Economic Development Specialist
April 2026
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
JOB FAMILY: Community Development
EEO CATEGORY: Professionals
FLSA: Exempt
PAY PLAN: Full-Time Pay Plan
UNION STATUS: Represented
PURPOSE STATEMENT:
Under general direction the Economic Development Specialist, coordinates, markets, directs, and supervises Economic Development operations and activities; monitors various programs intended to strengthen the community’s economic base and provides highly responsible and complex professional support to the Community Development Director, City Manager, and City Council.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED
May exercise direct supervision over subordinate personnel.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES AND TASKS
The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.
• Develop and implement goals, objectives, policies, and priorities. • Performs professional-level work for various business development programs in support of the City’s economic development strategy.
• Develop and provide marketing information to businesses and developers, including financial assistance/incentives information.
• Manage and maintain the City’s and the Successor Agency’s property, leases, reporting, and debt payments.
• Coordinate Enterprise and opportunity Zone activities. • Manage Community Development Block Grant programs and activities. • Respond to requests for information related to economic development; maintain database and files on prospective businesses/development.
• Enhance tourism through marketing efforts and collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce.
Coordinate and implement the city’s marketing strategy with various vendors and the City’s Public Information Office.
• Identifies opportunities for additional economic growth. • Assists with business attraction and marketing.
• Acts as point of contact for organizations, businesses, developers, property owners, and various Job Classification Description
Equal Employment Opportunity
Economic Development Specialist
April 2026
other community members.
• Conducts special studies; performs research and analysis; and prepares recommendations, documents, and/or special reports.
• Serves as an ombudsperson to business and property owners and developers regarding city entitlement and permit processing.
• Manages various projects related to economic growth as assigned. • Represents the city at various meetings and committees. • May be assigned special projects and perform related duties as assigned. • Review and analyze permit, tentative parcel map, zoning, land use and landscape plan applications including environmental analysis and develop conditions of approval, ensure compliance and prepare Planning Commission and City council reports on same. • Research and write/revise ordinances, ensuring compliance with goals and objectives, policies and priorities.
• Provide support to Code Enforcement site review, land use, permits, zoning, and public health issues.
• Coordinate aspects of GIS support and implementation including data acquisition/integration/update and map production.
• Serve as liaison to a variety of external state and federal agencies. • Develop and maintain case files related to program implementation, compliance, and progress. • Develop and maintain reporting procedures; prepare periodic and special reports for regulatory agencies.
• Monitor changes in laws, regulations, and technology related to program operations; recommend modifications and implement policy and procedural changes as appropriate. • Coordinate communications with complainants, violators, attorneys, and related agencies. • May be assigned special projects and perform related duties as assigned. • Perform other duties as assigned
JOB QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS
Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge, abilities and skills is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the qualifications would be:
EDUCATION/TRAINING
• Bachelor's degree in planning, development, public administration, business administration, or related field: Master’s degree desirable.
EXPERIENCE:
• Five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience in public finance or economic development.
LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE
• Valid state-issued Driver’s License and a good driving record preferred.
WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
(Must be performed with or without reasonable accommodations) • This position works primarily in an outdoor environment. • Positions in this class typically require: standing, walking, sitting, gripping, feeling, reaching, Economic Development Specialist
April 2026
climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, talking and hearing with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Medium Work: Exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally (up to 1/3 of workday), and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently (1/3 to 2/3 of workday), and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly (2/3 or more of workday) to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work.