Senior Economic Development Specialist

Senior Economic Development Specialist

The Senior Economic Development Specialist serves in a leadership capacity, providing high-level economic development expertise in support of the DEMD's Business Development Team. This role is integral to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Division of Energy and Mineral Development (DEMD) mission, which focuses on providing technical and economic advisory support to Indian mineral owners and Tribal communities to produce income and jobs.

This position supports the economic development of American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native communities through the sustainable development of their renewable energy and mineral resources. The Senior Specialist will be responsible for complex financial analysis, project management, and providing day-to-day direction of technical work as required by individual work orders. A key function of this role will be the evaluation and administrative support of grant programs, such as the Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) grant program, including the review of grant applications from tribal organizations and monitoring assigned grants throughout their entire lifecycle.

This position operates within a single-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract valued at up to $46,, providing a comprehensive range of technical services to Tribes.

Salary Range: $70,000 - $85,000. Comprehensive federal benefits package available to full-time employees, including health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plan participation.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Serves as a leadership position within the economic development functional area, providing day-to-day direction of technical work as required by specific Task Orders.
• Provides expert support to the DEMD Business Development Team, focusing on energy and mineral resource projects that stimulate economic growth in Indian Country.
• Performs analysis of grant budgets from tribal organizations and provides recommendations for allowable amounts; conducts program evaluations to determine grant efficacy and performs related policy analysis.
• Evaluates grant proposals from Tribal organizations, such as the Tribal Energy Development Capacity (TEDC) grant, assessing the viability of project proposals and alignment with program goals.
• Monitors assigned grants throughout their full lifecycle, from award to closeout. This includes performing project management duties, conducting site visits to grantees, and serving as a liaison between the funding agency and the grantee to ensure compliance and project success.
• Performs agency-wide public relations functions, including the development of marketing strategies and materials, website and social media content management, and creating public information for dissemination.
• Researches, analyzes, and applies economic development approaches to address specific challenges on reservations, such as lack of collateral, infrastructure, and entrepreneurial know-how.
• Supports the preparation and execution of conferences and industry trade shows to promote tribal resource information to potential industry partners and stimulate development interest.
• May perform supervisory responsibilities, reporting to the On-Site Lead and the IDIQ Program Manager.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Skills and

Qualifications:

• Analytical Skills: The ability to analyze tribal economic development decisions and complex project proposals to determine viability. Strong skills in financial analysis, including experience with discounted cash flow rate of return spreadsheets.
• Complex Problem Solving: Capable of researching and applying economic development policies to specific problems on reservations, including infrastructure, workforce, and financial challenges.
• Project Management: Ability to effectively manage and track grant-funded projects, create timelines and checklists, and ensure purposeful project completion.
• Communication & Marketing: Demonstrated skill in developing marketing strategies, creating promotional materials, and managing public relations functions. Ability to communicate…