Salary : $68,980.29 - $107,661.06 Annually
Location : City of Roanoke Public Works - 1802 Courtland Road NE Roanoke, VA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 03390
Department: Economic Development
Division: Economic Development
Opening Date: 07/08/2026
Closing Date: 8/11/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Description
The City of Roanoke is seeking an Economic Development Specialist to perform professional work supporting the City's real estate and economic development initiatives. This position is responsible for managing City owned real estate assets, facilitating property transactions, administering key economic development programs, and serving as a liaison between the City, the Economic Development Authority, and the commercial real estate community.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage City owned property leases, license agreements, easements, and encroachments to ensure compliance with applicable agreements and City policies.
• Coordinate and administer the sale and disposition of City owned real property, including working with internal departments, legal counsel, developers, and prospective purchasers.
• Provide staff support to the City of Roanoke Economic Development Authority (EDA), including coordinating monthly meetings, preparing agendas and supporting documentation, maintaining official records, and implementing EDA actions.
• Administer local and state Enterprise Zone programs, ensuring compliance with program requirements and serving as a resource to businesses and property owners.
• Serve as the department's primary liaison to the commercial real estate community, developers, brokers, property owners, and other economic development stakeholders to support investment and redevelopment opportunities.
• Assist with business recruitment, retention, redevelopment, and other strategic economic development initiatives as assigned.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

This is an exempt position.
Typical Qualifications
Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree from an accredited four year college or university with major course work in real estate, business administration, economics, urban planning, public administration, or a closely related field. A Master's degree in an appropriate field is preferred.

Two or more years of progressively responsible experience in economic development, commercial real estate, property management, redevelopment, public administration, or a related field is preferred. Experience administering public programs, managing real estate transactions, negotiating agreements, or preparing state or federal grant applications is highly desirable.

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.
Overview of Benefits for Full-Time Employees:

Paid leave is time off from work available for use by an employee upon approval by supervisor. The first 24 consecutive leave hours for any illness must be charged to paid leave with additional time charged to extended illness leave. Paid leave for employees of the city shall accrue as follows:

Years of Service Hours Per Month Fire 24-hr shift Employees
0 - 4 12 19.75
5 - 9 14 22.75
10- 14 16 25.50
15 - 19 17 26.75
20 - 24 18 28.75
25 + 20 32

Extended Illness Leave: shall accrue at the rate of six (6) hours per month. Fire suppression employees shall accrue extended illness leave at nine (9) hours per month.
Funeral Leave: for family, up to three consecutive days.
Military Leave: Twenty-one work days per Federal fiscal year.
Holidays: The City provides 96 hours of annual paid holiday time.

Mental Health & Well-Being Leave: Employees receive 24 hours (Fire Suppression receives 34 hours) of Mental Health & Well-Being Leave upon hire. Certification of mental health diagnosis is not required and leave will not be paid out upon separation.

Shared Leave Bank (effective 1/1/2023): Voluntary membership for full-time Employees who will be out for an extended period of time and has exhausted all other forms of leave. Members are required to provide 8 hours of their Extended Illness per fiscal year and at least 8 hours per assessment. Assessments will be limimted to 4 times per fiscal year (max of 40 hours per fiscal year).

Health Insurance: Four coverage types are available: Employee only, Employee + 1 Child, Employee + Spouse and Family. Coverage is available through payroll deduction.

Additionally, the city offers the following three Aetna Health Plan Options:

PPO 750 - Provides 100% coverage for preventive care; lower deductible and out-of-pocket maximums than other medical plans; and has higher employee premiums. This is comparable to the current insurance program.
PPO/HRA 1500 - Provides 100% coverage for preventive care; has higher deductible and out-of-pocket maximum than the PPO 300 plan; has lower employee premiums than the PPO 300 plan; and the employer makes contributions to an account through a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA). The City of Roanoke contributes $500 for employee only coverage and $1,000 for all other tiers. Contributions are pro-rated dependent upon enrollment date.
PPO/HDHP-HSA - Provides 100% coverage for preventive care; has higher deductible and out-of-pocket maximum than other medical plans; has lower employee premiums; and both the employer and the employee make contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for medical expenses which apply to the deductible. The City of Roanoke contributes towards the Health Savings Account (HSA), $1,600 for employee only coverage and $3,100 for all other tiers. Contributions are pro-rated dependent upon enrollment date.

Optum RX (Pharmaceutical Benefits Manager) - Manages pharmacy benefits, processes employee pharmacy claims and answers employee pharmacy benefit questions.

Aetna Health Plan 2026 Monthly Rates
PPO 750
Employee Only: $81.94
Employee + Child: $306.26
Employee + Spouse: $718.38
Family: $785.44

PPO/HRA 1500
Employee Only: $53.06
Employee + Child: $260.06
Employee + Spouse: $660.64
Family: $669.94

PPO/HDHP-HSA
Employee Only: $25.10
Employee + Child: $195.72
Employee + Spouse $547.88
Family: $550.56

Dental Insurance: Four coverage types are available: Family, Employee and Spouse, Employee and Child, and Employee only. Coverage is available through payroll deduction.

Delta Dental 2026 Monthly Rates
Employee: $2.80
Employee/Child: $18.88
Employee/Spouse: $18.88
Family: $49.36

Life Insurance: Paid by the City at no cost to employees. Coverage is equal to the annual salary rounded to the next highest thousand and then doubled. For an accidental death, the coverage would be twice this amount.

Optional Life Insurance: Paid by the employee. Various amounts of coverage, including family members, available through payroll deduction.

Long Term Disability Insurance: Designed to provide a monthly benefit to assist employees with bills and maintaining a standard of living when disabled as a result of a covered sickness or injury. Coverage is available through payroll deduction. Annual cost is your annual salary multiplied by .00255. This amount is half of the total premium and the City pays the other half.

Retirement: Employees contribute 5% of salary and choose between participating in a traditional defined benefit plan or a hybrid program. Employees vest in the employer component of either plan upon completing five (5) years of service.

Defined Benefit Pension Plan: Normal retirement after 55th birthday, and when combination of age and creditable service equals 85; or, 65th birthday if completed at least five years of creditable service. For sworn officers in Police and Fire/EMS, normal retirement after 50th birthday, and when combination of age and service equals 75; or, 65th birthday or older with 5 years of creditable service. An annual retirement benefit equals 2.0% of salary (based on an average of the highest five years) times the number of creditable years with a maximum of 63%. Early retirement options are available and reductions may apply based on age and service.

Hybrid Program: Provides the characteristics of the traditional pension plan with that of a deferred compensation plan. The pension plan provides an annual benefit equaling 1% of salary (based on an average of the highest five years) times the number of creditable years with a maximum of 63%. The deferred compensation component provides for the employee contribution to be deposited in an account directed by the member. The combination of the two components is structured to provide approximately the same actuarial benefit as the Defined Benefit Pension Plan. International City Management Association - Retirement Corporation (ICMA-RC) provides the third party administration of this deferred compensation plan for participating employees.

Sheriff's Department Employees are covered b the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). Previous service covered by VRS may be portable to the Roanoke Retirement System.

Retirement Health Savings Plan: All employees contribute 1% of salary to a 401(h) health savings account. Employees vest in the City match of 1% upon completing five (5) years of service. International City Management Association - Retirement Corporation (ICMA-RC) provides the third party administration of this plan for participating employees.
Deferred Compensation: Employees may voluntarily contribute salary deferred dollars into a City Sponsored 457 Plan. International City Management Association - Empower provides the third party administration of this deferred compensation plan for participating employees.

Flexible Spending Account: Allows employees to set aside pre-tax dollars from their pay checks to pay for child care and/or medical and dental expenses not covered by the City's health care or dental plans. You may also set aside pre-tax dollars to cover certain transit or parking expenses. Keep in mind only transit or parking expenses may be rolled over from year to year.

Virginia College Savings Plan: Two plans to choose from at a reduced application fee, Virginia Prepaid Education Program and the Virginia Education Savings Trust.

Employee Health Services: The City employee health services provides medical care for employees, retirees, and eligible spouses.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Support services available to assist employees facing life challenges.

Pay Days: Direct deposit is required for all new employees. Paid bi-weekly, 26 pay periods per year.

Vision Insurance: Paid by the Employee. Includes annual routine eye exam, discounts on eyeglass frames, eyeglass lenses and contact lenses.
CEC 2026 Monthly Rates
Employee: $6.68
Employee/Spouse: $12.69
Employee/Child(ren): $13.36
Family: $19.71

Voluntary Benefits: Critical Illness, Accident Insurance and Hospital Indemnity Insurance is offered by The Hartford. CHUBB offers Cancer Advocacy, Life Insurance and Long-Term Care. Identity Protection if offered through LegalShield and IDShield. Personal loans are offered through Purchasing Power and Kashable. Pet Insurance is offered through PetPartners. All voluntary benefits may be payroll deducted.