Clackamas County - Tourism Programs Manager
Job Details And Qualifications Do you see how tourism shapes communities, economies, and visitor experiences? Are you a strategic leader ready to connect people, data, and vision to build a thriving destination? Clackamas County’s Office of Tourism, branded as Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory, seeks a Tourism Programs Manager to lead destination development, industry engagement, and strategic initiatives in this iconic region of Oregon. This leadership role guides programs, supports staff, and turns strategy into outcomes for communities and partners.
About The Role The Tourism Programs Manager leads our Destination Development and Community Relations department and supervises four staff within it to strengthen the county’s visitor economy and destination sustainability. You will provide strategic direction for destination development and partnerships, while serving as a key advisor to the Executive Director on overall organizational strategy and vision.
This role blends leadership and execution by overseeing programs, budgets, and performance tracking to ensure long-term priorities support economic vitality and community well-being. The manager guides staff by setting priorities and fostering innovation. You will be key in driving the county’s tourism development strategy, building and maintaining relationships with tourism partners and in region destination leads, and serving as a liaison to advance shared goals. You will also lead the department’s accessible tourism initiatives by investing in and promoting inclusive visitor experiences and staying informed on industry trends.
Additionally, you will manage contracts, vendors, and procurement processes, ensuring deliverables meet expectations and remain within budget. By overseeing research and data efforts, including data collection, analysis, and reporting, you will help inform and drive decision-making and program effectiveness for the Office of Tourism.
What You Bring The ideal candidate is a strategic and collaborative leader with a strong understanding of tourism/destination development work in a public-sector or similarly complex environment. You can think at a systems level while managing day-to-day operations and program delivery, have experience leading teams, developing high performance individuals, and promoting a positive, inclusive culture. You excel at strategic planning, turning organizational goals into programs and measurable outcomes.
You have experience managing budgets, contracts, and vendors and understand public sector processes. You build relationships with various stakeholders, including officials and industry partners. You use research and data to guide decisions and analyze complex information for strategy. Experience in sustainable tourism, community development, and program evaluation is preferred.
Why Join Us? Shape the future of tourism in a region known for its natural beauty, vibrant communities, and outdoor recreation. Take on a leadership role where you drive innovation, enjoy autonomy in decision-making, and see tangible results while collaborating with dedicated partners to make a lasting impact on Clackamas County.
Required Minimum Qualifications/ Transferrable Skills:*
- At least six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in tourism development, destination management, economic development, or a closely related field
- Experience developing and implementing strategic plans or programs
- Experience managing budgets, contracts, and/or vendor relationships
- Strong knowledge of destination management organization (DMO) operations and project management
- Strong leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills
- Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed
Preferred Special Qualifications/ Transferrable Skills:*
- A bachelor’s degree in tourism, business administration, public administration, marketing, economics, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
- Experience working in or with a public sector or government organization
- Experience in tourism marketing programs and/or collaborating with them
- Experience with industry research, data analysis, and performance measurement
- Experience working with diverse stakeholders, including elected officials, community organizations, and industry partners
- Knowledge of sustainable and accessible tourism best practices
Pre-Employment Requirements
- Driving is required for County business on a regular basis or to accomplish work. Incumbents must possess a valid driver's license, and possess and maintain an acceptable driving record throughout the course of employment.
- For Veterans qualified for Veteran’s Preference: If you believe you have skills that would transfer well to this position and/or special qualifications that relate to this position, please list those skills and/or qualifications in the open-ended question at the end of the application and explain how those skills and/or qualifications relate to this position.
TYPICAL TASKS Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Oversee and guide work of the Development and Community Relations team members; recruit, hire, and supervise assigned staff; assign projects and delegate tasks; provide mentorship and guidance; acquire resources to support team's work as appropriate; identify and reduce barriers to team member success; support team members in identifying and achieving professional development goals; conduct and/or facilitate staff training and development programs; provide encouragement and constructive feedback to team members; provide regular performance evaluations to guide team members; prepare performance evaluations; recommend and administer progressive discipline and/or termination; promote cooperative team efforts among staff and with other County departments.
Identify needs for vendors and/or contractors; implement effective procurement processes; execute contracts with assigned vendors and/or contractors.
Manage contractors and/or vendors according to their contracted roles; ensure deliverables are received by the Office of Tourism in accordance with contracted expectations; manage vendors within their assigned budget limits.
Manage the overall Development and Community Relations team budget; oversee the Tourism Development Coordinator's budget assignments to ensure alignment; communicate budget deviations and/or risks to the Director.
Engage in ongoing efforts to improve knowledge and skills to support assigned role and responsibilities; communicate annual individual professional development plan to the Director.
Lead compilation, interpretation, and synthesis of data and research materials with support and guidance from the Director and research vendors; perform research as assigned; identify and acquire new data sources and/or vendors as needed; support staff and industry use of research and data; prepare reports for Tourism Development Council (TDC) and partners with support from the Tourism Program Assistant.
Steward development of an annual Tourism Development and Community Relations strategy in alignment with the organization's strategic priorities and with team input; guide staff in developing their specific Tourism Development and Community Relations program areas; provide project-specific guidance to this team where needed; ensure all staff track identified metrics on an established schedule; contribute Tourism Development and Community Relations work and insights to the organization's quarterly and annual reports.
Serve as the Office of Tourism’s lead for our accessible tourism strategy; developing and supporting programs that increase accessible experiences in the county; oversee efforts to identify and catalog accessibility of tourism assets and attractions; keep up-to-date on accessible tourism trends; strategize communication channels that connect visitors with disabilities to accessible assets with the marketing team; ensure the TDC is up to date on the progress of accessible tourism work.
Lead industry engagement strategy with the Development and Community Relations team. Counsel, advise, and provide information and support to tourism partners and interested parties; cultivate productive working relationships with tourism partners. Serve as the point person and programmatic lead to support land manager partners in Clackamas County.
Serve as the point person in the Office of Tourism for destination leads (those serving as local DMOs) within Clackamas County, with support from the Development and Community Relations team; ensure two-way communication; attend and participate in destination lead meetings as requested; support partners in taking advantage of Office of Tourism programs and promotions; connect partners to resources and information.
WORK SCHEDULE This position is included in the County’s alternate workweek program, working 40 hours during a standard workweek of Monday through Thursday (Fridays off). Specific hours of work will be discussed with the candidate selected for this position at the time an offer of employment is extended.
This position is eligible for hybrid on-site/telework and based on the Department’s business needs. The exact amount of on-site/telework and schedule will be discussed with the hiring manager during time of offer. Telework locations cannot be located outside of Oregon or Washington. Washington residents must perform 50% of their time on-site at Clackamas County.
Benefits Information Clackamas County proudly offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, including competitive wages, cost-of-living adjustments, merit increases (for eligible employees), and a robust sick and vacation plan for regular status employees.
We encourage and support employee health and wellness by offering health and wellness classes and events, and alternative care benefits, so you can customize your wellness needs to fit your lifestyle.
Employee benefits become effective the first of the month following an employee’s date of hire. Attractive benefits package and incentives for employees in regular status positions are detailed below. Generous Paid Time Off Package, Including
- 16 hours of vacation accrual per month
- Eligible newly hired employees will have the one-time option to frontload their first year of vacation accruals! This means you have access to vacation time at time of hire.
- 8 hours of sick accrual per month
- 10 paid holidays and 1 personal day per year
Other Benefits
- Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP):
- Employer-paid 6% PERS retirement contribution (The county currently pays the employee’s share of the retirement contribution.)
- OPSRP members get vested after five years of contributions or when they reach age 65
- A Choice of Medical Plans that include chiropractic coverage, alternative care, vision, and prescription drug coverage
- A Choice of Dental Plans
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Longevity pay
- Other retirement Savings Options that allow for additional retirement funds savings, including an option to contribute a portion of employee earnings on a pre or post-tax basis to a 457b Deferred Compensation Plan
- A variety of additional optional benefits (see links below for additional information)
This is a full time non-represented group 2 County position
Learn More About Benefits ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT About Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory The Clackamas County Office of Tourism, representing Clackamas County as the tourism destination Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory, is dedicated to developing and promoting tourism opportunities in Clackamas County. A nine-member industry-represented Tourism Development Council, appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, guides the work. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for residents by optimizing the economic impacts of the tourism industry. The Clackamas County Office of Tourism focuses on enhancing visitor experiences, supporting local economies and protecting the region's natural beauty and cultural heritage. Funding for the Clackamas County Office of Tourism initiatives comes from the County's transient lodging tax, remitted by lodging operators.
APPLICATION PROCESS Clackamas County only accepts online applications.