Economic Development Manager

Are you looking to join a team that values professionalism, accountability, integrity, and responsiveness? Do you want to be part of a strong team dedicated to serving our community, building relationships, and creating opportunities? Then this might be the opportunity for you!

We are looking for someone to join Team Yuma as an Economic Development Manager working with the City of Yuma Community Development Department. The ideal candidate will manage and oversee the City’s Neighborhood & Economic Development Division and develop strategies to attract new businesses and encourage expansion and retention of existing business.

Under general supervision, plans, organizes, manages, and coordinates the City’s economic development activities and operations including business retention, business expansion, and business attraction efforts; prepares and implements long‑range economic development plans, goals, and objectives for the City; and provides highly responsible and complex support to the City Administrator.

• Manages and oversees the City’s Economic Development Division and develops strategies to attract new businesses and encourage expansion and retention of existing business.
• Supervises staff and coordinates personnel‑related activities including training, approving work schedules, recommending/approving personnel actions, coaching and counseling, establishing performance goals, and writing performance evaluations.
• Responds to leads generated by regional and state agencies.
• Works with community partners on workforce development efforts to grow the local workforce.
• Collects, analyzes, and compiles economic, market, and demographic data to identify specific industries and businesses suitable for the City and to track economic trends.
• Identifies real estate development opportunities within the community; analyzes the economic feasibility of potential development projects; provides site analysis information, including demographic, tax, fee, development, and related information.
• Coordinates City land acquisition activities, including site characterization, appraisal, title review, environmental and geotechnical investigations, relocation, and site preparation.
• Assists with negotiation, preparation, processing, and implementation of disposition and development agreements, purchase and sale agreements, incentive agreements, contracts, resolutions, and requests for proposals/qualifications.
• Guides economic development projects through the development approval process, coordinating plan processing by various City departments.
• Develops and implements a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy to attract targeted industries to the city.
• Prepares for and attends relevant sector trade shows to generate business leads and coordinates other economic development activities and tours.
• Works with a variety of software applications utilizing various social media platforms.
• Develops effective and collaborative working relationships with economic development groups and organizations, internal customers, business owners, and elected officials.
• Supports and represents City Council and management policies and practices to the public and other City employees.
• Supports the relationship between the City and the general public by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with citizens, visitors, and City staff; promotes the City goals and priorities, vision, values, and the “Yuma Way”, and complies with all City policies and procedures.
• Maintains absolute confidentiality of work‑related issues and City information; performs other duties as required or assigned.

Bachelor’s Degree in business, finance, economics, public administration, planning or a closely related field; AND five years of progressively responsible experience in economic development, commercial real estate or redevelopment, including at least three years in a supervisory capacity OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. A master’s degree is desirable.

• Federal, state and local ordinances, policies and procedures.
• Principles and practices of economic development and urban…