Community Development Specialist - Raleigh, NC

Position Title: Community Development Specialist  

Division: Corporate Relations, within the Economic Development Department 

Summary Description: Our Community Development Specialist has a passion for economic development and community programs that are building a brighter future for rural North Carolina. The professional will create and nurture strong relationships with external partners, economic development professionals, local government leaders, and our 26 distribution electric cooperatives throughout the state. The selected candidate will report to the Director of Economic Development and support programs that offer cooperative-specific financial solutions for rural economic development (e.g. USDA, site readiness). The ideal candidate is eager and quick to learn, organized, detail-oriented and comfortable in a fast-paced, collaborative work environment within an industry that is rapidly changing and keenly focused on improving the quality of life for the communities we serve.  

Academic and Trade Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, marketing, economics, finance, or related fields is required. Courses in business administration, economics, finance, marketing, and project management preferred.   

Work Experience: 2-5 years of experience in an economic development or similar field, whether with local or state government, cooperative, non-profit, or electric utility. Rural development and community development financing experience preferred.  

Responsibilities: 

• Coordinate statewide industrial site investment program (Cooperative Ready Sites), including marketing materials and data collection / management, coordinating with multiple service providers and contractors.  
• Provide cooperative members with technical assistance and coordination of US Department of Agriculture Rural Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program applications. 
• Administer NCEC’s Development Matching Grant program with 20 participating member cooperatives.  
• Frequent use of Salesforce to manage, maintain and analyze community & economic development activities including running reports, preparing data and communicating results to senior leadership. Serve as the primary point of contact for our electric cooperative staff using Salesforce, including training new personnel, and assisting with technical issues. 
• Facilitate relationships with USDA partners and various consulting firms supporting economic development efforts. 
• Build and nurture strong relationships with economic development staff at member electric cooperatives, local economic development organizations, internal and external partners (i.e., Golden LEAF Foundation, NC Rural Center, NC Railroad Company, and other funding entities).  
• Follow economic development trends and strategies and think creatively about traditional and non-traditional ways of advancing economic and community development for rural North Carolina to advance our Brighter Future vision. 
• Assist with a variety of events (e.g. key accounts quarterly meetings), functions and tasks, both internal and external. 
• Other duties as assigned.  

Job Knowledge: Community and economic development practices, including community financing (processes, procedures, etc.), grants management, Salesforce, basic understanding of industrial site readiness and related due diligence studies, community leadership and collaboration (public-private partnerships), and other tools related to these fields.  

Abilities and Skills: Ability to provide outstanding customer service to our members. Excellent listening skills, communication, organization, planning and relationship-building skills. Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Word and PowerPoint.  

Relationships and Contacts: Reports to Director of Economic Development; works closely with Economic Development Manager. 

Working Conditions:  Must be flexible to travel and willing to respond to tasks outside of normal business hours. Must possess a valid driver’s license. 

Company Profile: North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives is the brand for the family of organizations formed to support the state’s 26 local electric cooperatives, including: North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, the power supplier to many of the electric cooperatives; North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, the cooperatives’ trade association; and Tarheel Electric Membership Association, Inc. (TEMA), a central purchasing and materials-supply cooperative. 

North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all applicants for employment.