Economic Development Officer

MCS Group; Lisburn and Castlereagh District; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

MCS Group partners with Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council to recruit an ambitious Economic Development Officer. You will help drive economic initiatives, support SMEs, and attract funding across local, national and international channels.

You will work closely with the Economic Development Manager to develop programs, secure funding, conduct research, and build strong partnerships that enable sustainable growth in the borough.

Qualifications

• Third level qualification in economics, business, finance or marketing.
• Minimum 3 years' experience in business/economic development initiatives.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a car or means to travel for duties.

Responsibilities

• Drive economic development initiatives across trade, enterprise, investment and collaboration.
• Support local businesses with grants, funding and business development opportunities.
• Identify and attract funding to support initiatives and maximise local opportunities.
• Develop partnerships locally, nationally and internationally for trade and investment.
• Undertake economic research and provide insights for strategic decisions.
• Lead procurement and contract management with external delivery partners.
• Prepare reports, briefings and speeches for Council Members and Officers.

Skills

Report writing

Communication

Project management

Organisational skills

MS Office

Education

Degree or NVQ4 in Economics/Business/Finance/Marketing

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Economic Development Officer

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council

Department: Service Transformation
Location: Lagan Valley Island
Hours: 37 hours per week
Salary: £46,579 - £49,817

Help shape the economic future of Lisburn & Castlereagh Borough Council

Are you passionate about economic development, business growth, investment and creating opportunities for local businesses?

MCS Group are partnering with Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council seeking an ambitious and proactive Economic Development Officer to join their Economic Development Team and play a key role in delivering initiatives that support businesses, attract investment and contribute to the Council's wider economic vision.

This is an exciting opportunity to work across a diverse portfolio of strategic projects, supporting SMEs and key stakeholders while identifying and developing opportunities for investment, trade and business growth.

Working closely with the Economic Development Manager, you will help turn ideas and opportunities into tangible outcomes - from developing and delivering business support programmes and securing funding, to undertaking economic research, supporting investment activity and building strong partnerships locally, nationally and internationally.

What you'll be doing

As an Economic Development Officer, you will:

• Drive economic development initiatives across trade, enterprise, investment and collaboration, contributing to projects and programmes that support the Council's wider economic vision.
• Support local businesses and SMEs by providing practical advice, information and guidance on grants, funding programmes and business development opportunities.
• Identify and attract funding to support the delivery of economic development initiatives and maximise opportunities for the local economy.
• Support investment and business growth, developing relationships with potential investors and helping businesses establish, expand and access new markets.
• Develop partnerships and networks locally, nationally and internationally to create new opportunities for trade, investment and collaboration.
• Undertake economic research and analysis, providing evidence, insights and recommendations to inform strategic decision-making and the Council's statutory planning function.
• Support the City Deal Programme, including the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund.
• Manage projects and programmes effectively, including monitoring targets and performance, managing budgets, undertaking evaluations and ensuring compliance with relevant requirements.
• Lead procurement and contract management activity, working effectively with external and third-party delivery partners.
• Promote economic development activity, coordinating marketing and communications, events, conferences, exhibitions, business visits, website content and promotional materials.
• Prepare high-quality reports, briefings, policy responses and speeches for Council Members, Committees and Council Officers.
• Represent the Council on relevant partnerships, strategic groups and advisory committees.
• Lead and manage specific areas of work and support the wider team, including deputising for the Economic Development Manager when required.

You will also contribute to delivering a high-quality, customer-focused service, ensuring Council policies, procedures and relevant legislation are followed and continually seeking ways to improve service delivery.

Why this role?

This is a varied and influential role offering the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the economic development of the Lisburn & Castlereagh area.

You’ll work with businesses, investors, partners, Council colleagues and key stakeholders, helping to create connections, unlock opportunities and deliver projects that support sustainable economic growth.

If you are an organised, collaborative and results-focused professional with experience in economic or business development, we’d love to hear from you.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications & Experience

It is essential that applicants have a minimum of:

QUALIFICATIONS

1.1 - A third level qualification (for example, NVQ Level 4 or Degree) or equivalent. In a relevant discipline such as Economics, Business Studies, Business Management, Finance or Marketing.

EXPERIENCE

1.2 - A minimum of 3 years' employment experience in each of the following areas:

• Relevant experience of working on business development, economic/enterprise development, involving public and/or European funding.
• Developing and managing initiatives to support new small businesses and to facilitate business growth and development.
• Overseeing financial analysis, and reporting, including the effective control of project budgets, and providing comprehensive reports on financial status and performance.
• Formulating and executing public relations (PR) and marketing initiatives specifically tailored for business/development projects.

Where applicants do not hold the qualifications as outlined in above, they must demonstrate a minimum of 6 years' experience as outlined in above.

GENERAL

1.3 - It is essential that applicants hold a full (i.e. not provisional) and current UK driving licence and access to a car or * have access to a means of transport which would enable the applicant to carry out the duties of the post.

*Applies only to applicants who have a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act.

Skills

• Ability to present reports, information and concepts both orally and in writing in a timely and accurate format.
• Adaptable to change and a willingness to implement improved ways of working.
• Ability to use own initiative and to organise, plan and manage workload to deliver outcomes in a timely and manner.

Knowledge

• Practical working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite

Behavioural Competencies

Setting Direction

Contributes to the development of a strategy and conveys a clear vision led by innovative ambition and proactive behaviour.

Communicates with Impact

Presents a positive image by communicating effectively, being resilient and treating people fairly.

Collaborating in a Political Environment

Develops and manages effective networks by establishing common ground.

Meeting Customer Needs

Establishes the needs of customers and strives to ensure that these are met.

Achieving Results

Takes personal responsibility for making things happen. Shows motivation and perseverance in overcoming obstacles and achieving results.

Continuously Improving Services

Seeks to continually improve the services and processes that impact on users.

The Council is committed to providing people with disabilities the opportunity to compete fairly for jobs. If you have any special needs or requirements with regard to any stage of the recruitment process please contact the HR&OD team at via email [e-mail] or telephone [phone].

Closing Date: 13th October 2026