Salary: $80,000.00 - $95,000.00 Annually
Location : Columbia, MD
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: EDA-03132024
Department: Economic Development
Opening Date: 03/13/2024
Closing Date: Continuous
POSITION SUMMARY/CLASS DESCRIPTION

***Salaried Full-time with Benefits***
***Salary Depends on Qualifications***
The Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) is seeking a self-motivated and detail-oriented individual to support its Business Development team. This individual will join a team that specializes in providing exemplary support and service to the Howard County business community. In this role, the individual will work on the Business Development team helping with business assistance and outreach.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage and execute business retention, attraction, and expansion activities.
• Cultivate relationships with brokers and other relevant parties for lead generation throughout the county and region.
• Proactively manage and execute HCEDA's business development strategy.
• Oversee all aspects of tracking and reporting of business retention.
• Ensure collaboration and strong cooperation with partner economic development organizations.
• Represent the County at appropriate civic, cultural, charitable, business and community activities as well as serves on boards, commissions, committees, and organizations related to the areas that are critical to the County's goals and interest.
• Serve as the economic development contact for businesses, prospective partners, government, and other organizations.
• Conduct proactive outreach to business associations and partners.
• Maintain an internal database for detailed tracking and reporting of the outcomes of business development activities including prospecting and lead generation.

MINIMUM REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS:

• Well-organized with keen attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills with demonstrated ability to communicate with clients in a variety of ways.
• Team oriented.
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable with learning new systems and technologies.
• Ability to navigate changing environments and implementing innovative solutions.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 3 years of experience in economic development, project management, or business development.
• Ability to represent the HCEDA's economic development programs effectively, orally and in writing.
• Strong customer service orientation for internal and external customers.
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to work on a variety of projects and requests with time-sensitive deadlines simultaneously.
• Demonstrate enthusiasm, professionalism, and willingness to work as a team.
• Ability to prioritize workload, handle pressure and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 5-7 years of progressive experience in economic development or business development.
• Bachelor's degree.
• Experience with site selection, real estate tools, and CRM platforms.
• Familiarity with one or more of the following sectors: IT, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Biotech, Sustainability, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning .
• Salesforce knowledge.

TO APPLY:
Qualified candidates should send resumes, cover letter and salary expectations to the attention of EDAJobs@hceda.org. No phone calls please.
HCEDA is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. HCEDA prohibits discrimination on the basis race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetics, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
TO APPLY: You must complete an employment application online to be considered for this recruitment. Resumes cannot be substituted for completion of the job application work history. No paper applications will be accepted.
Selected candidates may be subject to drug screening, background screening, and reference checks.
At time of application, please submit a copy of any college degree, coursework, licenses, or certifications that you have referenced on your application. Applicants who have education obtained outside of the U.S. may need to provide proof of the equivalent U.S. education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service, such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (http://www.naces.org) or World Education Services: International Credential Evaluation (https://www.wes.org/).
Howard County Government is not sponsoring employees in application of the H-1B Visa or providing an extension of an existing H-1B Visa. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
Howard County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The County prohibits discrimination on the basis race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetics, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Applicants requiring accommodations during the hiring process should contact the Office of Human Resources directly at Requests for accommodations should not be attached to the application.
HCEDA EMPLOYEE BENEFIT SUMMARY
FOR ACTIVE FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME BENEFITTED EMPLOYEES
HCEDA Employees, although they are not employees of Howard County , participate in most features of the Howard County Employee Benefit Plan.
The following is a summary of benefits available for active full-time and part-time benefitted employees:
1. COUNTYFLEX - FLEXIBLE BENEFITS PLAN: Employees may enroll in the County's flexible benefits plan, CountyFlex, an IRS approved plan which permits payroll deductions on a pre-tax basis. This plan provides full-time employees with benefit credits which can be used toward the purchase of health, dental and supplemental life insurance coverages; as contributions to flexible spending accounts; or be converted into cash to be added to pay. Part-time benefitted employees may enroll in benefit plans, but receive no benefit credits. Enrollment levels include employee only; employee and spouse; employee and 1 child; or family.
CountyFlex benefit options include:
o Medical Insurance Plans (Vision included) (Health Maintenance Organizations-HMO and Preferred Provider Network-PPN)
o Dental Insurance Plans (Traditional Dental and Dental Maintenance Organization)
# Optional Life Insurance (Employees may purchase 1, 2, or 3 times their legislated base annual salary in supplemental life insurance - subject to insurance carrier approval. Employees can also purchase a term life insurance benefit on their spouse and eligible children.)
o Flexible Spending Accounts (Health Care and Dependent Care)
Full-time employees who select Medical Plan benefits will receive $150 per month in benefit credits that go towards the purchase of medical insurance plans. Full-time employees hired on or after July 1, 1993 who do not select Medical Plan benefits will receive $75 per month in credits to use toward the purchase of other benefits, to fund flexible spending accounts and/or to receive as additional "salary".
Part-time benefitted employees may enroll in CountyFlex benefit plans but will receive no benefit credits to use toward the purchase of benefits.
Employee contributions necessary for benefit elections will be paid with pre-tax dollars.
Changes to benefit plan elections may only be made during the County's annual open enrollment period (November) or within 30 days of a qualifying change in status. Examples of qualifying changes in status include birth or adoption of a child, marriage, divorce, dependents loss of eligibility for benefits or change in spouse's employment status. Only enrollment changes consistent with the actual qualifying event are permitted. Failure to notify the Office of Human Resources within 30 days of the event may result in inability to make the enrollment change. Employees should contact the Office of Human Resources to confirm what options may be available to them.
2. LIFE INSURANCE:
The HCEDA pays the entire cost of basic term life insurance for full-time employees equivalent to 2 times annual salary. Accidental death and dismemberment coverage is included. Employees may purchase supplemental coverage through payroll deductions under the flexible benefits plan on a pre-tax basis. Part-time benefitted employees do not receive basic life insurance but may purchase supplemental life insurance.
3. LONG TERM DISABILITY INCOME PROGRAM:
After a period of 6 months of disability, an employee meeting eligibility requirements may receive disability benefits up to 60% of the employee's monthly base pay or $2500, whichever is less. The County pays the entire cost of this benefit, which is offset by other disability awards, including retirement, social security and workers' compensation benefits.
4. PENSION/RETIREMENT:
HCEDA employees may enroll in the Howard County Retirement Plan. Participants contribute 2% of their salary on a pre-tax basis and the EDA contributes 13.1% of the employee's salary, for total contribution of 15.1%.
5. DEFERRED COMPENSATION PROGRAM:
Employees are eligible to voluntarily participate in this program. This IRS 457 Plan allows employees to defer a portion of their income and the taxes on that income and to invest these pretax funds for supplemental retirement income as well as for other purposes. Additional information is available from the Office of Human Resources.
6. SOCIAL SECURITY:
Participation is mandatory; employees contribute at the current established rate.
7. LEAVE:
Paid holidays: The EDA is closed for the following holidays -
New Year's Day; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; President's Day;
Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day;
Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving;
Christmas Day and the days between Christmas and New Year's Day.
Annual Leave (Vacation): The accrual of annual leave is as follows for full-time employees:
Length of Service - Days Accrued Per year:
Less than 5 years - 10 days;
5 to 10 years - 15 days;
10 to 14 years - 18 days;
15 years - 20 days.
Sick Leave: Each employee is eligible for 12 days of sick leave per year.
Personal Leave: Each employee is given up to 4 personal leave days each year depending on their hire date.