Head of Economic Development & Business Growth

Highlands County Board of County Commissioners; Sebring (FL); On-site; USD 69,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners seeks a professional to lead local business retention/expansion and international business development efforts in Highlands County. The role builds strong community relationships across public agencies and private enterprises to advance economic development.

The position focuses on coordinating marketing, project management, grant opportunities, and data-driven proposals to enhance the county's economic base, with leadership reporting to the

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Marketing, or related field and 2+ years of experience; or Bachelor's degree with 3+ years of experience; or Associate's degree with 5 years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Promotes economic development for the County.
• Assembles and oversees the annual budget.
• Identifies and solicits interest of targeted businesses to locate or expand in Highlands County.
• Assists in marketing Highlands County assets to attract prospective businesses.
• Manages economic development projects; analyzes location criteria; coordinates site visits.
• Collaborates with partners to address complex challenges and deliver results.
• Conducts economic research and analyzes market data for proposals and plans.
• Maintains relationships with local/regional agencies and stakeholders.
• Develops data, performs studies, and manages contracts and grants.
• Supports recruitment of new businesses and helps existing ones grow.
• Researches grant opportunities to support development initiatives.
• Prepares data/maps for development initiatives; supports quarterly newsletters.
• Performs evaluations and administrative tasks as needed; adheres to board policies.

Skills

Economic development

Integrity

Relationship building

Data interpretation

Public speaking

Policy understanding

Multi-tasking

Computer literacy

MS Word

Excel

PowerPoint

GIS knowledge

Education

Master's degree in Business Admin / Public Admin / Marketing

Bachelor's degree in Business / Marketing / related field

Associate's degree in Business / Marketing / related field

Tools

MS Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Publisher

Photoshop

GIS

Job description

The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners seeks a professional to lead local business retention/expansion and international business development efforts in Highlands County. The role builds strong community relationships across public agencies and private enterprises to advance economic development.

The position focuses on coordinating marketing, project management, grant opportunities, and data-driven proposals to enhance the county's economic base, with leadership reporting to the