Senior Economic Development Specialist

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WSP is currently initiating a search for a Senior Economic Development Specialist
. The role will provide leadership within the Economics, Finance, and Grants team and serve as a subject matter expert on regional economic growth policies and methods, incentive programs, Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) documents, infrastructure and real estate development finance, public-private partnerships, and interagency coordination. The ideal candidate will help WSP’s clients understand how to generate economic growth, job opportunities, and new development in their cities and service regions.

Our Senior Economic Development Specialist is responsible for driving top line growth as One WSP across the A&P business and with our counterparts within the Transportation & Infrastructure, Earth & Environment, Property & Buildings, Power & Energy, and Federal end-markets.

The Senior Economic Development Specialist focuses on leading and managing economic development strategies, projects, and developments (including mixed‑use, industrial, commercial, and transit‑oriented development). The role evaluates how infrastructure development can drive growth, create positive economic impact, and potentially be financed by that growth, in alignment with locally adopted plans and goals.

Our ideal candidate also has connections with both private and public clients across the various end‑markets and can articulate the growth potential and opportunities they provide. They can lead complex projects that help our clients find innovative economic development strategies in places that have seen limited private sector interest. Familiarity with incentive tools, economic growth policies, real estate development, and infrastructure finance is essential.

Experience in negotiating complex agreements with private businesses and analyzing financial pro‑formas, market studies, and economic impact reports is required.

• Provide proactive and strategic leadership for the planning discipline and function, offering direction, expertise, and support to ensure project and work site deliverables are successfully achieved within the business sector.
• Oversee the appropriate use of topographic maps, aerial photographs, GPS data, and other visualization tools to determine exact locations of project areas and uncover primary, secondary, and tertiary impacts.
• Lead large‑scale, complex land/urban planning projects ensuring contributors know what they are required to do and by when, preparing and overseeing relevant project budgets, monitoring external events, tracking hours and expenses, ensuring profitability, and supervising subcontractors, contract work, and employees.
• Responsible for the contribution and management of multidisciplinary project teams in all phases of the execution and delivery of siting, impact assessment, and permitting for assigned business sector projects.
• Actively foster compliance with applicable Federal, State, and Local Agency laws, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead technical aspects of contract negotiation, presentations, and meetings.
• Assist with the preparation of an annual update to business tactical action plans within the specified area.
• Analyze local, state and national trends, policies and/or legislation to determine impact.
• Support the overall long‑term strategy, growth, and pipeline development of Land/Urban Planning work for WSP in the assigned area, with a focus on opportunities in all disciplines.
• Conduct needs analyses and client value surveys to align the planning discipline’s function with business and project strategy, identifying and addressing any skill gaps or risks.
• Develop a client base for providing high‑level Land/Urban Planning services, including identifying additional business development opportunities and cross‑selling other WSP capabilities.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Public Policy/Administration or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum 10+ years of experience in a regional economic development agency or…