Tourism & Community Development Coordinator

Location

128

E. Market Street, Bluffton City Hall, Bluffton, Indiana 46714

Administrative Supervisor

Director, Wells County Economic Development Corporation

TOURISM & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

COORDINATOR

Location

128

E. Market Street, Bluffton City Hall, Bluffton, Indiana 46714

Administrative Supervisor

Director, Wells County Economic Development Corporation

Tourism Oversight

Wells County Tourism Commission

Employment Status

Full-Time

Position Summary

The Tourism & Community Development Coordinator serves a dual role: advancing Wells County tourism and supporting the countywide economic development mission of the Wells County Economic Development Corporation (WCEDC).

Approximately 50% of the position is dedicated to tourism. Tourism work is guided by an annual plan, budget priorities, and performance measures approved by the Wells County Tourism Commission. The remaining 50% supports economic development priorities assigned by the WCEDC Director. The 50/50 allocation is an annual planning target and will be reviewed quarterly against actual workload and funding.

The position serves all Wells County communities. Tourism resources should be deployed according to visitor opportunity, existing and emerging tourism assets, adopted priorities, and measurable impact—not by an expectation of equal activity in every geographic area.

The Coordinator is expected to convene, connect, market, and support. The position works through the expertise and authority of municipalities, parks departments, downtown organizations, agricultural organizations, schools, businesses, nonprofits, and event committees rather than replacing the organizations responsible for operating facilities, programs, or events.

Governance, Accountability & Allocation

Administrative Supervision

• The WCEDC Director provides day-to-day supervision, work scheduling, human-resources administration, and direction of economic development responsibilities.
• The Tourism Commission does not manage routine personnel matters but retains authority over the tourism strategy, budget priorities, major campaigns, and expected tourism outcomes.

• The Tourism Commission approves the annual tourism work plan, destination marketing plan, tourism budget priorities, and tourism performance measures.
• The Tourism Commission Chair or a designated Commission committee provides documented input on the Coordinator’s tourism performance as part of the annual evaluation.
• Material changes to the approved tourism work plan or the planned allocation of tourism resources require concurrence between the WCEDC Director and Tourism Commission Chair or designee.

• The Coordinator maintains reasonable time, project, and expense records sufficient to distinguish tourism work from economic development work.
• Compensation, benefits, administrative expenses, and project costs funded by innkeeper-tax revenue must correspond to tourism-related work and eligible tourism purposes.
• The blended structure will be formally reviewed after the first 12 months to determine whether the allocation, reporting structure, staffing level, and performance measures remain appropriate.

• Develop an annual tourism work plan and destination marketing plan for Tourism Commission consideration and approval.
• Prepare Tourism Commission agendas, reports, budget materials, and project updates in coordination with the Commission Chair.
• Provide quarterly reports comparing completed work, expenditures, outcomes, and next-quarter priorities to the approved tourism plan.
• Research tourism trends, grants, regional partnerships, and destination-development opportunities relevant to Wells County.

• Manage and strengthen the Visit Wells County tourism brand consistent with Tourism Commission direction.
• Produce campaigns highlighting attractions, restaurants, lodging, parks, trails, shopping, public art, heritage, recreation, and visitor-oriented events.
• Manage tourism website content, social media, newsletters, visitor communications, and media outreach.
• Develop visitor guides,…