Growth is more than a mindset at PPR Strategies; it’s a lived reality. Right now, we’re expanding our team, so we set out looking for talented professionals. What we’re finding are renaissance people: systems thinkers, grassroots connectors, and thought leaders with main character energy. Here’s what the journey has taught us about you, people who consider economic development their calling:
You Are Systems Stewards
If there’s one theme that emerges from our candidate conversations, it’s this: economic development professionals aren’t operating in silos. The practitioners we’ve spoken with are building cross-sector ecosystems, co-developing entrepreneurship curricula with colleges, bridging public-private partnerships to fix workforce gaps, and creating mentorship networks that provide resources to businesses at every stage. You’re not just managing programs; you’re stewarding entire systems of opportunity.
You Are Wildly Well-Rounded
From chairing arts boards to leading tech councils, volunteering with charities to launching entrepreneurial ventures of your own, you’re curious, civic-minded, and embedded in the communities you serve. We applaud the multi-disciplinary thinking you bring to every challenge.
Your Experience Spans America
From rural communities to bustling city centers (and everywhere in between), we’re wowed by the breadth of communities our candidates call home. From the Pacific Coast to the East Coast, the professionals in our pipeline carry knowledge that is both deeply local and powerfully transferable. This profession doesn’t play favorites with zip codes; and neither do the people in our applicant pool!
You Meet People Where They Are
Time and again, the candidates we’ve spoken with describe community engagement not as a strategy, but as a value. Building trust before building plans is your way. Your methodology is transparent and genuinely committed to inclusivity.
You Are Thought Leaders Who Share What You Know
TED talkers, workshop facilitators, and entrepreneurs: oh my! You’re contributing to conversations about what economic development can and should be. If knowledge is power, it’s safe to say our profession is exceptionally well-powered.
You Value Work That Works for Your Life
The remote and hybrid conversations have been thoughtful and refreshingly direct. The candidates we’ve spoken with have built lives: families, communities, and routines that matter to them. They’re not asking for less work; they’re asking for smarter arrangements that allow them to do their best work. As a firm that embraces flexibility as a value, we’re aligned.
The Takeaway
If this hiring process has taught us anything, it’s that the economic development profession is in extraordinary hands. The practitioners we’ve encountered are reimagining what thriving looks like, and doing it with creativity and care. Have you had a hiring process that changed how you see your profession? I’d love to hear about it; drop me a line!
We haven’t closed the application deadline for our two positions. If you’re interested – or know someone who would be a great fit within our team, we’d appreciate the opportunity to talk with them. Here’s a link to the Director of Client Impact and the Senior Client and Content Strategist.
