Community Investment Manager

Town of Smithfield•Smithfield, RI

14d•Onsite

About The Position

The Community Investment Manager is a professional manager in the Town of Smithfield’s Department of Planning & Economic Development and works under the general supervision of the Director of Planning & Economic Development. The position advances the Town’s economic and community development priorities through economic development initiatives, grant development and administration, strategic partnerships, and project and program implementation. It is the primary staff liaison to the Economic Development Commission and translates Town plans, policies, and community priorities into actionable initiatives. The manager leads the Town’s grant development function, including identifying funding opportunities, preparing and coordinating applications, administering awarded funds, managing compliance and reporting, and maintaining a coordinated Town-wide grant program. The role also works with businesses, property owners, community organizations, institutions, Town departments, government agencies, and other partners to strengthen the local economy, support redevelopment and community investment, and improve long-term economic resilience. The position oversees or coordinates community and economic development projects and programs, including the Rural Community Health Network and Town grant, scholarship, and loan programs. Work includes stakeholder engagement, project and budget coordination, reporting, compliance, and partnerships with participating agencies. The position is based primarily in a municipal office environment, with public contact, frequent computer use, occasional evening meetings, and possible local and regional travel. Additional hours may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, economic development, community development, urban or regional planning, public policy, business administration, finance, economics, or a closely related field.
Three to five years of progressively responsible professional experience in economic development, community development, grants management, municipal government, public administration, nonprofit management, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience identifying funding opportunities and preparing successful grant applications.
Ability to manage multiple projects, funding sources, deadlines, stakeholders, and reporting requirements simultaneously.
Ability to prepare clear, persuasive, accurate, and well-organized grant applications, reports, memoranda, presentations, and other professional written materials.
Ability to develop productive working relationships with businesses, residents, community organizations, public officials, Town departments, state and federal agencies, consultants, and other external partners.
Ability to conduct research and analyze economic, demographic, financial, property, programmatic, and other information relevant to economic and community development.
Knowledge of principles and practices related to economic development, community development, public-sector grant management, project implementation, and public-private partnerships.
Ability to exercise independent professional judgment within established Town policies, financial controls, grant requirements, and the Director’s direction.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and ability to learn and effectively use the Town’s grant-management, financial, project-management, permitting, data, and other software.
Valid driver’s license.
Evening meeting attendance as necessary to support the Economic Development Commission, Town Council, public engagement activities, and assigned projects.
Some local and regional travel may be required for meetings, site visits, conferences, business outreach, and project-related activities.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a related discipline.
Experience with federal and state grant programs.
Experience administering grants after award, including budgeting, reporting, reimbursement, compliance, procurement, monitoring, or closeout.
Municipal government experience.
Experience working with public boards, commissions, elected officials, businesses, community organizations, or governmental agencies.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Economic Development Commission, preparing meeting materials, conducting research, coordinating initiatives, and implementing Commission priorities.
Develop and maintain an annual economic and community development work program with the Director and Economic Development Commission, including priorities, responsibilities, schedules, and measurable outcomes.
Develop and implement strategies to strengthen the Town’s commercial and employment base, fiscal sustainability, locally rooted economic activity, village centers, and long-term economic resilience.
Conduct outreach to businesses, employers, property owners, entrepreneurs, and community organizations to identify needs, address barriers, support retention and expansion, and develop partnerships.
Connect businesses and community organizations with municipal, state, federal, nonprofit, and financial resources and assist them in navigating programs.
Identify underutilized properties, redevelopment opportunities, and opportunities for coordinated public and private investment.
Research and analyze economic, demographic, fiscal, business, employment, and property-use trends and prepare recommendations for Town policies, investments, and initiatives.
Maintain a coordinated Town-wide grant program, including a pipeline of projects, funding opportunities, deadlines, local-match requirements, awards, and obligations.
Lead or coordinate municipal grant applications, including scopes of work, narratives, budgets, schedules, supporting documentation, and interdepartmental approvals.
Administer or coordinate awarded grants through closeout, including agreements, budgets, reimbursements, reporting, procurement coordination, compliance documentation, audits, amendments, and performance measurement.
Assist Town departments in developing grant-ready projects and assessing alignment with Town priorities, financial and staffing capacity, and long-term obligations.
Work with the Director to oversee Town grant, scholarship, and loan programs, including application and eligibility review, award processing, disbursement, recipient compliance, and loan repayment tracking in coordination with the Finance Department.
Manage and coordinate the Rural Community Health Network and other assigned community development, public health, and resilience initiatives, including stakeholder convening, engagement, partnerships, planning, budgets, financial reporting and invoicing, compliance, performance monitoring, and agency coordination.
Manage or coordinate assigned economic and community development projects, including budgets, schedules, consultants, contractors, participating departments, funding agencies, and community partners.
Develop partnerships with government agencies, educational institutions, businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, utilities, and regional organizations.
Research and recommend programs, incentives, financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and other tools to support economic and community development objectives.
Prepare reports, recommendations, presentations, and other professional materials; participate in public and business meetings; and monitor relevant legislation and programs.
Provide general guidance to developers and property owners undertaking larger-scale development or redevelopment regarding potential public-private partnerships, funding resources, and opportunities to advance adopted Town priorities.
Coordinate discussions with the Director and appropriate Town departments; proposed municipal commitments are subject to required review and approval.
Maintain awareness of changing grant programs and economic and community development opportunities, and proactively identify opportunities that advance established Town priorities.
Perform other related duties as assigned.