Marketing and Communications Team Manager

Join the Frederick County Office of Economic Development (FCOED), a part of the Frederick County Division of Economic Opportunity, where we drive economic growth and community development in Frederick County, MD. We are committed to fostering a diverse, sustainable, and thriving economy by supporting local businesses, attracting new investments, and enhancing the quality of life for all residents.

Position Details:

Exempt; full-time; 40 hours per week; Monday-Friday; 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. with some evening and weekend hours; full benefits.

This professional position in the Frederick County Office of Economic Development (FCOED) oversees research, marketing, communications, public relations, and data analytics to support the attraction and retention of businesses, investment, and talent to Frederick County. This position leads the Business and Intelligence Team. Supervision is given to staff; supervision is received from the FCOED, Director Business.

TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE:

Frederick County offers an extensive compensation package to reflect how highly we value our employees. The following is what you can expect in your first year as a full-time benefited Frederick County Government employee:

• 11 days of Vacation leave with increase after 2 years of employment
• 15 days of Sick leave with unlimited annual carryover
• 11 paid holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays
• Day 1 coverage of comprehensive Medical Insurance Plan options to include generous County Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution (if enrolled in the high-deductible plan). This is part of a full range of benefits including Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending
• 100% County paid 2x annual salary Group Term Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit
• County and Employee funded Defined Benefit Pension Plan
  • Vesting after 5 years of service
  • Additional service credit for eligible previous public service, military service, etc.
• Work/Life balance programs include: Employee Assistance Program and Employee Wellness Program
• Generous Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Other employee-paid benefits such as Deferred Compensation Plan, Legal Resources, Supplemental Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Lifetime Benefit with Long Term Care plan.
• Coming soon-early 2025: Employee Health Center with no or low cost primary and urgent care

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

• Develop and execute strategic marketing, branding, and communication strategies to promote Frederick County as a premier location for business
• Oversee all public relations, social media, and digital marketing campaigns, managing content creation, traffic engagement, and promotional initiatives
• Coordinate event planning, trade shows, and mission trips, including managing invites, registrations, and vendor relationships
• Manage the creation of promotional materials, including business cases, flyers, reports, and annual publications
• Oversee the development of integrated advertising and sponsorship programs, negotiating and executing regional campaigns
• Manage and oversee advertising and marketing activities including branding, strategic research, writing, presenting, creative development and production of advertising and placement; develop, negotiate, and implement promotions and sponsorships for integrated regional advertising campaigns and cooperative programs
• Market and promote businesses through press releases, blogs, public presentations and prepare reports
• Provide expert advice, support and planning for developing and administering high-profile communication initiatives, programs and projects relating to business recruitment and development

LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISION

• Supervise and develop team members within the Business and Intelligence Team; establishing priorities, delegating tasks, coaching and disciplining and conducting performance reviews
• Assist the Director of Finance with reviewing and monitoring the budget; oversee and monitor the marketing budget, approving procurement transactions
• Establish performance metrics to evaluate team effectiveness and ensure high standards of quality across all projects and initiatives

DATA ANALYTICS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

• Conduct market research on key economic indicators, such as employment trends, real estate, demographics, and capital investment
• Lead the implementation of business intelligence tools from conception to deployment, tracking KPIs relevant to economic development
• Prepare and analyze data for RFIs, strategic proposals, and project pipelines for internal stakeholders, county leaders, and prospective businesses
• Manage and act as administrator and update content for essential FCOED software tools, including Salesforce, Google Analytics, Civic Plus, SizeUp, and Adobe

GENERAL

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with local, state, and national industry organizations and stakeholders
• Develop and foster strategic partnerships with underrepresented businesses, advocating for equity, inclusion, and economic opportunity
• Provide expert guidance and coordinate communication strategies for high-profile programs supporting business recruitment and development
• Represent FCOED in meetings with elected officials, business leaders, and public forums, ensuring alignment with the county's economic development goals.
• Prepare presentations, memos, detailed analytical documents, management reports, and project status reports to communicate with County leaders, partners, prospects and the public
• Perform other related duties as required

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Any single position may not be assigned all duties listed above, nor do the examples cover all duties that may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s degree in a field related to public relations or business administration
• Minimum 6 years work experience in marketing, communications or public relations
• Minimum 1 year work experience directing or supervising the work of others
• Intermediate skills in social media platforms including (but not limited to) Facebook, Instagram, X and MS Office Suite
• NOTE: A combination of related education and/or work experience may be considered towards the overall requirements of this position

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Extensive knowledge of marketing, public relations, B2B and B2C communications, and branding strategies
• Knowledge of commercial and industrial real estate market trends
• Knowledge and understanding of the issues surrounding access, equity, diversity inclusion and belonging
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to work independently and effectively, handle multiple priorities, complete detailed projects within allotted time schedules, make independent decisions and exercise good judgment, and resolve conflicting positions and controversial issues
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office Suite, Salesforce, Canva, Civil Plus, WordPress, and Adobe, etc.
• Strong and effective spoken and written (English) communication skills, including public speaking skills
• Strong skills in data analysis and economic trend monitoring, with the ability to synthesize findings into clear, actionable reports
• Ability to accurately compile and prepare statistical data and reports
• Ability to effectively train, supervise and evaluate the work performance of assigned staff
• Ability to effectively prepare and administer budgets
• Ability to effectively access and utilize Microsoft Office Suite, e-mail, spreadsheet and other systems and equipment, and to learn new software as it is required
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with elected and appointed officials, business executives, related professionals, co-workers and the general public
• Strong business development skills and writing skills for social media and traditional marketing (i.e. brochures, advertisements, or a newsletter)
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and organizational skills, with a capacity for managing multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.

PREFERENCE MAY BE GIVEN FOR:

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel
• Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) or equivalent industry-recognized certifications
• Experience with using digital editing software for graphics, text, and/or video
• Experience using CivicPlus or similar website content management system
• Experience in economic development, business development or community development
• Experience in data analysis (business analytics, statistical analysis)
• Experience in business intelligence

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:

• While working in this position, the employee is frequently sit and walk; occasionally lift up to 20 pounds, push up to 40 pounds, reach; rarely climb, and stoop.
• While working in the position, the employee is frequently indoors and outdoors; rarely walking on uneven ground, in hot (above 100 degrees), in cold (under 32 degrees), dirty, and dusty conditions.

• Ability to provide own transportation to meetings and events
• Availability for occasional travel may be required to accommodate meetings and event schedules
• Available for varied working hours/days as needed to accommodate meetings and other commitments, including evenings and occasional weekends or travel

KIND OF EXAMINATION (may include):

1. An evaluation of training and experience
2. One or more interviews