Economic Development Analyst Jobs

This entry-level position will provide a tremendous amount of experience across a range of economic development tasks. They will become a specialist in many roles and a generalist in even more. Over time they will be able to recruit and lead cross-functional teams toward collaborative goals. This position works directly with the Executive Director and top leadership.

It is a new and critical member of the economic development team. Marshall Economic Development (MED) expects the candidate to apply themselves sufficiently to reach the qualification of an Economic Development Analyst II and/or Economic Development Specialist within two years.

The right candidate must be

• Responsible for providing support to the economic development team in various forms, including analysis, research, writing, report creation, marketing, maintaining files, and updating website content, CRM, databases, and trend analysis.
• Able to work with investors, citizen advisory groups, civic organizations, local municipalities, state and local economic development agencies, developers, and consultants.
• A self-starter with the aptitude, patience, ability to listen, and desire to learn about and engage with the community while still representing the high standards of MED.
• Take accountability for performing routine and professional-level activities supporting business attraction, expansion, retention, and economic research in Marshall, Texas, and Harrison County.
• Honest, discerning, discreet, creative, detail-oriented, adaptable, self-starting, ambitious, motivated, and collaborative changemaker with the ability to listen, learn, communicate effectively, and quickly adjust.
• Able to assist all economic development team members, including the BRE/Workforce Development (WD) Manager, as they prepare documents for company representatives, site location consultants, corporate real estate executives, project managers, and community partners.
• A quick learner and independent worker who can deal with uncertainty and dynamic change.
• Comfortable interacting alongside management in budget preparation, site development, marketing, research, presentations, trade shows, responding to RFIs, and engaging with the Board of Directors and local elected officials, amongst other tasks as assigned by the Executive Director.

Additional requirements include

• Ability to influence others, garner trust, and maintain relationships
• Ability to actively listen and collaborate with the MED team, local governance, and community partners
• Excellent interpersonal skills, public speaking, and audio/visual presentations
• Goal-oriented and possess a strong commitment to success
• Desire to engage in discussion with people regardless of their socioeconomic, ethnic, political, or other varied backgrounds
• Flexibility to work outside of normal business hours to accomplish objectives
• Ability to work with little instruction and perform multiple cross-functional business tasks, including marketing, research, accounting, administration, and management
• Excellent proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Desire to learn and receive additional professional training
• Ability to work independently amongst frequent change and uncertainty
• Local travel daily within 45 miles for meetings or events with businesses and partners
• Maintaining project and scope of individual and group work confidential unless and until expressly authorized by the Executive Director
• Ability to infrequently travel long-distance travel and overnight stays up to a week as required for training, promotion, conferences, or speaking engagements (training and expenses paid by MED)
• Maintain a professional appearance at all times
• Strong experience with social media, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram
• Organizational ability to multi-task and sustain a high level of performance
• Ability to remain apolitical at work and in the public representation of the organization

Preferred experience includes

• Desire to achieve a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) certification
• Experience with education
• Strong research, editing, proofing, and organizational skills
• Experience with Google Workspace, JobsEQ, and ArcGIS/ESRI
• Professional experience with marketing
• Experience with property management, title, negotiation, acquisition, physical engineering, civil construction, or building construction
• Master’s degree, under the same guidance as described above
• Bachelor’s degree in business, economic development, public administration, international relations, urban planning, economics, education, engineering, or a related degree; Demonstrated years of existing experience, successfully managed projects, and relationship building in economic development is valued above an earned degree at MED’s discretion
• Strong written and spoken Spanish language skills
• Two or more years of experience in a progressively responsible position in economic development, workforce development, business, education, community development, or a related industry

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Cross-Functional Support Activities Administration

• Review development documents, contracts, and incentive agreements
• Coordinate and attend MED committee meetings
• Supervision of intern/graduate assistantship personnel when requested
• Assistance with report research/creation
• Assistance with grant writing projects
• Perform internal financial review reports and presentations
• Answer and make MED calls when necessary
• Assistance with research, review, and revisions of EDC policy documentation and EDC strategic planning with the Executive Director
• Provide direct support to the Executive Director concerning workforce development; business retention & expansion; business development; finance; marketing; strategic planning, property development; administration; and organizational management
• Handle sensitive/urgent projects in a professional, timely, and discreet manner
• Maintain digital and physical file management to best practices

Marketing

• Marketing campaign management, metric analysis, and reporting
• Written, public, or private presentations as coordinated with leadership
• Contribution toward Marshall Economic Development marketing materials, reporting, publications, and social media in coordination with leadership and contractors
• Assistance with field interviews and focus group projects
• Provide public reporting and make public presentations as directed
• Periodic website management and updates/coordination as requested

Business Retention & Expansion and Workforce Development

• Research of CTE, DE, and post-secondary workforce programs
• Assist the BRE department with CRM data entry and system management
• Assist in business/industry tour organization
• Assist with the design, organization, and execution of market tours, site visits, trade shows, seminars, workshops, meetings, conferences, etc., to promote economic development activities and programs
• Research and reporting of JobsEQ data for local industry
• Research, update, monitor, and report on trend analysis
• Assistance with the Marshall Economic Summit Workforce Development
• Assist in business/industry/community leadership organizations
• Track and update projects, demographics, key metrics, and development trends
• Collaborate with area partners and represent MED at events, including job fairs, trade shows, school workforce functions, etc., as directed
• Engage collaboratively with community groups and partners to learn, listen, and solve problems
• Assist in coordinating WE Align Group/Council meetings
• Make phone calls, emails, and other tasks to develop relationships with industry
• Encourage and develop opportunities with area schools and industries to improve workforce development training in Marshall
• Build and maintain positive relationships with community groups, media, city, county, state, and federal officials and agencies
• Attend and contribute to committee meetings, forums, and events in the community/EDC
• Assist the BRE/WD Manager/Director in the development of a Marshall Internship Program and other workforce-related events and initiatives

Real Estate & Development

• Competitive landscape review of regional locations and pricing
• Assist with development project budgeting, monitoring, and reporting
• Maintain an updated and comprehensive inventory of area properties, available buildings, and sites in the community for economic development purposes
• Provide information and services to businesses, consultants, and other applicable parties concerning site location, which may involve real estate, taxes, buildings, infrastructures, utilities, natural resources, and environmental impacts
• GIS mapping of assets and development planning
• Contractor, realtor, and land owner relationship building

Business Development

• Review prospect metrics and reporting for compliance
• Meet and maintain relationships with elected officials and community partners
• Attend community events and engage in civic activities
• Research, write, and review business profile briefs for committee review
• Attend trade shows and prospect meetings as directed