Senior Program Manager, Economic Development
Purpose of Position:
The Senior Program Manager has a critical role supporting the Greater Omaha Chamber economic development strategy. Strategic Business Growth is a priority for Chamber’s economic development work, which includes efforts to start, grow, and recruit targeted businesses to the Greater Omaha regional economy. The Senior Program Manager will lead efforts to identify and facilitate economic activity in strategic growth verticals for the Greater Omaha regional economy through a wholistic economic development approach.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Strategy: Assist in the development and execution of a vertical growth plan for targeted industry clusters to include elements of business development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and policy concentrated toward the growth of specific identified industries.
2. Business development: Identify new to market business prospects within identified growth verticals. Engage in business development activities to include marketing, outreach, and relationship development in order to generate project opportunities. Prepare proposals for new to market business prospects and facilitate project development.
3. Business growth: Identify and work with existing businesses within the identified growth verticals in order to support their growth plans.
4. Entrepreneurship and innovation: Contribute to the creation of new business enterprises within identified growth verticals by working with existing entrepreneurship organizations and create opportunities for new ventures to work within identified growth verticals.
5. Public policy: Identify potential policy barriers and opportunities to support growth within target growth verticals; work with Public Policy team to inform potential policy solutions.
6. Workforce development: Identify workforce challenges in the identified growth verticals; work with the Workforce Development team to inform programs and activities to address identified workforce issues.
7. Project Management: Track and monitor the status and progress of economic development project opportunities. Conduct and coordinate follow-up with business investment prospects to answer questions, host for site visits, and provide other information necessary to land a project.
8. Reporting and Evaluation: Monitor, track, and report on the effectiveness of economic development activities, providing regular reports and recommendations to the Chamber’s senior leadership team.
9. Subject matter expert: Serve as the primary subject matter expert on identified industry clusters.
Other Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Attend/work a variety of Chamber events and represent the organization as needed at business and community programs/events.
2. Maintain ongoing relationships with member companies as potential vendors.
3. Represent the Chamber with professionalism and integrity.
4. Actively participate in Chamber staff activities and training to support a culture of inclusion and belonging.
5. Other duties as assigned.
Fiscal Responsibility:
All expenditures require final approval by Senior Vice President, Economic Development.
Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed should be representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Education and related work experience
1. Bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, finance, marketing, marketing, political science, or other related field required.
2. Minimum two years’ proven experience in economic development, community development or planning, business, sales, marketing, or transferable skills required.
Certifications, Licenses, Designations
Valid Driver’s License
Ability to obtain valid U.S. Passport should there be an opportunity for international travel.
Other Skills and Qualifications
1. Excellent oral and written communications skills required.
2. Must be a self-starter and able to work independently.
3. Flexible hours including evenings and weekends.
4. Capacity for local and out-of-town/international travel.
5. Proficiency with a variety of technology including Microsoft Office Suite.
6. Knowledge of customer relations management (CRM) databases and AI platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.).
7. Excellent attention to detail.
8. Ability to drive and/or provide own transportation to various locations around city/state on a regular basis.
Physical Demands
1. Typical office environment – frequent walking, sitting and standing.
2. Ability to lift, pull or push up to 15 lbs. to assist with department and Chamber events.