Community Economic Development Jobs in Connecticut

The State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is seeking to hire an Executive Economic Development Administrator to lead the agency's Economic Development Division.

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• Professional growth and development opportunities
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees

DECD is the state's lead agency responsible for strengthening Connecticut’s competitive position in the rapidly changing, knowledge-based global economy. The agency takes a comprehensive approach to economic development that incorporates community development, transportation, education, and arts and culture. The Economic Development Division includes the Arts, the State Historic Preservation Office, Museums, Innovation, Industry Development, Business Development, Small Business Affairs, and Manufacturing.

The position will focus on managing the Economic Development Division's operations, including, but not limited to: supervision, direction, and coordination of division management and staff; developing, implementing, evaluating, and aligning division and DECD policies, processes, goals, and objectives; policy and program development and evaluation; cultivating relationships with businesses and related partner organizations; and maintaining division performance metrics for process improvement initiatives.

• Monday - Friday
• Full-time (40 hours per week)
• First shift (8:30 AM - 5:00 PM)
• Office: Economic Development Division, Department of Economic and Community Development
• Location: 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT 06103
• Hybrid opportunity (telework and in-office)

In the Department of Economic and Community Development, Division of Economic Development this class is accountable for administering the programs and operations of the division.

• Administers staff and operations of the Division of Economic Development;
• Develops, implements and evaluates division policies, goals and objectives;
• Designs and develops division programs and activities;
• Implements new procedures and procedural revisions;
• Determines appropriate staffing levels and directs management and coordination of staff;
• Designs and implements performance review standards for division staff;
• Prepares division budget;
• Maintains contacts with individuals within and outside of agency who might impact on policy or program activities;
• Executes strategies and techniques applicable to economic development of all industry sectors and targeted sectors;
• Analyzes economic development related metrics and other economic indexes to develop potential recruitment and expansion strategies;
• Cultivates relationships with owners, senior executives or leadership of businesses and organizations;
• Negotiates large and complex economic development transactions;
• Develops strategies for conducting and closing economic development initiatives;
• Charters process improvement initiatives within division and implements results-oriented procedures and procedural revisions with minimal cycle time;
• Maintains division performance metrics for process improvement initiatives;
• Administers internal review and approval process to execute transactions;
• Establishes economic development goals for staff;
• Interprets and administers pertinent laws;
• Trains, mentors, motivates and leads professional economic development staff;
• Represents Commissioner and agency at public forums, events and meetings;
• Recommends and/or contributes to new or revised legislative proposals;
• Leads the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection;
• May participate and testify in legislative hearings;
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of
• and ability to apply management principles and practices;
• relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
• principles and practices of policy and program development;
• principles and practices of economic development at federal, state and local levels;
• industry practices, markets and locational issues.
• Knowledge of real estate development and finance principles;
• Considerable
• interpersonal skills;
• oral and written communication skills;
• negotiation skills;
• Considerable ability to
• analyze and forecast economic development trends;
• cultivate positive business relationships;
• Ability to develop economic development plans.

Ten (10) years of professional experience in economic development leading the implementation of strategic initiatives, and analyzing economic trends.

Three (3) years of the General Experience must have been in an economic development administrative capacity.

NOTE: Economic development administrative capacity is defined as senior leadership of an economic development unit directing major program initiatives which include planning, organizing, directing and controlling resources.

• College training in business administration or a related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equaling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• A Master's degree in business administration, marketing or public administration or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

• Experience working in the public sector
• Experience managing cross-function teams, including change management
• Experience with Connecticut's economy and economic development efforts in the state
• Experience with policy and program development, management, and evaluation

• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel domestically and internationally.

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.