Economic Development Specialist (bi-lingual)

Job Summary

The City offers a competitive comprehensive benefits package, including 2 weeks paid vacation, 3 weeks of sick leave, and 11 paid holidays. Health, dental, and vision insurance (employee and family) are effective the first day of employment. The City offers two contributory Defined Benefit pension plans. Hybrid telework arrangements may be available.

At the City of Frederick, we value diversity and the respect, engagement, and productivity an inclusive environment produces. We seek to consistently improve internal and external customer satisfaction, innovate, and expand capability of services, and be a government that practices equality, equity, and fairness. We invite you to bring your skills, abilities, and knowledge to the City of Frederick and be a valued addition to a workforce that we know is our greatest asset.

Frederick is a progressive, richly diverse, and authentically charming city. Recognized as one of the best places to live in Maryland, Frederick is surrounded by mountain views and centrally located about 45 miles north of Washington D.C. and 45 miles west of Baltimore, MD.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Economic Development Specialist (bilingual) presents an exciting opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of our city, engaging with diverse, multi-cultural stakeholders and driving initiatives that shape our business landscape. This role 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, trade shows, revitalization projects, and limited departmental administrative functions. This position manages key projects from inception to completion. This position will interface daily with city staff, 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 on the multicultural business community.
• Translates documents and marketing materials, interprets conversations, and supports Spanish-speaking businesses in various settings.
• Helps to attract new development opportunities and promote the city's value as a business location via participation in regional trade shows, conferences, and events.
• Assists with monitoring and tracking existing business, new developments, local/regional stakeholders, and city interests.
• Assists with assimilating and recording data and maintenance of economic development databases, including demographic and reporting data on local businesses.
• Delivers services and information to businesses as needed to support business retention expansion and attraction.
• Collaborates with key city stakeholders to align departmental strategies with the objective of fostering underrepresented business growth, contributing to the fulfillment of city-wide MBWBE goals and initiatives.
• Drives workforce development efforts, implementing strategies within the department that actively support and further its initiatives, promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce within the community.
• Supports key city and departmental goals and initiatives regarding support for underrepresented business growth, and workforce initiatives.
• 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 key ED issues/policies as assigned.
• 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, MS Publisher, and/or MS PowerPoint software.
• Operates a vehicle on a regular basis observing legal and defensive driving practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• One (1) year of progressively responsible experience in economic development, urban redevelopment, commercial real estate, business development, workforce development, marketing or related fields.
• Experience in database use and management.

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:

• Knowledge of small business development sufficient to provide technical assistance to businesses looking to grow or locate in the city.
• An understanding of the current practices and ideas in the field of community and economic development, particularly with multi-cultural sectors.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member on assigned tasks and projects.
• Ability to attend and lead meetings with small business owners.
• Ability to cultivate partnerships and generate new opportunities with multiple, diverse, economic development stakeholders
• Skilled at using digital marketing and social media to tell the city’s unique business story.
• Strong writing and analytical skills.
• Ability to make decisions and work independently but also enjoys working within a cohesive team environment.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing in the Spanish Language.
• Computer proficiency, Microsoft Office, etc.

OTHER DESIRABLES:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, economic development, commercial real estate, marketing, planning or related field.
• Certification in Economic Development – CECD through IEDC.
• Ability to communicate in American Sign Language.

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 accommodation 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 accommodation 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).