Economic Development Specialist - seCTer: Southeastern CT Enterprise Region : Job Details

Objectives & Requirements

The Southeastern CT Enterprise Region (seCTer) is the region's designated private, non-profit Economic Development Organization providing a broad range of services and resources to stimulate and support economic development and diversification within Southeastern Connecticut.

Vision: seCTer is the lead regional economic development resource for Southeastern Connecticut, stimulating growth and prosperity for the region.

Mission: To make southeastern Connecticut stronger and more vibrant by 2030.

In recognition of the significant economic recovery challenges ahead facing businesses of all sizes, seCTer will promote economic recovery and growth in the Region by providing intensive technical assistance, training, and referrals to connect businesses with resources they need to stimulate job creation through business start-up, expansion, or relocation. seCTer will continue to encourage entrepreneurial activity and strengthen the economic development infrastructure to ensure a strong foundation for transformational economic activity. Private sector job creation and retention will be critical for short and long-term economic growth.

Position Focus: Vibrant communities often have a healthy economy with a diverse set of economic activity occurring related to job growth, business growth and attraction and a sustainable infrastructure. The Economic Development Specialist facilitates the advancement and understanding of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). This position will increase general economic and community development capacity to serve the region's communities. The Economic Development Specialist will be focused on municipalities first, specifically the region's communities that lack economic development focused staff and/or departments. Through working with these entities, the Economic Development Specialist will further seCTer's areas of practice that include small business lending, grant programs, technical assistance, and data support.

What you will do:

• Operationally oversee and facilitate the seCTerRise Growth Grant Program
• Maintain and cultivate list of economic development projects throughout the region
• Facilitate a result driven culture aligning established priorities with performance measures
• Assist with grant writing and reporting
• Assisting with the identification of appropriate resources to spur growth in rural and underserved communities
• Monitor state and local economic development trends, as well as funding opportunities.
• Represent the organization at various state, federal and local agencies to establish collaborative partnerships and promote the region.
• Identify economic opportunities and provide oversight of associated grant proposals and applications, contracts and other necessary documents
• Actively foster continual engagement and seek consensus with community partners
• Constructs and maintains collaborative relationships with stakeholders to establish short- and long-term goals for community and economic development in rural communities and across the region
• Work with other staff, regional and local agencies and community economic development specialists and organizations in coordinating the preparation and dissemination of information for economic development
• Build and maintain working relationships with such entities as Council of Governments, CT Conference of Municipalities, CT Main Street Center, CT Economic Development Association, and other municipally minded groups
• Maintain physical and electronic entries for all projects and assist in tracking and reporting of project progress and economic impact within seCTer's CRM.



Other responsibilities:

All staff are expected to participate in professional development activities led by the organization as well as pursue opportunities individually. The organization relies on all staff to help attend community and business meetings across the county. Additionally, all staff are encouraged to publish professional papers establishing themselves, and the organization, as leaders in economic development in the region. Participation and assistance in other regional economic development programs as needed; and other duties as assigned.

Working conditions

Work is generally performed in an office setting with frequent interruptions, multiple deadlines, applicant inquiries, and peak workload periods. Position will require daily outreach to businesses, working with the public, frequent travel throughout southeastern Connecticut, and may include attendance at night meetings. This is not a remote position.

Qualifications / What you'll bring to seCTer

• This position must be able to approach position's duties and responsibilities with an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Bachelor's degree, or 5 years entrepreneurial and / or economic development experience and / or other relevant experience.
• Comfortable with all levels of an organization (owners, entrepreneurs, managers, and labor).
• Interest in and passion for regional economic development.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, Contact Management systems, and online collaboration tools.
• Ability to conduct research and communicate findings.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Easy going personality and good sense of humor.
• Experience in and insatiable curiosity about economic development and efforts to grow and diversify regional economies.
• Familiarity with GIS tools / applications
• Familiarity with business retention and expansion strategies
• Familiarity with brownfields
• Familiarity with the blue economy
• Great organizational skills
• Ability to attend evening meetings
• A passion for networking and people.

Physical requirements

• Work may include prolonged sitting, as well as light to moderate lifting, reaching, stooping, pulling, pushing, manual dexterity, clear speech, visual and hearing acuity. The need to transport files, paper and documents weighing up to 25 pounds is also required.