Economic Development Officer, Pullar House, Perth - INTERNAL
- Location:
- Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth, PH1 5GD
- Salary:
- £47,601 - £50,773 per year
- Contract Type:
- Permanent
- Position Type:
- Full Time
- Hours:
- 36 hours per week
- Work From Home:
- Hybrid
Main Purpose of the Role
Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job – it's about being part of something meaningful. It’s about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.
We currently have the following opportunity:
Economic Development Officer – PKC13870
£47,601 - £50,773
Pullar House, Perth
Please note: Only existing employees of Perth & Kinross Council may apply.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of Perth and Kinross’s city and town centres.
As Economic Development Officer (City & Town Centres), you will lead and support a wide range of place management and economic development initiatives to enhance the vitality, resilience and attractiveness of our centres as places to live, work, visit and invest. You will work closely with businesses, communities and partners to drive investment, improve use of buildings and spaces, and support innovation in response to changing economic conditions.
The role involves delivering projects, supporting partnerships and helping ensure our city and towns remain vibrant, competitive and sustainable. You will contribute to priorities including regeneration, Town Centre First and inclusive economic growth, across the city centre and rural towns.
Key Duties & Responsibilities:
1. Place Management & Economic Development
- Develop, implement and monitor initiatives and projects supporting city and town centre growth.
- Identify opportunities to improve the use, performance and attractiveness of spaces and property.
- Support Town Centre First and regeneration priorities aligned with Council strategies.
- Monitor performance indicators to inform investment and improvement.
2. Business Engagement & Support
- Build strong relationships with businesses, landlords, investors and organisations.
- Promote resilience, innovation and diversification in response to economic change.
- Facilitate collaboration to increase footfall and economic performance.
3. Partnership Working & Stakeholder Engagement
- Work with internal services, public sector partners, private stakeholders and communities.
- Support and coordinate stakeholder collaboration to maximise impact.
- Lead or contribute to consultation and co-design.
- Represent the Council in partnerships and forums.
4. Project & Programme Management
- Deliver multiple projects within agreed timescales and resources.
- Develop business cases, funding bids and investment proposals.
- Manage consultants where required.
- Contribute to budget monitoring and reporting.
5. Research, Analysis & Reporting
- Analyse economic, property and town centre data to support decisions.
- Prepare high-quality reports and presentations.
- Monitor trends in economic performance, retail, tourism and urban centres.
6. Rural Towns & Local Centres
- Support economic activity across rural towns and smaller centres.
- Develop locally appropriate solutions to enhance vitality and identity.
7. Governance, Compliance & Service Improvement
- Ensure work aligns with Council policies and legislation.
- Contribute to strategies and service improvements.
- Support continuous improvement through process review.
Skills & Experience Required
We are looking for a motivated and proactive individual with a strong interest in economic development, regeneration and place-based working.
You will bring experience of delivering projects and working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, alongside excellent communication, networking and influencing skills. You will be confident working independently and as part of a team, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and develop evidence-based proposals, reports and presentations.
You should have a relevant qualification and/or experience in economic development or a related field, and a good understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing city and town centres. A flexible, solution-focused approach is essential, along with a commitment to partnership working and delivering positive outcomes for businesses, communities and places.
Essential Knowledge & Skills:
- Knowledge of economic development, place management and town centre regeneration principles.
- Ability to develop and deliver projects and programmes aligned with strategic objectives.
- Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret complex information to inform decisions.
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Ability to prepare reports, presentations and funding applications to a high standard.
- Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
- Understanding of financial processes and budget management.
- Digital awareness and ability to use systems and data effectively.
Essential Experience:
- Degree and/or relevant experience in economic development, regeneration, planning or related discipline.
- Experience of delivering place-based or economic development projects.
- Experience of stakeholder engagement and partnership working.
- Experience of working in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment managing multiple priorities.
Additional Requirements:
- Flexible approach to working hours to meet service needs.
- Ability to travel across the Perth & Kinross area as required.
- Commitment to health and safety and organisational values.
- You must have a valid UK driving licence as this post requires you to travel to a variety of locations across Perth and Kinross.
Working at Perth & Kinross Council
Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours. Find out more about Perth & Kinross Council and you could soon be joining our team!
Here's what we can offer you:
- A generous annual leave package
- 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
- Eligibility to join our pension scheme
- Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Wellbeing Framework
- Flexi time (remove if not relevant)
- Access to a range of benefits
We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you. A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.
For purposes of connection and collaboration with colleagues and with the community we serve, our full-time employees work on site for a minimum of 2 days per week with the arrangements for part time employees being agreed on a basis which will ensure that they benefit to an equivalent degree. Our FAQs on hybrid working can be found at Hybrid working FAQs. We are committed to being a more inclusive employer - to ensure we can consider any reasonable adjustments, please either contact the recruiting manager to discuss any individual circumstances, discuss at interview or, if you prefer, after any conditional offer is made.
Please note, we are currently unable to offer sponsorship for this post.
Next Steps
We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Alan Farnington, Team Leader - Placemaking and Localities on 07547 527549 or via afarnington@pkc.gov.uk to find out more.
Click “APPLY NOW”
External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.
We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments. Appointments are based on evidence supplied during the selection process.
Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.
To comply with Baseline Personnel Security Standard, you will be required to complete a Disclosure Scotland check.
If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.
A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications and fitness to undertake the post.