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.

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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.

Market Intelligence Report

Economic Development Specialist is part of the Business Development category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

See the market intelligence report

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

Create a one page regional profile that summarizes workforce, key industries, and available sites

Take a grant writing course and draft a sample grant narrative for a local project

Practice business outreach by conducting informational interviews with local employers

Learn a mapping tool and produce a basic map of target industry clusters

Build a reporting template to track jobs created, wages, and capital investment

Join a professional association focused on economic development and attend a local event

Request opportunities to support site visits, public meetings, and partner coordination