Director of Economic Development

Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

The UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government – Who We Are
As a Public Service and Outreach unit at the University of Georgia, the UGA Institute of Government contributes directly to the university’s overarching public service mission of improving people’s lives by helping to create jobs and prosperity, developing leaders, and addressing critical issues. This public service mission, and the Institute of Government’s role in its success, is at the heart of UGA’s land-grant and sea-grant mission to serve the State of Georgia and its residents.

We have a wide range of experts who inform, inspire, and innovate every day so that governments, large and small, can be more efficient and responsive to their citizens, address current and emerging challenges, and serve the public with excellence. We are uniquely positioned to provide impartial support to local governments and state agencies and convene multi-disciplinary and intragovernmental groups to plan for and address many of the challenges faced by communities across Georgia.

Our areas of expertise and focus include workforce and economic development; infrastructure and community resilience; government operations and organizational effectiveness; measuring and reporting on impact and outcomes; building skills, knowledge and capacity of government leaders and teams; and maximizing technology and data for governments and their leaders.

Whether it is through our award-winning PROPEL (Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership) program for rural communities, our CyberArch student program that helps Georgia communities increase their cybersecurity, our efforts to build a visionary plan for military and community partnerships to spur economic prosperity and resilient infrastructure, our financial management certificate program to build the capacity of public officials, or hosting educational events about e-mobility strategies for local governments …. We Know Georgia. Fulfilling our land-grant and sea-grant mission to serve the State of Georgia is more than a project. It’s our purpose.

We are growing and excited to add individuals to our team who share our commitment to public service – building stronger communities, inspiring economic resilience, and improving quality of life for communities across Georgia and beyond.

Our Culture – How We Operate
We disseminate knowledge through research, scholarship, and instruction. We collaborate internally across our areas of expertise and across the university with academic researchers to bring best practices and expert insights to the governments and communities we serve. We are committed to fielding a team of experts who have a variety of professional and academic experiences and are grounded in our culture of excellence and approach our work with Georgia’s governments in a comprehensive and objective fashion.

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ([email protected]).

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom.

A minimum of a master’s degree in economic development, business, public administration, public policy, planning, community development, higher education, economics, or a related field.

The Director of Economic Development advances the University of Georgia’s contribution to Georgia’s economic prosperity by connecting economic development needs and opportunities across the state with UGA’s expertise, programs, and resources. Housed in the Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG), the director serves as a university-wide convener, connector, and strategic partner, building relationships across economic development organizations, higher education, nonprofit and professional organizations, business and industry, and other partners that extend the reach and impact of UGA’s economic development work. This position will report to the CVIOG Director and serve on the CVIOG executive leadership team.

The director serves as a liaison between external partners and the University, helping partners navigate UGA while keeping University leaders and units informed of emerging needs and opportunities. The director identifies relevant UGA expertise and resources, brings together interdisciplinary teams when needed, and helps develop partnerships and new approaches when existing programs do not fully meet the need. The director also documents outcomes and impact, contributes to scholarship and professional activities, and strengthens UGA’s role as an engaged partner in Georgia’s economic development.

Relevant Education and Experience
1. A minimum of a master’s degree in economic development, business, public administration, public policy, planning, community development, higher education, economics, or a related field.
2. A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in economic development, community development, business and industry engagement, higher education, public administration, or a related field.
3. Six to eight years of relevant professional experience, with demonstrated knowledge of economic development and experience working with state, regional, or local partners.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies
1. Knowledge of Georgia’s economic development landscape, including industry recruitment and expansion, workforce and talent development, innovation, entrepreneurship, community competitiveness, and higher education’s role in economic growth.
2. Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with economic development organizations, higher education, communities, business and industry, and other partners.
3. Ability to communicate UGA’s expertise and resources to external partners and share economic development needs, trends, and opportunities with University leaders and units.
4. Ability to assess opportunities, identify and connect appropriate University resources, convene faculty, staff, and students as needed, and advance projects and partnerships.
5. Ability to connect UGA’s teaching, research, public service, and student engagement with Georgia’s economic development needs and opportunities.
6. Ability to identify gaps and work with internal and external partners to develop new partnerships, programs, research, pilots, and other approaches.
7. Strong communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills, with the judgment and diplomacy to represent UGA effectively.
8. Ability to document and communicate outcomes and impact and contribute to research, scholarship, and professional activities.
9. Background building and maintaining relationships with economic development, government, community, business and industry, higher education, and other external partners.
10. Background coordinating multi-partner or interdisciplinary projects and partnerships.


Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies
1. A track record of working in or with higher education and connecting university expertise and resources to economic development needs.
2. Demonstrated ability to connect external needs with organizational resources and convene partners to develop effective responses.
3. A track record of working with business and industry, economic development organizations, government agencies, communities, and other partners.
4. Strong communication, presentation, facilitation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage University leaders and external partners effectively.
5. Demonstrated expertise coordinating interdisciplinary or interdepartmental efforts to advance shared priorities.
6. A track record of developing partnerships, programs, research initiatives, funding opportunities, and collaborative projects.
7. A track record of assessing and documenting outcomes and impact through program evaluation, economic impact analysis, applied research, or scholarship.

Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website.

Statewide Economic Development Engagement
Represent UGA with state, regional, and local economic development organizations, regional partnerships, nonprofit organizations, professional and trade associations, higher education institutions, communities, business and industry, and related networks for economic development. Develop trusted relationships and help external partners understand the breadth of UGA expertise, research, programs, services, students, facilities, and other resources that may contribute to industry, workforce, innovation, entrepreneurship, and community priorities. Leverage these relationships to strengthen collaboration and create new opportunities for UGA to contribute to Georgia’s economic development.

Impact, Scholarship and Professional Engagement
Document activities, outcomes, and impact and communicate UGA’s contributions to economic development across Georgia. Contribute to research, assessment, scholarship, and professional activities. Represent UGA in relevant higher education and economic development organizations, networks, and conferences, share effective practices, and identify opportunities to strengthen UGA’s economic development work and partnerships. Engage in active award applications for excellence in economic development through associations.

Serve as a liaison between UGA and economic development partners across the state. Engage with partners on industry recruitment, retention and expansion, workforce and talent needs, innovation, entrepreneurship, and community competitiveness. Identify opportunities for UGA to contribute, connect partners with the appropriate faculty, staff, programs, schools, colleges, institutes, centers, and other University resources, and help advance requests and opportunities into projects, partnerships, or other appropriate responses. Work in close collaboration with the Office of Business Engagement in Development and Alumni Relations.

Economic Development Strategy and Coordination
Maintain awareness of partner needs, economic development trends, and emerging opportunities across Georgia and share relevant information with University leaders and units. Identify opportunities to connect UGA’s teaching, research, public service, student engagement, and other resources with the state’s economic development needs and priorities.

Resource Alignment and Collaborative Project Development
Maintain a working knowledge of expertise, programs, and resources across the University and connect them to economic development needs and opportunities. Strengthen existing University efforts by connecting programs and expertise with industries, communities, and economic development partners; convening faculty, staff, and students when a coordinated response is needed; and identifying opportunities for engaged teaching, experiential learning, research, public service, and economic development impact. Works closely with the Office of Business Engagement.

Partnership and Opportunity Development
Work with University and external partners to develop responses to economic development needs and opportunities not fully addressed by existing UGA programs or resources. Identify economic development needs and opportunities not fully addressed by existing UGA programs or resources, connect the appropriate University and external partners, and assist in developing partnerships, pilots, research initiatives, funding opportunities, and other approaches that address those needs.