Cedar Rapids Downtown is looking for a new Director of Talent Attraction

The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance (CRMEA) is seeking a new full-time Director of Talent Acquisition to lead its Collaborative Growth Initiative.

The initiative acts as a partnership between the cities of Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha and Marion, dedicated to growing the region’s workforce, as well as leveraging and coordinating public and private sector resources.

The The Downtown Self-Sustaining Municipal Improvement District Commission (SSMID) voted at its May 29 meeting to hire the new director. It also approved the establishment of a storefront in Cedar Rapids, as well as to dedicate private funds to enliven the city’s urban center.

According to a CRMEA press release, the initiative’s partners collaborated on a comprehensive report on demographics, perceptions and strategies for the region’s growth. The report emphasized the need to specific position dedicated to implementing these growth strategies, which led to the search for a director.

Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly noted in the release how the initiative provides an opportunity for different areas in the region to work together.

“Each of the cities in the region can lead some strategies, but this will require a comprehensive effort by leaders from all sectors,” Mr. AbouAssaly said in the statement.

This year State of the city address, Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell also noted the need for a director of the initiative.

“We have amazing communities to promote and a strong plan for growth,” Ms O’Donnell said at the event. “Now that we’ve identified target markets full of potential talent with the exact skills the Greater Cedar Rapids region is looking for, our efforts can move toward implementation.”

According to the release, the report highlights the area’s many long-term growth efforts. One of the first goals is to use digital marketing to attract skilled workers from Wisconsin, the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Denver and Minneapolis, and areas of Southern California, including Los Angeles.

The incumbent will also help coordinate the local initiative with a statewide version and create a new Workforce Innovation Council of area stakeholders to help bring a variety of expertise to the initiative.

“We have momentum right now,” Hiawatha Mayor Steve Dodson said in the release. “Let’s continue to work together to build on this.”