Agriculture & Economic Development Strategist

Frederick County Government; Maryland; Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation leave

Sick leave

Health Insurance

HSA contributions

Life Insurance

Pension Plan

Tuition Reimbursement

Employee Wellness Program

Job summary

Frederick County Government is seeking an experienced Economic Development Specialist to plan, market, and manage strategies that retain and grow the county’s agricultural sector. You will work within a two‑person team to support ag businesses, farms, and related industries, coordinating across departments to streamline permitting, identify funding, and advance workforce initiatives.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and delivering marketing and program outcomes

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics, agriculture business, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience in business administration, public administration, or a related field.
• Substitutions for the above-listed required education and experience is a Master’s degree with 3 years experience as described above.

Responsibilities

• Build, develop, and maintain strong relationships with farms, ag businesses, industry organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, and community partners to support agricultural, economic, and workforce development initiatives
• Develop, execute, and evaluate business retention, expansion, and attraction strategies to support the growth and sustainability of local farms, and agricultural enterprises
• Conduct research and analysis on labor market trends, demographics, workforce needs, agricultural industry activity, economic indicators, regulatory requirements, and market opportunities to support strategic planning and client services
• Respond to inquiries from businesses and farms by providing information, technical assistance, workforce solutions, regulatory guidance, funding resources, and referrals to appropriate programs, agencies, or partner organizations
• Coordinate and facilitate business development and agricultural initiatives including site selection, permitting, incentives, grants, recruitment assistance, workforce programs, strategic partnerships, and agricultural expansion projects
• Work closely with County departments (Planning & Permitting, Health Department, etc.), State of Maryland agencies, MARBIDCO, Farm Credit, and others to streamline permitting, support agricultural projects, and identify financial assistance, grants, loans, and workforce development opportunities for new and expanding businesses or farms
• Develop, implement, and evaluate marketing, outreach, and communication initiatives promoting County programs, services, business resources, agricultural development opportunities, and industry‑specific initiatives
• Prepare and deliver reports, proposals, presentations, correspondence, and analytical materials for County leadership, businesses, farms, boards, advisory committees, and community organizations
• Maintain and utilize databases, CRM systems, websites, software applications, and reporting tools to track projects, client engagements, outcomes, and performance metrics
• Represent the County at meetings, business visits, conferences, networking events, public outreach activities, and agricultural or economic development engagements at the local, state, and national levels
• Collaborate with internal staff and external stakeholders to develop and implement strategic initiatives, workforce programs, marketing campaigns, grant‑funded activities, process improvements, and agricultural development programs
• Assist businesses and farms in identifying and accessing workforce training programs, incentives, grants, recruitment assistance, apprenticeship opportunities, and other economic or agricultural development services
• Monitor and evaluate program performance; prepare statistical and operational reports; recommend improvements to support organizational goals and enhance service delivery
• Stay informed of emerging industry trends, agriculture development practices, regulatory changes, funding opportunities, and economic factors impacting businesses and farms
• Provide guidance, training, technical assistance, and project support to staff, partners, interns, grant recipients, and stakeholders on specialized program areas or departmental initiatives
• Work one‑on‑one with farms and ag businesses to address concerns, navigate regulations, apply for funding, and obtain resources related to agricultural industry challenges
• Liaise with County departments to support Ag Innovation Grant recipients, streamline project progress, and provide staff support to the Ag Innovation Grant Review Committee
• Educate small and beginning farms on Federal, State, and local laws, requirements, and industry best practices
• Create meaningful connections between farmers and direct‑to‑consumer market opportunities
• Work with the agricultural team to explore and advance concepts such as the Farm Retail Innovation Center for Frederick County
• Collaborate with the Ag Preservation Team on projects occurring within agricultural preservation easements
• Develop and implement transition planning programs for farms and agricultural businesses and identify opportunities to expand agricultural business development programming
• Attend Agricultural Business Council (ABC) meetings and work with the Ag Team to achieve committee goals and ensure overall program success
• Represent supervisors when attending committees, boards, or stakeholder meetings at various levels
• Perform other related duties as required

Skills

Strategic planning

Cross-department coordination

Oral and written communication

Public speaking

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics, agriculture business, or related field

Master’s degree with 3 years experience

Tools

Microsoft 365

CRM systems

Reporting tools

Job description

Frederick County Government is seeking an experienced Economic Development Specialist to plan, market, and manage strategies that retain and grow the county’s agricultural sector. You will work within a two‑person team to support ag businesses, farms, and related industries, coordinating across departments to streamline permitting, identify funding, and advance workforce initiatives.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and delivering marketing and program outcomes