Project Manager, Community and Economic Development (CED)

About the role

The Office of the Indiana Lieutenant Governor's mission is to strengthen Indiana’s rural economies and communities through capacity building, advocacy, and innovation in agriculture, small business, tourism, defense development, housing, and community economic development.

Responsibilities

• Develop, interpret, and communicate program policies and procedures.
• Assess program effectiveness and recommend improvements based on community needs.
• Create and manage project plans to achieve major milestones and deadlines.
• Cookordination project activities to ensure timely and on-budget completion.
• Prepare funding applications to expand or enhance program offerings.
• Review and approve documentation, including invoices, for program compliance.
• Manage program data collection, reporting, and research needs.
• Lead development and monitoring of regional Strategic Investment Plans and Feasibility Matrices.
• Oversee the application and finalist selection processes, including LOIs, narratives, resolutions, and planning documents.
• Coordinate multi-agency participation with partners.
• Track funding and match requirements across state, local, and private partners.
• Support capacity-building for regional leadership teams through training and coaching.
• Ensure compliance with CDBG and state/federal program requirements.
• Facilitate community engagement sessions to gather feedback and strengthen regional participation.
• Develop program evaluation metrics and dashboards to assess readiness, impact, and alignment.
• Lead outreach and awareness efforts in partnership with state marketing organizations.
• Provide ongoing post-designation support for implementation, reporting, and cross-agency follow-through.
• Lead the review and evaluation of certification applications across Silver, Gold, and Prime tiers.
• Ensure sites meet all tier-specific requirements, including zoning, acreage, environmental review, infrastructure readiness, and transportation access.
• Coordinate annual recertification and maintain updates within the Indiana Site Selector Database.
• Collaborate with FASTeam partners, local governments, LEDOs/REDOs, IEDC, IDEM, INDOT, and IFA Brownfields to uphold statewide standards.
• Conduct outreach and marketing efforts to promote certified sites to site selectors and economic development prospects.
• Explore funding partnerships with public, private, and philanthropic entities to support site readiness and infrastructure improvements.
• Develop and deliver educational webinars and guidance materials for communities.
• Prepare reports detailing certification trends, gaps, and opportunities to strengthen Indiana’s inventory of ready sites.
• Serve as liaison between OCRA and community, state, federal, and academic stakeholders.
• Represent OCRA at meetings, workshops, regional convenings, and community events.
• Facilitate productive discussions among diverse stakeholders to address challenges and identify development solutions.
• Contribute content for newsletters, press releases, and agency communications.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of project management experience.
• Knowledge of project management practices and the ability to set program goals and methodologies.
• Understanding of Indiana community and economic development initiatives.
• Proficiency in grants administration, budgeting, and financial oversight.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex material and recommend solutions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to travel within Indiana and occasionally out of state.
• Ability to work productively with federal, state, and local partners.

Qualifications

• Experience in community and economic development.
• Knowledge of Indiana’s economic development programs.
• Strong project management skills.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Strong organizational capacity.

Skills

• Project management.
• Grant writing and administration.
• Financial oversight.
• Community engagement.
• Program evaluation.
• Strategic planning.
• Policy research.
• Stakeholder coordination.
• Compliance with federal and state regulations.

Benefits

The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees which includes:

• Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans.
• A Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards.
• A Health Savings Account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution.
• A 457(b) account (similar to 401(k) plan) with employer match.
• Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options.
• A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to: 150 hours of paid New Parent Leave and up to eight weeks of paid Childbirth Recovery Leave for eligible mothers.
• Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave.
• Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off.
• 12 paid holidays, 14 on election years.
• An Education Reimbursement Program.
• Group life insurance.
• A referral bonus program.
• An Employee Assistance Program that allows for covered behavioral health visits.
• A qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
• Free parking for most positions.
• Free LinkedIn Learning access.

Pay

The salary for this position traditionally starts at $53,222.00 but may be commensurate with education and work experience. Use our Compensation Calculator to view the total compensation package.

Schedule

The schedule for this position is typically full-time, with occasional travel required.