Business Attraction And Economic Development Manager

Job Summary

Essential Job Functions

• Build and maintain relationships with local business leaders, site selectors, and real estate developers through site visits, addressing city services and business needs.
• Collaborate with and support small businesses to facilitate growth.
• Respond to requests for information (RFIs) and proposals (RFPs) by preparing data-driven, professional communications to attract and support prospective businesses.
• Work with the Economic Development Director to design and administer impactful incentives for business attraction, expansion, and redevelopment in alignment with the city's strategic goals.
• Develop and implement strategies to support major employer renovations and expansions, working with city staff and community stakeholders to create mutually beneficial solutions.
• Conduct business retention visits and meetings (including outside the city), acting as a liaison between businesses and city departments to identify expansion, relocation, and redevelopment opportunities.
• Collaborate with other city departments and serve as client’s single point of contact to ensure customer driven experience.
• Execute B2B marketing strategies to enhance the region's visibility and appeal to potential investors and businesses.
• Lead and execute Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) programs that foster growth and retention through direct engagement with companies and stakeholders.
• Engage with businesses across various industry sectors (industrial, retail, restaurants, data centers, etc.), adapting strategies to meet each sector's unique needs.
• Represent the organization professionally in interactions with executives, community leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Maintain an entrepreneurial approach, identifying new opportunities for economic development in a dynamic market environment.
• Facilitate programs and events such as networking breakfasts, broker tours, and annual meetings for the Grand Prairie Economic Development Foundation.
• Maintain a confidential business retention database, documenting company interactions, lease renewals, and potential expansion or relocation opportunities.
• Communicate with businesses and citizens via correspondence and phone, addressing inquiries and complaints with timely follow-up.
• Update and maintain data in CRM, the cloud, or via other technologies.
• Work with city departments and external services to resolve concerns and issues promptly.
• Collaborate with city departments on design reviews and expansion plans, particularly in key redevelopment areas (e.g., SH 360, IH-30/Belt Line Road, President George Bush Turnpike corridor).
• Perform other duties as assigned by a supervisor/manager within the department/division.
• Ensure regular and dependable attendance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree required; master’s preferred. Preference is a degree and/or coursework in geography, political science, commercial and/or real estate related programs.
• Growth Mindset: Demonstrates a proactive approach to learning, adaptability, and innovation, with a focus on continuous improvement and achieving long-term success in economic development initiatives.

• Experience: Over three years up to including five years. Background in key account management, business development, lead generation, project management, city marketing, city and municipal process awareness. Mindful to adaptability to market changes, re-prioritization, with a focus on speed-to-market is a must.
• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with the macroeconomic market, global political impacts, and labor swings that affect: Industrial, retail, destination/hospitality, data centers, A.I. and emerging technologies.
• Precision Based Project Management: Proven track record in leading projects, managing outside stakeholders, and executing economic development strategies.
• Licenses: Valid Driver's License required.
• Reading: Advanced - Ability to read literature, books, reviews, scientific or technical journals, abstracts, financial reports, and/or legal documents, contracts/agreements, council communication, lease and tax documents. Ordinarily, such education is obtained at the college level or above. However, it may be obtained from experience and self-study.
• Math: Advanced - Ability to apply fundamental concepts of theories, work with advanced mathematical operations methods, and functions of real and complex variables. Assess costs, revenue projections, ratios, percentages, and trends. Ordinarily, such education is obtained at the college level or above. However, it may be obtained from experience and self-study
• Writing: Advanced - Ability to write editorials, journals, speeches, manuals, or critiques. Preparation of Council meeting items and support exhibits. Ordinarily, such education is obtained at the college level or above. However, it may be obtained from experience and self-study.
• Managerial: Receives limited direction: The employee normally performs the duty assignment according to his or her own judgment, requesting supervisory assistance only when necessary. The assignment may be reviewed upon completion. Performance is reviewed periodically.
• Budget Responsibility: Prepares budget documents; and does research to justify language used in documents for a unit or division of a department. May recommend budget allocations. Does research for documents, compiles data for computer entry, and/or enters or oversees data entry. (Secretary, clerks, admin. Some level of budget responsibility but only in data input.)
• Supervisory / Organizational Control: Work may require the occasional direction of helpers, assistants, seasonal employees, interns, or temporary employees.
• Complexity: Work is widely varied and given the nature of the economic development discipline, assignments come with some degree of ambiguity, analyzing and evaluating many complex and significant variables may also be part of the work. City-wide policies, procedures, or precedents may be developed and/or recommended.
• Interpersonal / Human Relations Skills: Recommendations regarding policy development and implementation are made and/or recommended. Evaluates customer satisfaction, develops cooperative associations, and utilizes resources to continuously improve customer satisfaction. Participates in interviewing, hiring and directing administrative and support staff.