Job Description

The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this position. Other duties may be required, assigned, and expected commensurate with the administrative needs of a newly incorporated city.

General Purpose

Incumbents provide professional level management support to the Department Director of Economic Development through economic development and redevelopment planning, marketing and research work in implementing the City's program in broadening its retail and commercial base. General responsibilities include coordinating and implementing projects and programs that support commercial, office and industrial development; the attraction and assistance to businesses; development of public facilities and infrastructure; small business development initiatives; and other economic development, redevelopment or capital improvement programs or projects.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

These duties are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.

• Perform economic development and support work to broaden the City's retail, commercial, and industrial base.
• Work closely with the Arizona Department of Commerce, Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), City of Maricopa Chamber of Commerce, and other strategic alliance partners to support and promote the City to various business clients.
• Assist the Department Director of Economic Development in representing the City on economic development boards and committees; prepare reports on economic development and redevelopment activities for administration, advisory boards, and City Council; serve as City liaison to citizen committees, non-profit organizations, special interest groups, and neighborhood groups concerning economic development issues and problems; make presentations to these groups as assigned.
• Influence and build relationships with prospects, consultants, company decision makers, and media information sources; solicit development proposals from private development companies; establish and strengthen relationships with local businesses.
• Evaluate projects utilizing cost/benefit analysis, fiscal and economic impact and relevant multiplier factors.
• Assist potential new business in site selection; coordinate key activities to facilitate the location process.
• Generate complex queries in existing databases and researches lists of existing and prospective businesses for the purposes of attraction and retention efforts and lead generation.
• Update, design, and edit a variety of promotional/marketing materials for the purposes of business attraction and retention; develops and maintains files, records, databases, listings, and other reference materials used to recruit and retain businesses, including business trends, demographic profiles and related materials.
• Conduct statistical and analytical research on economic and development issues and identify information needed to conduct studies from varying sources including but not limited to databases, field investigations, publications, government reports and records, department files and personal interviews; analyze data pertaining to development, land use, demographic conditions, and future projections; identify trends and/or develops projections; prepare research reports and present information as requested.
• Respond to requests for information from business prospects, clients and residents.
• Perform other duties of a similar nature or level.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in urban planning, economic development, public or business administration, finance, or a related field; three years of progressively responsible experience in an economic development, business attraction and/or development research, community development planning, or a related field; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above. The hiring department may include assignment specific job related experience, training or license and certification preferences at the time of recruitment

Knowledge of:

• Principles, procedures and strategies of economic development in a government environment, demographic economic trends, and forecasting;
• Marketing and research methods, principles and procedures;
• Statistical and financial analyses and presentation;
• Computer software and applications related to database development and maintenance;
• Project administration;
• Customer service principles.

• Planning, organizing, preparing, presenting and defending reports and studies;
• Making complex decisions and interpretation in accordance with established rules, policies and procedures;
• Problem solving and decision making;
• Research, analysis, and the preparation of recommendations to management;
• Group facilitation;
• Computer software including word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.
• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job, may be substituted at the discretion of city management.

Performance Aptitudes

Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort including, but not limited to, lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling, etc. of objects and materials of light weight (generally 25 pounds and less). Tasks may involve extended periods of time in seated position and at a keyboard or workstation.

Project Management: Tasks require the ability to schedule, coordinate, and manage various projects of varying degrees of difficulty, size and complexity.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials: Tasks require the ability to operate, maneuver, and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials, commensurate with duties of the position.

Social and Interpersonal Communication Skills: Position requires professional social and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to function in a major organizational unit requiring significant internal and external interaction.

Reasoning: Position requires functional reasoning skills enabling the analysis of major problems that necessitate complex planning for interrelated activities that can span one or several work units. Position requires situational reasoning skills allowing for the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and innovation in situations involving broader aspects of the organization