Economic Development Manager (£70K-£90K + bonus)

ABOUT NEXTSTEP

NextStep connects top consulting talent with high-potential opportunities through smart, AI-powered matching. We partner with ambitious companies across sectors to place experienced professionals in roles where they can have a real impact. On behalf of a client in our partner network, we are looking for an Economic Development Manager to join their team.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Our client is a specialist public sector consultancy headquartered in London, advising central government, mayoral authorities, and local councils on economic strategy, regeneration, and investment promotion. They have built a strong reputation over more than a decade of work on some of the UK's most complex and politically visible economic development programmes, from high street recovery to freeport strategy to green industrial transition. They are growing their advisory team to meet sustained demand across existing and new clients.

THE ROLE

As Economic Development Manager, you will lead the delivery of economic development advisory projects for a portfolio of public sector clients, working across strategy development, programme design, and stakeholder engagement. You will manage client relationships, lead junior team members, and contribute to business development activity across the practice. This is a role for someone who combines analytical rigour with a genuine understanding of how economic development policy works in practice and the patience to navigate the complexity of public sector delivery.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead the delivery of economic development advisory projects across areas including investment attraction, place strategy, skills and employment policy, and regeneration planning.

• Conduct economic analysis, labour market research, and policy landscape assessments to underpin client recommendations.

• Develop strategies, frameworks, and delivery plans for clients at the local and regional government level, translating complex evidence into actionable priorities.

• Manage client relationships on a day-to-day basis, maintaining strong communication, managing expectations, and ensuring outputs meet the required standard.

• Lead and develop junior team members on project workstreams, providing guidance, feedback, and quality oversight.

• Contribute to business development activity, including bid writing, proposal development, and relationship building with existing and prospective clients.

• Represent the practice at industry events, government forums, and stakeholder engagement processes.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• 5+ years of experience in economic development, public policy, management consulting, or a strategy role with significant public sector exposure.

• Strong understanding of the UK economic development landscape, including the roles of mayoral authorities, combined authorities, and central government programmes.

• Solid analytical skills; comfortable with economic and spatial data, able to draw clear, evidence-based conclusions and translate them into practical recommendations.

• Excellent written communication; experienced in producing strategy documents, reports, and briefings for senior public sector audiences.

• Proven ability to manage client relationships and lead project delivery in a consultancy or advisory environment.

• Experience managing or mentoring junior team members.

• Genuine interest in economic policy, placemaking, and the challenges facing UK regional economies.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Base salary of £70,000 - £90,000, determined based on experience and scope.

• Annual bonus reflective of individual and practice performance.

• Additional benefits, including private health cover, pension, and leave entitlement, are detailed as part of the full offer package.

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered for this role, please create your profile at getnextstep.com https://getnextstep.com/candidate/landing?utm_medium=job-board&utm_source=job-board. Once your profile is complete, our matching system will evaluate your background against the role criteria and match you with the company if it's a strong fit. No cover letter required.

This role is listed by NextStep on behalf of our client. All applications are handled with confidentiality.