Economic Development Specialist

This job was posted by https://joblink.maine.gov : For more information, please see: https://joblink.maine.gov/jobs/1242869 1 Central Maine Growth Council Job Title: Economic Development Specialist Job Type: Regular, Full-time, 12-month, Exempt Reporting Relationship: Reports to President & CEO and CMGC leadership Date: July 14, 2025 Position Summary\ The Economic Development Specialist (EDS) will support comprehensive economic development for the\ Central Maine Growth Council (CMGC) across Waterville, Fairfield, Winslow, Oakland and mid-Maine.\ Exercising significant independent judgment, the EDS supports the implementation of CMGCs\ economic plans to boost business, employment, and tax base growth. This involves facilitating public and\ private investments with a strong focus on innovation, startup ecosystems, rural economic development,\ and municipal planning. The EDS manages an annual work program under the general supervision of\ CMGCs leadership team. Key Responsibilities and Accountable Outcomes\ The EDS will focus on quantifiable results across several core areas: \- Business Attraction & Recruitment: Generate and manage a pipeline of business leads to attract\ new enterprises, focusing on job creation and capital investment. Develop site planning and\ relocation packages to increase occupied commercial and industrial space. Leverage U.S. Foreign\ Trade Zone (FTZ \# 186) program benefits for new trade-related business and investment targets \- Business Retention & Expansion (BRE): Cultivate relationships with existing businesses and\ municipal officials to support expansion and retention efforts. Conduct business visitations and\ research to provide technical assistance and identify funding pathways. Implement workforce\ development initiatives to align talent with regional business demands \- Innovation Ecosystems & Small Business Development: Provide technical assistance and\ program support for nascent enterprises through Dirigo Labs accelerator and incubator programs,\ aiming for increased startup formation, program graduates, and funding acquisition. Engage\ actively with the regional innovation ecosystem, including Dirigo Labs Innovation Hub and\ Bricks Coworking & Innovation Space, tracking event attendance, collaborative projects, and\ network expansion. Implement workforce initiatives for the innovation community, contributing\ to increased high-tech employment and entrepreneurial activity \- Economic Incentives & Grants: Support grant proposal preparation and facilitation for\ economic development projects, with an annual objective of securing grant funding for direct and\ indirect economic projects for CMGC and the mid-Maine economy. Coordinate grants, including\ those for CMGC housing initiatives, to create or preserve a specified number of housing units.\ Identify financial assistance and incentive programs for businesses, yielding measurable private\ capital leveraged \ \ \

Central Maine Growth Council 2 \- Municipal Planning & Development: Collaborate with municipal officials on planning and\ economic development initiatives, leading to the successful adoption or implementation of\ specific plans or projects (e.g., Oaklands new Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district, Fairfields\ Economic & Community Development Committee). Support downtown revitalization and\ community development, contributing to improvements in downtown vibrancy, pedestrian traffic,\ or new business occupancy. Aid CMGC housing and infrastructure projects, aiming for\ quantifiable progress in housing stock expansion and infrastructure enhancements. Represent\ CMGC at municipal meetings and civic engagements to enhance visible leadership and\ collaborative impact

\- Regional Marketing & Communications: Collaborate on regional branding and outreach\ campaigns (e.g., Waterville regional destination marketing initiative) to enhance regional brand\ recognition and increase visitor/investor interest \- Brownfields & Redevelopment Projects: Facilitate and/or support Brownfield and\ redevelopment projects, organizing stakeholder meetings and preparing documentation, leading\ to measurable progress in site assessment, cleanup, and subsequent redevelopment (e.g., city of\ Waterville Brownfield Grant Assessment Program). Implement specialized programs for\ assessment, cleanup, and reuse, contributing to quantifiable acres remediated and private\ investment leveraged. \- CMGC SBIR/STTR Resource Center: Provide project support for CMGCs federal and state-\ designated Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer\ (ST