Research Development Project Manager Jobs in Phoenix, AZ

Organization: City of Buckeye

City: Buckeye

Location: Arizona

Date Posted: July 23, 2026

Country: United States of America

Primary Category: Economic Development

Type of Position: Full Time

Our Vision: We aspire to be the community of limitless possibilities.

Our Mission: To provide exceptional services for a safe, thriving community, while honoring our history and innovating for the future.

Embrace the New - Do Right - Lend a Hand - Find A Way - Enjoy our Work - Celebrate Uniqueness

Under general supervision, assists the department in the recruitment, retention, and expansion of commercial development opportunities. Emphasis is on working in a collaborative, cross-departmental setting dealing with the challenges associated with rapid growth and seeking out creative solutions to development related issues.

• Promotes and develops the City by recruiting and expanding businesses in the community.
• Manages the recruitment of business by researching companies and industries, developing strategic and marketing plans, generating business leads, representing the City at trade shows, preparing and providing presentations and proposals to private sector executives, and negotiating agreements on behalf of the City.
• Manage and coordinate proposals to clients, respond to inquiries and requests from clients, and assist in presentations and site visits.
• Manages and conducts market research consistent with the City's target industries, interfaces with other departments to incorporate technology, and manages the development of client databases.
• Provides staff support to key economic development programs, projects, boards, commissions, and/or task forces as needed.
• Develops and implements marketing strategies by developing plans for identification and pursuit of target industries, including preparation and distribution of digital and print marketing materials.
• Assists in negotiating development agreements with clients after determining project parameters, including analyzing and interpreting fiscal and economic impacts and presenting to City leadership and personnel.
• Manages and coordinates intra-departmental teams designed to assist locates with the entitlement and construction process.
• Makes written and verbal presentations to City management, Council, the general public and outside groups, agencies, and organizations, including professional association, brokers, developers, trade shows, conferences, and others.
• Models the City's values and culture.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

In addition to the Primary Duties and Responsibilities listed above, may include some, or all, or the additional elements below based on the specific job assignment.

Construction:

• Focus is on the coordination of commercial and industrial development projects during entitlement, permitting, infrastructure, and construction phases, including but not limited to:
  • Serve as the primary liaison between developers, consultants, contractors, and City departments to facilitate project delivery from initial coordination through certificate of occupancy.
  • Coordinate project review timelines, monitor project milestones, identify and resolve project-related issues and facilitate communication among internal and external stakeholders to support timely project completion.

An equivalent combination of a Bachelor's degree in Urban or Regional Development, Geography, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Public Administration, Real Estate, a related field and 4 years' experience in economic development, redevelopment, community development, business assistance, real estate development, public/private finance, or related field.

Preferred: Experience in a local government setting in a rapidly growing community; marketing and research principals.

• Principles, practices, procedures, and strategies of economic development, community development, planning and zoning, and related economic development principles and practices.
• Economic development marketing, research, incentives, financial analysis, and database management.
• Customer relationship management.
• Public administration and government operations.
• Strategy and program development principles and practices.
• Project development, scheduling, and monitoring.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and regulations.

• Collecting, tabulating, organizing, analyzing, and presenting complex economic development related data and information.
• Comfortable communicating both one-on-one and with larger groups.
• Excellence oral, written, and electronic communication.
• Creative development solutions, including public and private partnerships.
• Dealing with a rapid growth environment and the issues associated with that, such as the lack of infrastructure and existing building stock.
• Proficient and efficient in research.
• Organization and multi-tasking.

• Successfully attract new businesses, retain/expand existing businesses, and help to foster entrepreneurial development, in order to grow the City's employment base.
• Problem solve in a creative and strategic manner.
• Take direction well, follow oral and written instructions, and be pro-active in seeking out new opportunities.
• Excel as a team player.
• Establish and foster a cooperative intra-departmental relationship for the benefit of clients.
• Manage change.
• Maintain a highly professional demeanor.
• Provide a high level of customer service to our clients.
• Think and act independently.
• Effectively use technology to assist in job functions.
• Maintain regular attendance and punctuality.
• Establish and maintain positive, effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of work.

• Gain a working knowledge of the Buckeye development process fostering internal relationships with Development Services, Engineering, and other departments that pertain to the development
• Gain a working knowledge of existing development agreements and prepare required reports for the Department Director.
• Cultivate relationships with the project owner's development teams.
• Become efficient in managing and coordinating responses to project owner's development teams utilizing input from various departments.
• Become familiar with the current internal plans and documents associated with the Project Manager - Construction role and prepare progress reports/updates on current projects and other economic development activities.

Special Requirements: Possession of a valid Arizona Driver's license.
Physical Demands / Work Environment: Standard office environment; occasional site visits in the field.
Reports to: Deputy Director
Supervision Exercised: None
FLSA Status: Exempt