Senior Economic Development Officer (1 vacancy)

Woodstock Art Gallery; Woodstock; On-site; CAD 119,000 - 141,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Woodstock is seeking a Senior Economic Development Officer to enhance local business attraction, retention, and expansion initiatives. This permanent, full-time position offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to work within a supportive environment committed to community development and improvement.

Benefits

Defined Benefit Pension Plan (OMERS)

Training opportunities

Competitive Wages

Supportive working environment

Qualifications

• Valid Driver’s License required.
• Minimum 5 years of related experience.
• Knowledge of the municipal decision-making process.

Responsibilities

• Attract new businesses through marketing and promotional activities.
• Analyze economic data and market trends.
• Engage with local businesses for support and growth.

Skills

Organizational Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Communication Skills

Presentation Skills

Project Management Skills

Analytical Abilities

Computer Proficiency

Education

University Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Economic Development or related field

University Master Degree specializing in Economic Development or related field

Economic Developer Certification (EDAC) or Certified Economic Developer (IEDC)

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

2025-55

SENIOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
(1 vacancy)

Reporting to:Development Commissioner
Department:Economic Development
Classification: PERMANENT Full Time; Non-Union
Salary Range:$119,516 – $140,608
Hours of Work: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday
Starting Date: As soon as possible
Application Deadline:No later than 4:00 p.m. July 18, 2025

Why City of Woodstock?
Known as the Friendly-City, Woodstock is located in the heart of Oxford County and blends big city conveniences with a small-town feel. With a growing population of over 50,000 welcoming citizens, Woodstock residents place high value on our small-town atmosphere, while enjoying urban amenities. The city is a great place to call home with amazing parks and trails, fantastic amenities as well as wonderful arts and cultural facilities. At the crossroads of highways 401 and 403, Woodstock has a thriving manufacturing sector and opportunities in agriculture, education and healthcare and convenient access to communities across Southwestern Ontario. Visitors can enjoy the city’s many festivals and delight in the many local shops and restaurants in Downtown Woodstock.

When you work for the City, you get to be part of an incredible team of dedicated people with a range of skills and experiences to share. Our team works together to help build a strong, connected community where people have access to the services they need, while enjoying a relaxed lifestyle. Other great benefits to working at the City of Woodstock:

• Join a growing and dynamic organization offering rewarding careers,
• Competitive Wages,
• Option to join a Defined Benefit Pension Plan (OMERS) where employee contributions are matched by the City,
• Training opportunities to support you in this role,
• And a great working environment for individuals committed to making a difference, just to name a few.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. New Business Attraction:
   • Focuses on drawing both domestic and international businesses.
   • Involves marketing activities like website development, digital advertising, and promotional material creation.
   • Manages inquiries from potential investors and industry representatives.
   • Organizes trade missions and chairs economic development groups.
   • Handles senior government funding applications for community development.
2. Data Development and Management:
   • Responsible for collecting and analyzing data for local economic strategies.
   • Analyzes socioeconomic data and market trends to inform business inquiries and marketing plans.
3. Business Retention and Expansion:
   • Engages with local businesses to retain and support their growth.
   • Acts as a mediator between businesses and city departments.
   • Collaborates with government agencies and the Chamber of Commerce to support business needs.
4. Downtown Development:
   • Leads initiatives for downtown redevelopment and investment incentives.
   • Manages the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to provide financial incentives for property redevelopments.
   • Plans strategic initiatives to inform future city planning.
5. Municipal Real Estate Development and Sales:
   • Manages the acquisition and sale of municipal properties.
   • Negotiates with various stakeholders and ensures properties are transferred at fair market value.
   • Oversees the tendering process for municipal real estate and prepares legal documents.
6. Public Relations and Promotion:
   • Maintains communication with external organizations to foster business development.
   • Promotes a positive city image within the business community.
7. Staff Supervision and Management:
   • Plans and organizes departmental work in conjunction with the Development Commissioner.
   • Responsible for recruiting, training, and managing departmental staff.

Qualifications:

Essential

• University Bachelor’s Degree in specializing in business, marketing, economic development or related field.
• Valid Driver’s License
• Minimum 5 years of related experience in municipal or related private sector
• Good organizational, interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Excellent analytical abilities.
• Proficient in computer use and applications including Microsoft Office suite.

Preferred

• University Master Degree specializing in Economic Development, business or a related field.
• Economic Developer Certification (EDAC), Certified Economic Developer (IEDC), or equivalent.
• Valid Driver’s Licence

• Minimum 5 years of experience economic development, planning, or sales and marketing in municipal or related private sector

• Strong organizational, interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Knowledge of the municipal decision-making process.
• Proficient in computer use and applications including Microsoft Office suite.
• Good understanding of commercial and industrial real estate
• Working knowledge of municipal planning and development process
• Willingness to participate in and lead community-based partnerships such as the United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Community Health Care Centre, Community Futures,etc.

Working Conditions:

• Regular office conditions
• May be required to attend meetings and events outside of normal working hours.

The City of Woodstockis committed to diversity andinclusivityin employment and welcomes applications from qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds. We embrace equity, diversity, justice, inclusion and belonging and we’re committed to building a team that represents many backgrounds, perspectives and skills, representative of the communities we serve. The more inclusive we are, the better our work and workplace will be. We are committed to creating a workplace where people experience meaningful work, a sense of hope and optimism, an environment of trust, and inspired results. If this sounds like an environment in which you would like to work, apply here today! We strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals, especially those who can provide different perspectives and contribute to a further diversification of ideas.

Please note: Immediate family member, as per City of Woodstock Nepotism Policy, HR-015, shall not be employed in the City of Woodstock in any capacity under the following circumstances, but not limited to wherein the family member is in a supervisory or management capacity or responsible for the work of the individual or the department. A conflict of interest must be declared to the Director of Human Resources as outlined in the City of Woodstock Nepotism Policy, HR-015 as soon as it has been identified.

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005and the Ontario Human Rights Code, the City of Woodstockwill provide accommodations throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities. If selected to participate in the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, please inform the City’s Human Resources staff of the nature of any accommodation(s) that you may require in respect of any materials or processes used to ensure your equal participation by contacting [e-mail]. In accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information & Protection of Personal Privacy Act, personal information collected will only be used for candidate selection. Human Resources will work together with the hiring committee to arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodation for the selection process which will enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner.

Satisfactory passing of a criminal record check and reference checks as well as proof of qualifications will be required of any successful candidate(s) for this position.

We invite all qualified applicants to submit their resume and cover letter via online at http://careers.cityofwoodstock.ca.

We thank all candidates who apply but advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.