Business Support Specialist

The City of West Chicago is excited to announce a new position within our growing Business and Community Relations Department. We are hiring our first Business Support Specialist, a key role that will strengthen the City’s support for local businesses and contribute to major economic development initiatives already underway.

As the Business Support Specialist, you will work closely with a collaborative, service-oriented team responsible for economic development, communications, special events, and cultural programming. You will serve as a primary resource for local businesses, assist with business registration and licensing, maintain business and property data, and support outreach efforts that help West Chicago’s business community thrive.

The first year will include hands-on involvement in several high-profile projects, including developing and launching an improved business registration platform, developing the commercial property and vacancy inventory, assisting with updated incentive programs, supporting business retention visits and quarterly reporting, and re-launching key business communication tools such as the Business E-Newsletter and business spotlight features. Together, these initiatives offer a meaningful and varied portfolio of work that blends relationship-building, project coordination, data management, communication, and hands‑on engagement with the business community.

The Business Support Specialist provides operational and relationship-focused support to the City’s business community. This position coordinates the City’s business registration and licensing processes, maintains accurate data on business activity and available properties, supports business outreach and retention efforts, and contributes to business-focused communications and reporting. Working collaboratively with the Business & Community Relations team, the Specialist ensures that businesses receive responsive assistance and helps connect them with City resources, incentive programs, and opportunities for growth.

This role supports the implementation and tracking of the City’s economic development initiatives.

• Essential Functions of this Position (Generally up to 60% of the time annually):
  • Coordinate the City’s business registration and applicable licensing processes, including reviews, renewals, approvals, and record management.
  • Serve as a primary point of contact for business inquiries, providing guidance on City processes, permits, incentives, and available resources.
  • Organize business outreach and retention visits, document outcomes, and provide follow‑up assistance to address concerns and support investment.
  • Maintain the City’s available property and vacancy inventory, with emphasis on downtown and priority development sites.
  • Manage business‑facing content on the lifestyle/event-focused website and related digital platforms, ensuring information is current, accurate, and aligned with BCR messaging.
  • Coordinate business owner and property owner meetings, workshops, and engagement activities, ensuring effective logistics and follow‑up.
• Essential Functions of this Position (Generally up to 30% of the time annually):
  • Develop and distribute business-focused communications, including the monthly business e‑newsletter and business highlights features, in coordination with the Communications Specialist for brand alignment.
  • Provide supplemental staff support to the Economic Development Commission, including agenda preparation, reporting, and engagement with business stakeholders.
  • Track and report data on private investment, business activity, and incentive use to support quarterly and annual reporting.
  • Support the administration of business surveys, compile results, and prepare recommendations to improve City service delivery and business engagement.
  • Assist with administration of local incentive programs, ensuring timely communication of available resources and tracking program outcomes.
• Other Functions of this Position (Generally up to 10% of the time annually):
  • Represent the City at business, networking, or community events as needed, including after hours.
  • Support cross‑departmental projects and BCR…