Business Development Specialist

Business Development Specialist

The purpose of this job is to identify, attract, and support economic development opportunities within the City of Columbia and Boone County that can stimulate high-impact economic development. This position works to recruit new businesses and investment, market available sites, build strategic relationships with businesses, developers, brokers, and site selectors, and advance projects that contribute to community growth and economic vitality.

This position partners closely with City and County stakeholders, businesses, developers, and community partners to support strategic economic development initiatives.

• Supports economic development efforts including business attraction, retention, and expansion, site development, project management, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Assists with the administration of Chapter 100 processes, incentive programs, and other financing tools. Facilitates connections to state resources and programs, identifies barriers to economic growth, and recommends strategies to remove or reduce those barriers.
• Recruits retail businesses by maintaining an inventory of available sites, identifying high-potential prospects, conducting outreach and engagement efforts, attending industry trade shows, responding to requests for information, and following up with prospects to understand project needs and opportunities.
• Responds to requests for information (RFIs), prospect inquiries, and project opportunities by gathering and presenting relevant community, workforce, infrastructure, demographic, and site data.
• Facilitates development projects by coordinating with businesses, developers, brokers, and other external stakeholders; guiding projects through regulatory, zoning, and permitting processes; and collaborating with City, County, and regional partners, including Community Development, Utilities, Public Works, and other applicable agencies.
• Develops and implements revitalization and redevelopment strategies for underserved areas by promoting retail development and economic growth through research, market analysis, data-driven best practices, and identification of financing opportunities.
• Monitors relevant projects going through City and County Council review and approval processes (e.g., Planning and Zoning Commission).
• Manages and communicates project activities by preparing reports, tracking progress, and ensuring alignment with departmental goals.
• Regular attendance is a necessary and essential function.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• No supervisory authority. Work may require providing guidance and training to others.

• Interactions and communications may result in recommendations regarding policy development and implementation. May also evaluate customer satisfaction, develop cooperative associations, and utilize resources to continuously improve customer satisfaction.
• Interactions have significant impact on the organization in terms of time, money, or public/employee relations.

• Position has limited fiscal responsibility.
• May assist in the collection of data in support of recommendations for departmental budget allocations. May monitor work unit or program/promotional level budget and expenditures.

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Planning, Public Administration, or related field
• 5 to 7 years of progressive experience in economic development, business attraction/retention, retail/commercial real estate, community development, commercial lending, project coordination, and/or a related field.

• Valid driver's license.

• Principles and practices of economic development, retail recruitment, and commercial revitalization.
• Urban planning, land use, zoning, and regulatory processes and regulations relevant to ground up commercial development.
• Financing tools and incentives such as Chapter 100 bonds, tax incremental financing (TIF), and development districts.
• Geographic information systems (GIS), site inventory databases, and economic development platforms (e.g. LOIS, LASSO, ESRI, or…