The City of Frederick – Business Development Specialist

• Business Development Specialist
• The City of Frederick
• Department: Economic Development
• Salary: $85,196.80 – $136,323.20
• Filing Deadline: 10/23/2024

JOB SUMMARY

The Business Development Specialist performs complex professional economic development work as assigned by the Manager of Economic Development. This includes but is not limited to all aspects of business recruitment and retention activities, department marketing and communications strategy, trade shows, revitalization projects, grant writing, and limited departmental administrative functions. This position manages key projects from inception to completion. This position will interface daily with the general public, business leaders, residents, as well as elected and appointed officials. This position requires some daytime and overnight travel as well as some evening and weekend work with advance notice.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supports Manager of Economic Development in the performance of business retention, expansion, and attraction activities with a primary focus of retail industry and secondary industries as assigned.
• Develops and manages print and digital media strategy and implementation for the department, including all social media content such as but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, DED website/blog.
• Delivers services and information to businesses as needed to support business retention expansion and attraction.
• Completes assigned Economic Development (ED) projects from start to finish.
• Attends ED related meetings, conferences, workshops, and official meetings as necessary including frequent evening meetings and occasional weekends.
• Conducts professional studies, reports, and analysis of on key ED issues/policies as assigned.
• Conducts a review of issues that are raised by businesses regarding interaction with Permitting, Planning and Code Enforcement
• Participates in the maintenance of key economic development databases.
• Plans, organizes, and runs special economic development events.
• Prepares correspondence, meeting agendas, and other materials for office activities, including proofreading and final formatting using MS Word, Publisher, and/or PowerPoint software.
• Travels as necessary to conduct department activities.
• Attends/represents city and DED at Business Grand Openings and other similar activities.
• Operates a vehicle on a regular basis observing legal and defensive driving practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, economic development, marketing, planning or related field is required.
• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in economic development, marketing, planning, or business development, or related fields.
• Demonstrated successful experience and strong knowledge of digital marketing and social media content creation.
• Public speaking experience and strong interpersonal skills.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES AND/OR LICENSES:

• Vehicle Operator’s license with satisfactory driving record that meets insurability standards of the City’s insurance carrier is required. The employee must maintain the license for the duration of their employment.

REQUIRED SKILLS (Communication/Language; Mathematical; Computer; etc.):

• Strong understanding of economic development processes.
• Strong writing and analytical skills.
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office, Publisher (e.g., Canva, etc.), and a CRM platform such as Salesforce, etc.

OTHER DESIRABLES:

• Master’s degree in business, marketing, economic development, planning or related field.
• Certification in Economic Development – CECD through IEDC.
• Policy analysis, policy development, and grant writing experience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to remain in a stationary position in the office approximately 50% of the time. The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, and computer equipment, to bend, twist, squat, and climb. This individual will operate a computer and other office productivity tools to compile and retrieve information from computers, printers, telephones, etc., draft and write, handle paperwork and position self in the course of work. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

The other 50% of the time, the employee will be outside the office, driving, moving about, remaining in a stationary position, and/or traveling for long periods of time. The person in this position needs to have the ability to conduct those activities safely and consistently.

This person must have the ability to exchange information with others (staff, the public and elected officials) – both face-to-face and in writing or via computer.

Talking: The employee must have the ability to express or exchange ideas in the English language by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately or quickly.

Hearing: The employee perceives the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and making fine discriminations in sound.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/CONDITION: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee performs work indoors in an office setting, and outside the office at events (indoors and outdoors), at businesses, and on bus, van, and car transportation (tours).