Economic Development Specialist

Career Guide
An Economic Development Specialist helps communities grow their local economy by attracting new employers, supporting existing businesses, and improving conditions for investment. The role blends relationship building, research, project coordination, and grant related work to create jobs and expand the local tax base.

Key Responsibilities

  • Build relationships with local businesses and understand their growth needs
  • Support business retention and expansion programs
  • Attract new employers by promoting the region and coordinating site visits
  • Coordinate with city, county, and regional partners on development projects
  • Research labor market trends and local industry strengths
  • Help prepare and manage grant applications for economic development projects
  • Track program outcomes such as jobs created and investment secured
  • Develop marketing materials and presentations for investors and stakeholders
  • Organize public meetings and stakeholder working groups
  • Support small business assistance programs and resource referrals

Top Skills for Success

Stakeholder Management
Relationship Building
Public Speaking
Project Management
Research
Data Analysis
Grant Writing
Program Evaluation
Economic Impact Analysis
Business Development
Policy Analysis
Workforce Development Knowledge

Career Progression

Can Lead To
Economic Development Coordinator
Business Retention Manager
Grant Specialist
Downtown Development Manager
Community Development Specialist
Transition Opportunities
Economic Development Manager
Director of Economic Development
City Manager
Chief of Staff for Local Government
Public Affairs Manager
Corporate Site Selection Consultant
Real Estate Development Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills
Economic Impact AnalysisGrant ManagementBudget ManagementNegotiationData VisualizationEmployer Outreach StrategyProgram Measurement
Development SuggestionsBuild a simple portfolio that shows one business outreach plan, one grant style project summary, and one dashboard of local economic indicators. Seek cross functional projects with planning, housing, and workforce partners to gain real experience in negotiations, timelines, and reporting.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range
Entry LevelUSD 50,000 to 65,000
Mid LevelUSD 65,000 to 90,000
Senior LevelUSD 90,000 to 130,000
Growth Trend
Stable to growing demand, driven by infrastructure funding, downtown revitalization efforts, housing and workforce initiatives, and competition among regions to attract and retain employers.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers
City governmentsCounty governmentsState economic development agenciesRegional economic development organizationsChambers of commercePort authoritiesTransit agenciesUniversitiesCommunity collegesUtility companies
Industry Sectors
Public SectorNonprofitHigher EducationUtilitiesConsultingReal Estate DevelopmentWorkforce Development

Recommended Next Steps

1
Create a one page regional profile that summarizes workforce, key industries, and available sites
2
Take a grant writing course and draft a sample grant narrative for a local project
3
Practice business outreach by conducting informational interviews with local employers
4
Learn a mapping tool and produce a basic map of target industry clusters
5
Build a reporting template to track jobs created, wages, and capital investment
6
Join a professional association focused on economic development and attend a local event
7
Request opportunities to support site visits, public meetings, and partner coordination