Economic Development Manager

An employee in this position performs administrative, technical, and professional work to prepare, implement, and maintain City economic development plans, programs, and services. This individual is responsible for developing and executing strategies to retain and expand businesses in Gulf Shores and attract new investment to the city. This includes duties such as interfacing with, and marketing to, businesses and other stakeholders or organizations in the community, promoting the City to prospective businesses and organizations, and maintaining a favorable business development climate.

In partnership with the Economic Development and Public Affairs Director, develop and execute measurable strategies for effectively landing new and expanding businesses in Gulf Shores and meaningfully spurring job and tax base growth, consistent with the Economic Development Strategy.

Manages business outreach through identifying business issues and concerns and connecting business leaders to services to support their needs.

Analyzes business market trends to identify opportunities to catalyze business investment in Gulf Shores.

Assists in preparing the annual budget and recommendations for the Economic Development Department. Monitor expenditures and revenues to ensure compliance with approved budgets.

Attends various meetings, industry events, and conferences for local chambers of commerce and other civic or business organizations as necessary.

Partners with the Economic Development and Public Affairs Director with regards to business investment in Gulf Shores through contact with business leaders and senior management of business organizations and regional economic development partners.

Works closely with planning and zoning staff on projects relating to real estate development.

Serves as a strategic business advocate for companies ranging from start‑ups to small‑to‑midsize businesses to large employers, actively engaging in problem solving when barriers arise to business investments.

Provides guidance to businesses on navigating city regulatory processes, obtaining funding (private and public), searching for real estate, accessing hiring, and training resources, and making connections with potential business partners.

Works with regional partners to provide assistance to businesses.

Facilitates meetings for city leaders with businesses, developers, and investors.

Collaborates with other department leaders on ways to improve city processes, policies and regulations related to doing business in Gulf Shores.

Develops and maintains a database of available commercial properties, industrial buildings and sites, critical information desired by development prospects such as economic data, demographic data, permit tracking and other information necessary for economic development trends and evaluations.

Maintains a deep understanding all the economic development incentive offerings available at the state and local levels.

Facilitates marketing and activities that support economic development including maintaining website updates as needed and other marketing tools such as social media platforms.

Provides recommendations for business development initiatives by performing market analysis and valuation of potential business partners; identifies and recommends appropriate corporate recruitment and expansion solutions; develops and recommends tactics; coordinates with both external and internal stakeholders to bring projects to fruition.

Serves as a liaison with other departments/agencies such as Planning and Zoning, Building, Utilities, and other departments as appropriate to facilitate and coordinate economic development opportunities.

• High School Education or Equivalent
• A bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, public administration, or a related field.
• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in economic development work.

• Valid Driver’s License

Principles, procedures, and strategies of economic and community development and analysis in a government environment, planning and zoning, demographics, economic trends,…