Economic Development Manager (Business Attraction)

About the Role

Key Responsibilities

• Manages business recruitment by researching companies and industries, developing strategic and marketing plans, identifying and generating business leads, representing the City at trade shows, preparing and providing presentations and proposals, and negotiating agreements on behalf of the City.
• Creates and maintains relationships with executives, site selectors, brokerage firms, commercial brokers, developers, and landowners.
• Assists interested businesses and industries in locating sites, securing City approvals, securing financing, or resolving issues related to relocation or expansion.
• Serves as the initial contact from project inception to completion for selecting projects considering Avondale for site location.
• Directs City response to requests for information from potential businesses, developers, and consultant groups.
• Evaluates types of business for which an Avondale location could be attractive, considering employment and tax base impact.
• Participates in long-range planning, development of marketing strategies, and setting goals for business attraction, retention, and assistance.
• Develops and maintains prospect pipeline targets to support forecasted goals, managing leads and activities in the CRM.
• Executes national and international trade shows and sales missions aligned with strategic plans.
• Represents the City at functions such as civic and business association meetings, establishing goodwill and resolving issues.
• Develops and supports agreements with stakeholders, leading RFP processes, sales, development agreements, and contracts.
• Coordinates with various city departments to evaluate and recommend policy enhancements to attract businesses.
• Develops and implements marketing strategies for industry sectors, including collaborating on announcements, materials, and website updates.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Economic Development, Public Administration, Finance, or a similar field.
• Three (3) years of experience in economic development, urban planning, commercial real estate, or business development.
• Valid Arizona Operator's Driver's License.
• Ability to read complex legal documents, development agreements, contracts, and strategic plans.
• Proficiency in performing general math calculations including algebra and statistics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for engaging with executive management, City Council, and business professionals.
• Experience in managing work performance, evaluating program effectiveness, and realigning work and staffing as needed.
• Ability to develop departmental budgets and present them to relevant departments and management.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to meet deadlines and work with urgency.

Nice to Have

• Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) certification.
• Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) certification.
• Experience working with state and federal agencies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field.
• Three years of related experience.
• Valid Arizona Driver's License.

Benefits & Perks

• Not specified in the description.