"Economic and Community Development Specialist"

Job Description

The economic and community development specialist will develop and conduct applied research and technical assistance projects and participate in the collaborative design and implementation of projects with a special focus on western Virginia (Alleghany County as well as the Roanoke-Alleghany and Central Shenandoah area). This position, reporting to the Director for Research Development, is a restricted calendar year, administration and professional faculty appointment.

Forty percent (40%) of the specialist’s time will focus on Alleghany County and implementing the work of Alleghany Thrives, a community-based collective impact program, under the guidance of CECE’s Associate Director for Community Innovations.

The remaining sixty percent (60%) of the specialist’s time will include developing and implementing applied research and technical assistance projects related to Alleghany Thrives and the broader CECE project portfolio, all in collaboration with CECE project faculty.

Required Qualifications

• Experience with community development, community-based organizations or collaborative initiatives.
• Possess exemplary communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills
• Experience with relationship-building, partner development, and public engagement (engaging with, convening, and presenting to clients, constituents, beneficiaries, or similar).
• Demonstrate capacity as a highly organized, creative, entrepreneurial self-starter, capable of initiating and leading, as well as of contributing to a team.
• Experience with applied research or technical assistance projects in a collaborative, interdisciplinary setting.
• Advanced degree in planning, public administration, business, economics or a related field.
• Experience with, or demonstrated equivalent skills, to perform grant writing and generate funding resources to support new initiatives and programs.
• Willingness to be based in or make frequent and regular visits to Alleghany region and to undertake extensive travel, primarily within the state of Virginia.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership experience with collective impact, community change, or collaborative initiatives.
• Familiarity with Alleghany County, Virginia (including the city of Covington and town of Clifton Forge) or demonstrated experience working in a community with similar rural characteristics.
• Strong analytical skills and experience with research and practice grounded in community and/or economic development concepts and their application.
• An understanding of and interest in contributing to the scholarship of community and/or economic development.
• Possess experience with grant writing for federal funding agencies.
• Demonstrate the ability to build collaborative teams across organizations.

Pay Band

N/A

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

$52,000 to budget maximum of $58,000

Hours per week

40

Review Date

04/06/2026

Additional Information

Travel to Covington, Alleghany County, and other parts of the state will be required regularly.

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.