Job Description

About Us:

Established in 1971 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

The Forum is a workplace like no other. It is at once an expert network, a think-tank, a consultancy, a not-for-profit and a platform for impact. Together with our stakeholders, we create a space to listen and a place to be heard. The Forum is where people pioneer new approaches and strategies, challenge old ways and learn new ones. It is future-focused and entrepreneurial - a stimulating learning environment for our talent.

Our Mission

Our aim is to improve the state of the world and promote entrepreneurship in the global public interest. We work at the highest levels with global leaders to empower public-private cooperation and seek solutions to some of the world’s complex challenges.

Our People

We are a team of 800 people across 6 global locations. We value a highly spirited, diverse, and impartial workforce, attracting people of more than 80 nationalities from business, consulting, NGOs, international institutions, academia, research, public administration and diplomacy. Our workforce is a diverse community of agile, curious and forward-thinking people. We look for people who are highly accomplished, but have an appetite to learn new things. Driven, multilingual, and resilient, our people relish the challenge of working at a fast pace, adapting to a wide range of projects, activities and events. Above all, they share a passion for our mission.

Wherever you are in your career, we offer the opportunity to develop in ways that put you ahead of the curve. Grow through close exposure to top leaders from business, government, academia, and civil society.

Job Opening: Lead for Local Economic Development

The Lead for Local Economic Development will be a critical part of this work, taking strategies and insights from the Forum’s CEO and industry communities and making those accessible and usable for economic development teams in cities. These efforts aim to provide strategic guidance, practical tools and new resources to cities as they seek to better support their local businesses, rethink economic growth strategies, expand urban services in underserved communities, and enable more resilient, inclusive and sustainable urban development. The Lead for Local Economic Development will also serve as an important liaison between the Forum and local stakeholders in Detroit where the global Centre for Urban Transformation is headquartered.

Reporting Lines & Interactions

The Lead for Local Economic Development will report to the Forum’s Head of Urban Transformation, as part of a diverse, high-profile, and rapidly growing international team of experts distributed across 16 cities in 13 countries and five continents of the world. The Lead for Local Economic Development will also work closely with industry teams across the Forum and coordinate closely with more than a dozen other platforms whose work has implications for cities and local economic development.

Responsibilities

This role will place you on the front line of engaging with local economic development officers, global business leaders and subject matter experts. Key areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Organize briefings and industry dialogues for local economic development officers, associations and regional development groups to share insights from the Forum’s CEO and industry communities and facilitate relationships and open doors for future business partnerships;
• Design and deliver workshops where executive leaders from business and the public sector can co-design strategies to advance local economic development, infrastructure investments and/or city services;
• Recruit, cultivate and manage a global community of city economic development officers, liaising and coordinating with the World Economic Forum’s government affairs teams, industry teams and platforms to explore and present mutually beneficial opportunities for engagement and collaboration;
• Curate and help develop an urban testbed in Detroit to explore, advance and showcase new models for public-private collaboration that can improve quality of life for residents and mitigate local social and environmental challenges;
• Contribute to the planning and execution of the World Economic Forum’s Urban Transformation Summit, liaising with partners and event production teams in Detroit, organizing site visits and/or unique local experiences for participants, and leading the development and execution of sessions related to local economic development;
• Liaise with the City of Detroit and other local stakeholders to identify and scope unique fellowship opportunities by which private sector leaders from the World Economic Forum’s global network can contribute expertise to support, advance and scale high-impact local urban transformation initiatives;
• Provide local support to fellows to ensure a mutually beneficial experience and ensure that fellowship activities are aligned with and contribute to the broader work of the World Economic Forum;
• Support impact measurement and reporting efforts related to the Forum’s work in Detroit and broader work to support more resilient local economies;
• Contribute to thought leadership activities throughout the year, including co-authoring op-eds and showcasing innovative examples of urban transformation;
• Work closely with the Head of Urban Transformation to identify areas for future focus to strengthening the platform’s impact.

Preferred Requirements and Experience

· Master’s degree or equivalent in urban planning, economic development, legal studies, public administration, or related degree.

· 7+ years of professional experience working with city, county, and/or state entities, including direct experience managing economic development activities, programs, and partnerships.

· Local knowledge and experience working on public-private collaborations in Detroit

· Deep understanding of how local governments work, including prior experience leading initiatives with city officials and/or departments.

· Hands-on experience developing and managing complex projects, including interacting with executive leaders, and helping to turn ideas into tangible action and impact.

· Proven excellent project management and coordination skills; attention to detail; capacity to apply critical thinking, synthesize various viewpoints, consult broadly, work collaboratively in a multicultural team, and manage both long- and short-term objectives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

· Strong interest in driving impact and systems change in the areas covered by the Forum's work on urban transformation.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to apply via LinkedIn or by sending an email with a cover letter and resume to [email protected].