Economic Development Specialist

Economic Development Specialist

The Economic Development Specialist serves as the lead coordination and implementation resource for economic development, redevelopment, workforce, and strategic partnership initiatives aligned with City priorities. The Specialist facilitates communication, tracks progress, reduces barriers, and supports cross-department collaboration from concept through implementation. The Specialist proactively carries out assigned responsibilities, identifies opportunities and challenges early, communicates issues and barriers proactively, builds collaborative relationships, and advances projects and initiatives with limited day-to-day direction while maintaining strong communication and alignment with City leadership, priorities, and collaborative workplace culture.

As a member of the executive leadership team reporting directly to the City Administrator, the Specialist advances strategic growth, business retention, workforce partnerships, redevelopment, and economic development initiatives.

Objectives include strengthening partnerships and collaboration with businesses, developers, utilities, educational institutions, workforce organizations, agencies, and community stakeholders to support long-term economic growth and investment. The Specialist supports informed decision-making, strategic planning, and competitive site selection efforts through effective analysis, maintenance, and communication of economic, workforce, housing, infrastructure, transportation, and market-related information. The Specialist improves organizational alignment, transparency, communication, public understanding, and implementation effectiveness related to development and strategic initiatives through coordinated communication, stakeholder engagement, project tracking, reporting, dashboards, and status updates.

Major duties and responsibilities include responding to requests for information, preparing site selection and community marketing materials, maintaining development-related property and infrastructure information, and advancing business recruitment and retention efforts. The Specialist leads coordination and implementation efforts related to strategic development, redevelopment, workforce partnership, and business attraction initiatives aligned with City priorities and initiatives. The Specialist builds and maintains collaborative working relationships with City departments, legal counsel, regional organizations, utilities, educational institutions, businesses, developers, and other stakeholders to support project implementation and strategic initiatives.

Competencies include understanding of incentive agreements, development agreements, contracts, and related implementation processes; ability to maintain proactive communication, organizational alignment, and collaborative working relationships while operating with a high degree of professional independence and initiative; organization, prioritization, and time management; excellent written and verbal communication skills; understanding of public records laws and requirements; and ability to proactively identify challenges, inefficiencies, and implementation barriers and develop practical, solution-oriented responses.

Education and experience requirements include a Bachelor's degree in real estate, finance, economics, public administration, urban planning or a related field, and at least three (3) years of experience in economic development, real estate development, or a related field, preferably in a public sector or local government environment; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Work schedule and conditions require attendance at evening meetings, development meetings, public meetings, community events, partner meetings, conferences and other City functions as needed. The position requires flexibility, commitment and accountability and the Specialist is expected to work the hours necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the role, which may exceed a standard 40-hour workweek. This is a results-driven position requiring a high degree of professional independence, initiative, accountability, sound judgment, organizational awareness, flexibility, and dedication to public service- as well as a genuine love of helping people and leaving things better than you found them.

The work is challenging, fast-paced, and deeply rewarding for those motivated by making a visible difference in the community.

Physical requirements include work primarily performed in a standard office environment with occasional attendance at community events, meetings, conferences, and project sites. The employee may be required to sit for extended periods and occasionally lift items weighing up to 40 pounds.

About Us:

The City of Kearney serves to create a thriving, sustainable and desirable community. Our core values are integrity, compassion, service, and teamwork. We are honest…