ABOUT THE CITY:

The City of Cambridge is a diverse and vibrant community that people of different ethnic, racial, religious, national, and other backgrounds call home. We take pride in our city’s diversity and strive to create a workplace that is reflective of the community we serve. The city is also deeply committed to creating an environment in which all our employees are treated equitably and feel included. We seek to hire, develop, and advance individuals who value antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI), and are committed to embedding ADEI best practices and tenets in all aspects of our work. 

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:

The Community Development Department (CDD) is the planning agency for the City of Cambridge. Encompassing the Economic Opportunity and Development, Housing, Community Planning, Zoning & Development, and Environmental & Transportation Planning divisions, CDD’s mission is to foster a livable, sustainable, just, and equitable community. CDD engages and collaborates with community partners, other government agencies, businesses, and residents to make Cambridge a desirable place to live, work, learn, play, and innovate.  

 

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The City of Cambridge cares deeply about supporting our commercial districts and providing economic opportunity to its residents and business owners.  Under the direction of the Senior Economic Development Manager, the Associate Economic Development Specialist will work closely with staff to advance efforts to support businesses of all types, and will work regularly with industry leaders, business association leadership, and business owners.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Primary responsibilities include:

• Develop initiatives aimed at supporting our commercial districts and compile data that supports our understanding of Cambridge economic trends.
• Assist in the management of the Division’s work on citywide and commercial district efforts, such as the Boosting Business Blocks Grant, Commercial District Assessments, and other Retail Strategic Plan projects.
• Conduct and present research on the Cambridge economy including vacancy data, industry trends, transportation, employment, and other local and economic data.
• Support division activities to build and support specialized industries and new economies, including but not limited to food, cannabis, biotechnology, clean energy, and other growing and emerging industries.
• Provide one-on-one counseling with entrepreneurs and small business owners interested in starting or growing their businesses.
• Participate in other division initiatives, such as federal or grant projects, including the American Rescue Plan Act programs, and perform other duties as required. 
• Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:  

The Assistant Economic Development Specialist should be a self-motivated, detail-oriented professional who is ready to work as part of a team to support Cambridge’s diverse businesses and create economic opportunities for its residents. We seek candidates with a strong commitment to equity and respect, both in the provision of services and in the workplace.  

 

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field with 4 years of experience in planning, public policy, public administration, or similar professional experience. A Master's degree may be substituted for 2 years of experience. An Associate’s degree in a related field with 6 years of experience in public or non-profit administration or similar professional experience will also be considered.
• Strong community engagement experience, especially involving stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and with diverse interests and opinions; demonstrated ability to relate to the public and co-workers in a positive manner.  
• Experience gathering, managing, and presenting data.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:  

• Excellent presentation and communication skills, both written and oral.  
• Ability to communicate with a diverse range of Department staff, other City employees, volunteer board/committee members, elected officials, and members of the public in a courteous and professional manner.  
• Ability to develop, research, analyze, interpret, and communicate written program guidance, requirements, and regulations.  
• A desire to study challenging and current issues in economic and community development.  
• Strong project management skills; strong organizational and time management skills.  
• Overall computer proficiency including general office applications (Microsoft Office suite) and advanced applications (e.g., Adobe Acrobat, CRM).  
• Ability to prioritize workloads, multitask and meet deadlines while working in a fast-paced environment.  
• The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse.   Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies. 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Knowledge of Cambridge community.
• Familiarity with federal or other grant award programs would be a plus.

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:   Work requires the ability to access, input, and retrieve information from a computer. Ability to read and analyze large quantities of information. Must have sufficient mobility to get back and forth from the office. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

 

WORK ENVIRONMENT : Work is conducted primarily in a standard office environment which includes fluorescent lighting, air conditioning, computers, and other standard office equipment, but may also involve meetings in other offices or facilities. This position may be eligible for hybrid work under the City's Telework Policy, depending on operational needs.

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS:

• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Vacation and Sick leave eligible
• Sick Incentive Pay Eligible
• 3 Personal days
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Management Allowance, $2700 year
• City employee transportation benefits (T-Pass reimbursement, Bluebikes membership, EZRide Shuttle)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Please upload the below documents to complete your application.

• Resume
• Cover letter