that for us to move forward with that," Baber said.
Baber said the position will keep a dedicated person busy pursuing and managing grant opportunities.
"Grants are particular; you have to monitor those grants, and you have to manage those grants, and you have to go after those grants, so it keeps a full-time person busy, so this position would not only be applying for grants throughout the community, but we'll also be making sure that we'd get reimbursements for payments made," Baber said.
Baber said the openings represent a strong opportunity for local residents.
"It's a great opportunity here in Jefferson County...we have the potential to hire a finance and grants manager as well as a process for an animal control director so those are some pretty good-paying jobs here for Jefferson County, and we're excited to have those opportunities," Baber said.
Both positions are open until filled. Jefferson County is also in the process of hiring an IT supervisor as the county looks to bring some outsourced services in-house.
"Both of these jobs are open till filled we're also in the process of hiring an IT supervisor so we're trying to bring some of those out sourced services into the county…also this is a great way for the board of county commissioners to create executive level jobs that would bring more money to our local residents so hopefully we find somebody local to take on these positions," Baber said.
County leaders say attracting qualified candidates remains a priority as Jefferson County continues planning for future growth and community needs.
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