Economic Development Planner

Job Description
The Economic Development Planner is responsible for managing projects related to business, real estate, and workforce development initiatives by providing technical assistance to senior staff and elected and appointed officials; development of new planning procedures; preparing written project analysis; developing and managing data collection tools; and managing consultant contracts including scope-of-work and budgets. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.
Essential Functions:
The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Provides technical assistance to senior staff and elected officials regarding urban planning and development activities in the city
• Provides guidance and technical assistance to business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and property owners regarding City permitting processes and business support programs
• Collects and analyzes quantitative and qualitative data, updates spreadsheets, databases and inventories with statistical, financial and non-financial information
• Coordinates community outreach and public participation processes for economic development initiatives
• Assists with coordinating marketing strategies, including e-newsletters,, social media, and direct mail
• Develops marketing literature (brochures, online content websites and social media accounts)
• Assists with managing a (CRM) Customer Relationship Management System
• Interfaces with commercial property owners, tenants, brokers and other members of the local real estate industry on a regular basis
• Manages and implements development projects
• Manages consultant contracts and budgets, monitors project progress, evaluates consultant work and ensures contract deliverables
• Interfaces with local community, other city departments, and state/federal agencies
• Prepares written project analysis/response
• Prepares staff reports for a variety of Boards and Commissions
• Presents case information at Board and Commission meetings
• Works in close cooperation with the other divisions that comprise the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) (e.g., Planning, Preservation & Zoning, Mobility, Public Space & Urban Forestry, Housing, Housing Stability)
• Other duties as assigned by the Director

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:
Education and Experience:

Bachelor's Degree and three to five (3 to 5) years' experience, particularly as it pertains to economic development, urban planning, analytics, marketing, real estate development, public administration, small business development, entrepreneurship, business financing, or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
Knowledge, Abilities and Skill:

• Knowledge: Considerable knowledge of economic development, small business development and marketing as applied to planning and growth of urban areas. Knowledge of community, action groups, politics (local), neighborhoods and business concerns. Considerable knowledge of economic, sociological and environmental aspects of planning; Working knowledge of personal computers, GIS applications, and marketing. Thorough knowledge of urban or regional planning principles and practices; and thorough knowledge of zoning laws and comprehensive plans including their formation, process of adoption, and enforcement.
• Abilities: Ability to organize and direct the preparation of comprehensive research studies, analyze problems and data sets, prepare technical reports and formulate recommendations; ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with, owners of small and medium-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate developer's supervisors, employees, and the public.
• Skill: Skilled public speaker; excellent customer service, data analytics, planning and marketing. This position requires a person to be detail oriented, to be self-motivated and able to handle multiple assignments at the same time.

Work Environment:
The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours in response to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

Physical Skills: Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.)

Motor Skills: Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills: Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours: Full-Time
Salary: $81,182.41 annualized + benefits
Date Posted: December 5, 2022

City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request.

Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.
Benefits Somerville Offers

• 4 weeks annual vacation (for non-union positions) & for union positions this varies by contract
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC)
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through the Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Flexible spending plans through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation through a choice of three vendors
• Employee assistance through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville. This is not a binding contract, for any questions relating to benefits for specific union and non-union positions please contact the Human Resources department by calling (617) 625-6600 x 3300.
COVID-19 Vaccination Required
To better protect the health and safety of staff and the public, all City of Somerville employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of November 1, 2021. Exemptions and/or reasonable accommodations are not guaranteed and will be reviewed by the City of Somerville Human Resources Department on a case-by-case basis. Learn more at www.somervillema.gov/HR/COVID19.

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