What is the role of a development officer ?

What is the role of a development officer?

The main function of a development officer is to promote the economic growth of a large or small territory. There are many different roles an economic development officer can take on. The most common is to support and encourage existing businesses while striving to attract new businesses to the area. Would you like to do this job ?

Discover its main characteristics and specificities before deciding to join our Master Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

What is a development officer?

An economic development officer, sometimes called an economic development officer, contributes above all to the economic development of the territory by facilitating the conditions for the establishment of companies.

Its role is first to define a strategy by identifying the economic needs of the economic area for which it is responsible, which may be a city, a group of municipalities or a region. He can be in charge of revitalizing an industrial zone, animating a city center by attracting new businesses or developing tourist activities.

Its functions have an economic as well as a social purpose, as its actions aim to create employment but also to improve the quality of life in the territory.

The main mission of the economic development officer unfolds in several stages :

• First, the economic development officer locates available sites that can meet the identified needs.
• It then identifies potential entrepreneurs and investors.
• It contacts them and draws up an action plan detailing the advantages of setting up in the region,
• presenting them with the public and private aid schemes from which they can benefit.

What are the different types of agents of développement?

Collectivité territoriale:

When working for a local authority, the economic development officer provides both strategic and operational advice. He then collaborates most often with official organizations, such as the chamber of commerce and industry or the chamber of trades and crafts.

Fédération professionnelle:

The economic development officer can also be an employee of a professional federation. Its activity is then more specialized, and consists essentially in supporting the companies of its federation.

Enseigne commerciale:

The economic development agent can also be an employee of a commercial brand. He is then in contact with local elected officials and canvasses the land for new locations as part of a local urban development project.

What are the missions of the development officer?

The missions of the development officer are extremely varied, especially when working for a local authority (which is most often the case). The development agent acts as a link between all the economic actors of a project.

• It visits sites and identifies development opportunities by carrying out sectoral economic diagnoses in order to inform the decisions of the various stakeholders.
• It carries out an economic watch taking into account the specificities of the economic and social environment of its territory as well as real estate and land development projects.
• He leads training modules and working groups for targeted companies and economic actors in his region to create strategic partnerships.
• It assists companies during all stages of project development.

The development agent also assists elected officials in their reflection and strategic choice in order to implement projects strengthening the attractiveness of the territory: road construction, renewable energy facilities (solar energy, wind energy, etc.), pedestrian or cycling areas, real estate programs…

What are the qualities needed to become a development officer?

Un étudiant aspirant à devenir agent de développement doit de préférence suivre une formation orientée vers l’économie et la gestion pour apprendre à maitriser de multiples compétences comme le marketing, la gestion d’entreprise et la fiscalité. De nombreuses formations supérieures peuvent amener à exercer ce métier, mais il est préférable d’obtenir un diplôme de niveau minimum bac +5 et de s’orienter vers un master plus spécialisé dans l’entrepreneuriat. L’étudiant pourra ainsi acquérir les fondamentaux de la gestion, apprendre à évaluer la faisabilité d’un projet et mettre en œuvre les actions nécessaires pour le développer.

Apart from technical skills, the economic development agent must master a number of «soft skills»: a good sense of listening, real interpersonal skills, a pragmatic mind, great capacities of synthesis and analysis, resistance to stress and the ability to lead groups and meetings.

How much does a development officer earn?

The average gross annual earnings of a junior development officer is between €26k and €43k, with an average of €31k (source: Apec). An experienced advisor can earn around €50k if they work in a community, or even more if they work for a large private sector company.

You in turn want to develop projects by creating value in a motivating environment ? Découvrez notre programme Master Innovation & entrepreneurship et choisissez un métier qui vous correspond.