Economic Development Coordinator at City of Tumwater – Tumwater, Washington

Tumwater is a vibrant community, rich in history, community, and opportunity.

Nestled into the base of Puget Sound, Tumwater is the southern gateway to the Seattle/Tacoma metropolitan area. It’s just a little over an hour from the Pacific Ocean beaches, the Olympic Peninsula, and Mount Rainier with beautiful landscapes of prairie, river, estuary, and lush green trees. With its central location, Tumwater is a picturesque Northwest community with convenient access to arts, cultural and outdoor recreation.

Our vision is to create a future that is highly livable with diverse and engaged residents, a strong economy, and a healthy natural environment. Safe neighborhoods, quality schools, and a sense of community pride make Tumwater a great place to live, work, and play.

Under the general direction of the Assistant City Administrator, the economic development coordinator performs various responsible, professional, and technical work in alignment with the City’s economic development goals with an emphasis on brownfield redevelopment. This position supports a healthy local economy through activities focused on local business retention and growth, new business attraction, and brownfield redevelopment activities. Responsibilities include assisting with economic development marketing programs, project tracking and compliance, grant application and administration, community outreach, research and data collection, and coordinating related events, meetings, and presentations.


Brownfield Redevelopment

• Support the City’s work on brownfield redevelopment initiatives to stimulate and revitalize the local economy, including those associated with the former Olympia Brewing facility, the former WSDOT Headquarters building, and other sites.
• Coordinate consultants for on-site activities related to environmental characterization, cleanup or remediation projects consistent with environmental laws, standards, regulations, and other requirements.
• Prepare reports or presentations to communicate brownfield redevelopment needs, status, or progress.
• Plan or implement brownfield redevelopment projects to ensure safety, quality, and compliance with applicable standards or requirements.
• Review or evaluate environmental remediation project proposals.
• Negotiate contracts for services or materials needed for environmental remediation.
• Maintain records of decisions, actions, and progress related to environmental redevelopment projects.
• Prepare and submit permit applications for demolition, cleanup, remediation, or construction projects.
• Grant writing and administration.

Economic Development Support

• Support the City’s economic development efforts by helping to develop, implement, and drive progress toward City goals, objectives, policies, priorities, and strategies and tracking the community’s progress. Collaborate with internal and external colleagues, partners, and consultants to review and update the City’s economic development plan, including coordination and cooperation with key community stakeholders.
• Liaison with the business community to promote job creation and retention, tax base growth, redevelopment, and other objectives.
• Support Tumwater’s various economic development initiatives, including craft brewing and distilling efforts, brownfield redevelopment, Tumwater Craft, and others. Collaborate with other communities and regional partners, such as Chambers of Commerce, the Thurston County Economic Development Council and Experience Olympia and Beyond, to foster and promote a desirable business environment.
• Provide research and analysis on business, community, and economic trends to support, develop, and monitor programs and projects that strengthen the City’s economic base.

• Coordinate contracts and activities to meet the City's tourism goals; coordinates business assistance programs; conduct special projects; and prepare and coordinate federal and state grants relating to economic vitality.
• Serve as the City representative and liaison to the business community by developing and engaging in productive relationships with community organizations and business partners involved in business and tourism activities; meet, work, and engage with the business community including commercial real estate brokerage companies, financial institutions, entrepreneurs, and the City's major employers.
• Collaborate with City departments on projects, goals, and other economic development efforts.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and abilities required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Thorough knowledge of:

• Issues, strategies, and techniques of economic development, specifically related to brownfield redevelopment.
• Federal and State economic development and brownfield programs, including grant funding.
• Principles and practices of economic development, brownfield redevelopment, real estate development, zoning and land use regulation, municipal finance, commercial lending, and contract/agreement development and administration.

Skills in:

• Data analysis and recommendation development for leadership.
• Strong writing, public speaking, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Project management, including project planning and forecasting, task tracking, and budget management.
• Grant writing and administration.
• Consultant selection, contracting, and administration.

Ability to:

• Work effectively and as a team with other staff, economic development partners, elected officials, consultants, and the private sector.
• Analyze data, plans, proformas, and trends relating to economic development, and brownfield redevelopment.
• Prepare written reports and make presentations to a variety of audiences, including city elected and appointed officials, the public, community and business groups, the media, and community partners.
• Handle multiple issues and projects simultaneously.
• Manage sensitive and confidential information while still complying with City policy and public records requirements.
• Market and promote the City based on defined objectives.
• Collect, store and monitor relevant data in compliance with public records retention policies.
• Mediate, balance, and facilitate different points of view to achieve established goals.
• Negotiate and administer contracts and agreements.
• Develop and maintain positive and constructive relationships with co-workers, organizational partners, elected officials, businesses, and others involved in brownfield redevelopment and economic development.

Minimum Qualifications:
Experience defined below may have been gained through paid or unpaid activities. Please ensure any relevant experience defined below is outlined in your cover letter, resume, and/or applicant profile.

Option 1: Five (5) or more years of experience in brownfield redevelopment, land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and/or program development.
Option 2: A bachelor’s degree in a closely related field and three (3) or more years of experience in brownfield redevelopment or community and economic development.
All experience must include practical skills in:

• Project Management, including project planning and forecasting, task tracking, and budget management.
• Principles and practices of environmental studies, issues, and operations.
• Decision making in accordance with implementation policies and federal and state statutes.
• Writing business correspondence, drafting documents and reports, and writing concise, and accurate meeting summaries.
• Meeting coordination and facilitation.

Training/Licenses/Certifications: Must possess or have the ability within a reasonable time to obtain Washington State Driver’s License.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications: A master's degree in planning, real estate development, business or public administration or related field is preferred.

• Knowledge of federal and state brownfield redevelopment and environmental cleanup laws, regulations, and programs.
• Knowledge and practice of collaborative problem solving, conflict resolution, and participatory planning.
• Knowledge of basic economic and/or community development regulations, programs, and practices.

Contacts: Other city staff and supervisors, business owners and groups, the public, advisory/citizen groups, City Council, elected officials, contractors, vendors/manufacturers, other governmental agencies, intergovernmental economic development organizations, and the media. The incumbent will have daily contact with staff from multiple departments for leading projects, work coordination and information sharing/gathering.

Supervision: This position is supervised by the Assistant City Administrator through general review of work plans, progress and results, and achievement of program objectives.

Accountability: The Economic Development Coordinator is accountable for the successful completion of the assigned projects and tasks and for the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Working Conditions: Positions in this class perform work primarily in indoor office conditions with some exposure to the outdoors; drives a vehicle to different locations; attends evening meetings; works under pressure, in potentially stressful situations, and with media scrutiny. Opportunities exist for teleworking. Employee must remain a Washington State resident.

Physical Requirements: Work is often performed in an office setting. Specific physical requirements and typical working conditions for this position are on file in the Administrative Services Department; hearing and speaking sufficient to exchange information in person, at formal presentations, or on the telephone; sitting or standing for extended periods of time; uses hands to handle, feel or operate standard office equipment including personal computer; mental capability to read and interpret statistical data and documents, observe and interpret people and situations, perform highly detailed work on multiple concurrent tasks, work under intensive deadlines and with media scrutiny.

The City of Tumwater is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

The City of Tumwater is committed to wellness, safety, the environment and racial equity.