Associate, Economic Development + Real Estate

Karp Strategies • New York, NY

3d • $75,000 - $90,000

About The Position

Karp Strategies is hiring an Associate / Project Manager to lead delivery of projects spanning real estate and market analysis, workforce development, economic impact analyses, and community engagement across sectors and geographies. This is a managing-and-doing role: the Associate owns project schedules, budgets, and team workflows; serves as the day-to-day contact for the prime firm and client; and works with project teams to turn analysis into strategy and recommendations. The role works closely with Project Directors and Principals, who set strategy and methodology, and guides and validates Analysts’ work before it reaches leadership.

The ideal candidate is excited by the intersection of economic development, real estate, urban planning, and management consulting. The position suits someone who enjoys a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, is comfortable learning as they go, and wants to be hands-on in shaping the work. Some travel may be required from time to time based on project and firm needs.

Requirements

• 3–5 years of relevant experience in economic development, real estate, urban planning, or consulting.
• Demonstrated project management experience, including managing budgets and project finances and leading team members to meet timelines and complete deliverables.
• Client relationship experience and a track record of building trust with clients, partner firms, government agencies, community members, and other stakeholders.
• Experience in community economic development, workforce development, placemaking, and stakeholder engagement.
• Familiarity with analytical methods in economic and workforce analysis and/or real estate feasibility, with fluency in some methods and aptitude to learn others.
• Working knowledge of foundational real estate concepts, such as pro formas and sources and uses of funding.
• Familiarity with socioeconomic and market data sources and platforms, such as Census data, IMPLAN, and CoStar.
• Strong writing skills and ability to turn complex technical information into clear, compelling communication for lay audiences.
• Experience overseeing graphic design and data visualization, with proficiency in tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, PowerPoint, and Google Workspace.
• Entrepreneurial orientation and enthusiasm for working in a maturing startup environment.
• Deep curiosity about planning issues and demonstrated commitment to applying an equity lens to the work.
• Openness and appetite to learn, including interest in work across the firm such as community engagement, strategic planning, climate resiliency, and other sectors and verticals.

Nice To Haves

• Multilingual written and oral skills.
• Experience working with traditionally underserved populations.

Responsibilities

• Manage full project life cycles, including schedules, work plans, staffing, team workflows, and quality assurance across concurrent workstreams.
• Coordinate with clients on project schedules and delivery timelines, estimate required time and resources, and coordinate work needed for high-quality deliverables.
• Oversee project administration, shared file systems, documentation, and regular reporting to Directors and Principals.
• Use and help improve the firm's project management systems and processes.
• Own project budgets, track project financials and invoicing, and report financial status to project and firm leadership.
• Use financial data to inform project strategy and contribute to project and firm-wide staffing decisions.
• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for clients and partner firms, building trust through responsive communication.
• Facilitate client meetings, stakeholder interviews, steering committee meetings, workshops, and public community engagement.
• Plan and execute stakeholder engagement with government agencies, community members, local businesses, and other partners; synthesize input to shape projects.
• Oversee quantitative and qualitative analysis across economic, workforce, market, policy, and real estate topics, including economic impact, socioeconomic and market analyses, and financial feasibility work.
• Review and validate models, including pro formas and economic impact analyses, and QA/QC deliverables before they go to the Project Director.
• Synthesize data from multiple sources into strategic findings and integrate partner work as needed.
• Communicate findings and recommendations clearly and persuasively in writing and in person, tailoring messages to different audiences.
• Author client deliverables, including reports, executive summaries, memos, and strategic recommendations, with a clear evidence-to-action storyline.
• Oversee infographics, data visualizations, maps, and presentations that communicate technical findings to non-technical audiences.
• Present findings to clients and external stakeholders with clarity and sound judgment.
• Coach and manage team members through project delivery, respond to their needs, and uphold a collaborative culture of continuous learning and feedback.
• Step into a people-management role with support and training from the firm.
• Lead RFP and RFQ proposal responses, including project scoping and fee proposals.
• Identify additional opportunities with existing clients.

Benefits

• Professional development through membership organizations, conferences, skills and management training, and regular internal training.
• Medical, vision, and dental benefits, with costs shared by Karp Strategies.
• One Medical membership.
• 20 days of PTO and 7 days of sick/safe leave.
• 401(k) match.
• Access to HSA, FSA, and commuter benefits.
• Work-life balance is identified as a core value.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed