Business Retention and Expansion Specialist – City of Covington, KY

Business Retention and Expansion Specialist

City of Covington, KY

Salary: $55,000-$65,000

Summary

The City of Covington is excited to announce the critical position of a Business Retention and Expansion Specialist. This position will focus on growing and supporting Covington’s existing businesses to continue the city’s economic momentum. Responsibilities include managing, coordinating, and implementing programs and projects that support the retention and expansion of businesses citywide under the supervision of the Economic Development Director. This role will also assist with commercial, office, and industrial development as it pertains to business retention and expansion; coordinating data analysis and research activities of the Economic Development Department; supporting the attraction and retention of domestic and international businesses; and supporting small business development initiatives.

The City of Covington Kentucky is a city of 42,000 that sits directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. A historic city that is experiencing a boom of revitalization, the city saw the creation of 2,100 jobs and over $86 million of private investment in 2020. To learn more, check out our annual report.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Formalize and carry out the City’s business retention & expansion (BRE) program, including surveying existing businesses and industries to assess key issues, needs or concerns affecting business growth and development in Covington.
• Assist businesses with navigation of city departments, programs, regulations and other processes necessary to grow or enhance their business.
• Provide technical assistance with identifying economic assistance and financial resources to assist with financing businesses expansion and relocations.
• Manage all BRE expansion leads and projects, including reviewing incentive applications, negotiating development agreements and contracts, and managing all contracts from execution to closure, including incentive monitoring.
• Meet annual goals for contracts, BRE visits, and programs implementation from the City’s Economic Development Strategy.
• Work with department director to establish annual goals and sector priorities.
• Maintain a list of Covington Businesses by sector to use for retention calls.
• Maintain Communications and relationships with businesses located in the city and develop an understanding of business needs.
• Track retention and expansion prospects and activity using the department’s web-based CRM platform.
• Assist other department staff with populating and maintaining available listing for commercial properties.
• Maintaining a listing of state, federal and local economic development incentives available to assist with business retention.
• Maintaining a listing of Covington Businesses by sector to use for retention calls.
• Work with department director to establish annual goals and sector priorities.
• Special projects relating to existing businesses may be assigned.
• Research & implement best practices for BRE programming.
• This position requires traveling locally for on-site appointments with businesses. May require some out-of-town travel for training and professional development. 

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Public or Business Administration, Economics, Real Estate, Urban Design/Planning, Finance, or other business-related fields, or 3 to 5 years of relevant experience.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Ability to complete an Economic Development Finance Professional certification through the National Development Council or equivalent certification within 2 years.

For a full job description or to apply, go to: www.covingtonky.gov/job-listings