Economic Development Manager

SUMMARY

The Economic Development Manager serves as the primary liaison between the Cocopah Indian Tribe and the business community, fostering strategic partnerships that promote sustainable economic growth. This position develops projects that have the potential to drive project attraction to the community, including innovation, workforce development, development of public infrastructure and facility improvements, small business development, redevelopment, and other economic development or capital improvement projects. The Economic Development Manager proactively analyzes economic trends and market conditions to identify growth opportunities, cultivates strong relationships with business and key industry leaders, negotiates complex development agreements, and represents the Tribe through professional sales presentations, business recruitment efforts, and site tours for prospective investors or partners. This position will also be responsible for seeking grant funding opportunities and will evaluate the return on investment (ROI) of pursuing specific funding.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Promotes and develops the Cocopah Indian Tribe by actively recruiting and expanding businesses in the community while supervising and ensuring that processes are in place for successful project administration.
• Studies market trends, reviews economic data, and checks if business projects make financial sense.
• Represents the Tribe as a liaison in local and regional economic development, retail, business, marketing, and related associations and at meetings, conferences, and trade shows, requiring occasional travel and work outside of normal business hours
• Initiates and negotiates development agreements on behalf of the Cocopah Tribe.
• Creates and maintains a quality network of industry contacts, including CEOs, site consultants, and corporate real estate professionals, cultivated through active participation at conferences, on committees, at events, and in meetings with prospective clients, businesses, brokers, and developers.
• Implements marketing strategies by developing plans for identification and pursuit of office, industrial, and retail development, including preparation and distribution of marketing materials, website updates, meeting with clients, and making presentations
• Serves as a responsive point of contact for clients considering the Tribe for site location from project inception to completion.
• Coordinates with other tribal departments to evaluate and recommend enhancements to current policies and practices, monitors trends, analyzes information, and develops proposals that will attract businesses.
• Assists in negotiating development agreements with clients after determining project parameters, including analyzing and interpreting fiscal and economic impacts and presenting this information to the Tribal Council.
• Works closely and establishes relationships with the Arizona Commerce Authority, the Economic Councils, and other strategic partners to promote the Cocopah Tribe.
• Prepares prospect proposals consisting of economic, statistical, financial, population, growth, demographic, site analysis, tax, and other information
• Assists existing businesses in expanding business activities.
• Presents oral and written reports to Tribal Administration, Tribal Council, economic development interest groups, and other interested parties
• Creates materials to show why the region is a great place for investment and tourism.
• Identifies and implements funding strategies that may include public/private partnerships and grants.
• Researches, prepares, and submits grant applications for potential funding sources for economic development projects.
• Partners with internal departments, community leaders, businesses, and external agencies to collect project details and letters of support needed for submissions.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Knowledge, Skills, and Responsibilities

• Principles, procedures, and strategies of economic and community development, planning and zoning, demographics, economic trends, forecasts, and impacts, and related principles and practices
• Marketing and research methods, principles, and procedures
• Statistical and financial analyses and presentation
• Contract negotiation
• Relevant Arizona laws; City policies, ordinances, zoning, sign codes, site plan review, and redevelopment programs
• Customer relationship manager (CRM) development, maintenance, and presentation
• Computer software related to fiscal and economic impact analysis, GIS, and economic planning 
• Knowledge of writing grant applications and managing grant funds and projects.

Ability to:

• Read and comprehend complex legal documents; development agreements and contracts; technical reports; executive business letters and communications; development-related documents; master plans; design guidelines; construction site plans; budget documents; business magazines, journals, newspapers, and technical reports; tribal codes and the Tribe’s general, strategic, or operational plans.
• Write concise and professional communication to the Tribal Council; and develop and prepare marketing materials, development agreements, and proposals
• Act as a liaison and expeditor between various Federal, state, and local government departments and/or agencies and private business, industry, and development representatives
• Manage multiple and multi-component projects at one time
• Cultivate and maintain effective working relationships both internally with other departments and with business executives, site selectors, regional and state economic development agencies, and developers
• Read and interpret economic, marketing, statistical, and analytical documents, reports, research material and information, blueprints, and maps
• Plan and implement economic development programs and marketing strategies 
• Strong public speaking, project management, and problem-solving abilities

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must have a valid driver’s license
• Must be certifiable through the Arizona Dept. Gaming and the Cocopah Tribal Gaming Office
• Must be able to undergo and pass a DPS/FBI fingerprint background investigation, and cannot have two (2) or more misdemeanors or felony convictions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree required in economic development, economics, finance, marketing, planning, or a related field is required. Master's preferred.
• Five years of project management experience in economic development and/or marketing.
• Five years of work in economic growth, city planning, or commercial business fields.

NATIVE AMERICAN AND CURRENT EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE POLICIES APPLY TO ALL POSITIONS. MUST BE ABLE TO PASS PRE-EMPLOYMENT, AND ALL POSITIONS ARE SUBJECT TO ONGOING RANDOM DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTS.