Job Summary 
The official economic development organization of St. Bernard Parish, the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF), is seeking a resourceful, service-oriented, business-minded candidate to help carry out the organization’s mission of creating and retaining jobs, building prosperity, and improving quality of life in St. Bernard Parish. The Business Services Manager reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and is responsible for the planning and execution of all business attraction, expansion, and retention initiatives for SBEDF.  

Roles and Responsibilities 
The role of the Business Services Manager will include the following. Please note that this job description is not designed to be a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Being a small nonprofit, SBEDF’s organizational roles are not distinct and will overlap as required to best serve St. Bernard Parish residents, businesses, and the community at large.

Business Attraction 
Work with the CEO to develop a vision and formulate a strategy for SBEDF’s business attraction, retention, and expansion efforts  
Manage, create, and maintain SBEDF’s business development pipeline, documents, notes, follow up, and database/tracker  
Identify companies looking to relocate and contacts at major corporations who handle location management and build SBEDF’s database of companies, developers, and site selectors  
Create templates for conducting outreach to site selectors, developers, and business owners to encourage them to open a location in St. Bernard  
Draft content for marketing materials showing the advantages of opening a business in St. Bernard  
Continually update SBEDF’s Buildings & Sites Database to include all commercial buildings, lots, and space available for companies interested in locating in the parish  
Maintain a current inventory of available commercial and industrial buildings and sites, regularly updating/verifying local site data  
Provide regular updates to SBEDF board and team on prospective and current projects while maintaining confidentiality for companies  
Coordinate, participate in, and provide support for site visits as needed  
Collaborate with a wide variety of stakeholders on multiple projects to support business development, raise organizational awareness, and contribute to workforce development  
Work with the CEO to continually increase the number of retail establishments, amenities, workforce programs, businesses, and jobs in St. Bernard Parish  

Business Retention & Expansion (BRE)  
Implement and continually improve plan and survey for BRE outreach to top employers in St. Bernard  
Coordinate annual business retention and expansion meetings with large and small local companies in partnership with Greater New Orleans, Inc. and Louisiana Economic Development  
Manage, create, and maintain SBEDF’s BRE documents, notes, follow up, and database/tracker  
Connect local businesses to financing, support, resources, and technical assistance providers  
Assist in workforce development efforts and manage the Rural Workforce Collaborative, partnering with LISC, employers, Nunez Community College, Tri-Parish Works, and others  
Attend project meetings as support to companies and SBEDF leadership  
Assist the CEO in performing research and drafting language for local incentives which improve the business environment in St. Bernard Parish

Business Services 
Serve as an primary point of contact for small business and individuals in need of assistance with site selection, incentives education, technical assistance, workforce issues, financing, or any other challenge that limits their success doing business in St. Bernard Parish 
Work with CEO and partners to create an action plan that addresses business challenges 
Continually update and promote SBEDF’s small business assistance toolkit for financing, support, resources, and technical assistance providers 
Coordinate, plan, execute and promote SBEDF’s core business development programs including Grow St. Bernard, Startup St. Bernard, the Small Business Matters Summit and the St. Bernard Workforce Collaborative 

Research, Data, and Database Management 
Be the go-to resource in the parish for knowledge of and research on state and local business incentives, technical assistance programs, including but not limited to PILOTs and the Quality Jobs, Enterprise Zone, and Louisiana Economic Development Certified Sites programs  
Act as staff lead for PILOT projects by providing education on the program, coordinating preparation of related preliminary documents, and working with local stakeholders to execute statutory procedures  
Manage the Economic Development Site Readiness (EDRED) program for St. Bernard Parish, including reimbursement processing, pre-application generation, due diligence, and partner coordination  
Collect, organize, track, interpret, and report on selected economic indicators for the purposes of marketing, educating, and promoting the parish  
Provide staff support for economic development activities using tools such as Excel, Salesforce, GeoThinQ, Louisiana’s Commercial Database, EMSI, Entergy’s Buildings and Sites database, and others  
Monitor public reports of new advance notifications on the FastLane online database, coordinating with team members and SBEDF leadership on project management efforts 

Qualifications, Skills, Software 
Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university, or equivalent work experience, preferred 
A minimum of 2 years of real estate, small business technical assistance, account management, or experience in a similar solutions-heavy role preferred 
Demonstrated success in assisting businesses with complex issues, and/or accessing external resources 
Ability to work independently and on multiple projects simultaneously 
Excellent communications skills: ability to write appropriately for different channels and to individuals at all levels 
Experience with government/business resource providers, business technical assistance organizations, or business programs 
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work well under deadlines 
Proficiency in all Microsoft Office Suite applications 
Demonstrated proactive nature with the ability to prioritize and preempt foreseeable challenges 
Professional demeanor at all times 

Requirements, Compensation, and Other Notes 
Applicant must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer  
While performing elements of job, candidate is commonly required to travel to the Chalmette office and within the greater New Orleans area – must have reliable transportation 
As a full-time position, the role requires in-office work Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, as well as evening and weekend work as the job duties demand 
Salary and fringe benefits are commensurate with experience but start at $50,000 
Employer paid health, vision, and dental insurance with low copays and out-of-pocket totals, $50,000 employer paid term life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and an employee assistance plan 
Unlimited PTO, access to our in-office workout room, top of the line MacBook computer, and endless opportunities for professional development 
If you are looking for a meaningful experience, fast-paced environment, and the opportunity to make a difference with a growing non-profit corporation that believes in community, we’d love to hear from you. If this job description excites you but you aren’t sure if your experience is a 100% match, please reach out. The St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation embraces and celebrates diversity. Women, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized or differently abled candidates are encouraged to apply. 

How to Apply 
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and references via e-mail to contact@sbedf.org. Cover letters must answer the following questions. Why is economic development important to you? What makes St. Bernard a great place for investment? What gives you the most energy in your current work? What about your current work drains you the most? What are your long-term career goals and how does this role help you get there? Please include “Business Services Manager Application” in the email subject line. Once your materials have been received, you will receive a confirmation email.