Want a $215,000 yearly salary in a ‘livable, desirable’ SC city? Take a look

Among the open positions in Greenville city and county governments is president of a newly created Greenville City Economic Development Corporation at a salary between $164,000.00 and $214,000.00 a year.

It’s the highest salary among 34 openings in Greenville city government and 74 at the county.

The corporation, which is set up as a nonprofit, is looking for someone with 10 years of leadership in a similar organization and at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, economics, urban planning or a related field.

The ad on the city website trades heavily on the national recognition Greenville has garnered in various magazines.

“Our City is one of the most urbanized mid-size cities in the Country and is heralded worldwide for our planning, livability, and desirability,” the ad says. “We top multiple quality of life lists, including being named one of the friendliest, most charming, and overall best places to live.

Greenville is called bold and enterprising, “led by a forward-thinking, professional City Council and urban planner City Manager.”

“This position requires visionary thinking, business acumen, real estate prowess and a deep understanding of economic development principles,” the ad says.

The city is also looking for a police chief and deputy chief.

Chief J.H. “Howie” Thompson had planned to retire in June but agreed the stay on after a new city manager was appointed. He served for three years as chief and had worked for 26 years before taking the top job.

When City Manager John McDonough retired and Assistant City Manager Shannon Lavrin was promoted, Thompson agreed to stay during her transition into the new job.

The range for police chief is $143,000 to $214,000. The deputy police chief job has the same range.

The department also has various openings for police officers at a range of $47,515 to $76,292, depending on experience.

Other open positions are the nuts and bolts of city government — storm water supervisor ($54,246 to $70,512), zoo maintenance ($37,731 to $47,174), urban planning ($57,800 to $80,800.)

There are several openings for park maintenance in the wake of the opening of Unity Park, the largest in the city’s inventory.

Also on the list are part-time drivers for the signature Main Street trolley, which runs from North Main Street south to the baseball stadium.

“The red and blue open-air trolleys offer a vintage look and feel complete with a cow catcher on the front and wooden bench seats inside, the city states on its website.

The wage is $19.60 to $24.49 an hour.

Over at the county and its new headquarters at the University Ridge development, the county needs two lawyers for the public defender’s office, an assistant public defender at a salary of $65,037, assistant public defender I at a salary of $68,879 and assistant public defender II, $72,721.02.

The county is looking for various experts for its crime lab, which opened in 2004 in a partnership with Greenville Technical College and is located on the school campus. It was the third accredited governmental DNA laboratory in South Carolina.

The lab needs a criminalist/latent print examiner, a firearms expert and DNA specialist. Each job carries a salary of $52,980 to $87,417. There is an opening for a crime scene forensic evidence technician at $23.30 an hour.

The detention center has a number of openings from detention officers to medical personnel. An officer makes between $21.17 and $32.27, which means $40,646 to $61,958 a year before overtime.

Requirements are 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED and a clear background check from the FBI or SLED. Student loans cannot be in default.

The county is looking for paramedics in the detention center. The pay in $23.30 am hour.

“Correctional health care is the best-kept secret in the medical profession,” the county says on its website.

The detention center has a central nursing station; three exam rooms, an infirmary housing area and isolation rooms, as well as pharmacy, lab, x-ray and dental offices. Requirements are high school graduate or equivalent and paramedic certificate from an Emergency Medical Technology Program.

“As a part of a well-established agency, you can expect to be presented daily with a wide range of different challenges,” the job post says.

Also a best-kept secret is correctional nursing, the county says. The website does not list salary.

The county offers medical, dental and vision coverage, term life insurance (includes spouse and dependents), short-and long term disability; flexible spending account; uniform allowance; 401(k) options; tuition reimbursement, among other benefits.