Careers

Looking for an opportunity to use your research and analytical skills to improve the competitiveness of U.S. regions? Check this out!

Economic Development Research Analysts at the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) support/lead research and technical assistance projects to support our clients as they develop and execute innovative job creation and economic growth strategies.

Position Details

The Economic Development Research Analyst will lead and participate in project activities in collaboration with other research staff and senior management. The individual will support CREC’s current and anticipated contracts with federal/state economic and workforce development agencies and/or with private foundations including U.S. Department of Treasury, Economic Development Administration, State Economic Development Executives, and Appalachian Regional Commission.

The Economic Development Analyst will ensure that CREC, partners and affiliate associations effectively engage in an ongoing dialogue with clients, potential clients and association members. This effort will include (but not limited to):

• Leading and conducting technical assistance and related analysis to generate project deliverables.
• Delivering project analysis findings to research team and partners.
• Providing research support, including navigating federal datasets (e.g., Census Bureau, BLS, BEA), analyzing and drawing insights from workforce and economic development data, and supporting policy and program recommendations for clients.
• Contributing to weekly updates, websites, blogs, social media, and proposals.
• Assisting in meeting facilitation, trainings and webinars.
• Helping senior analysts maintain data products including:
  • State Business Incentive Database,
  • Cost of Living Index, and
  • State and Local Economic Development Strategy Database.

Capabilities & Responsibilities: The Economic Development Research Analyst will provide the technical assistance, program analysis and project leadership needed to meet client needs. This person will be familiar with and exhibit intellectual curiosity about socioeconomic trends and data. In addition, the successful candidate will build on previous experience in interpreting, analyzing, and presenting research and policy to community, economic, or workforce development researchers and professionals, can demonstrate an ability to forge partnerships, and has strong written and oral skills.

Preferred Skills & Experience: The successful candidate will preferably possess a Master’s degree in a related field or at least three years of experience administering or analyzing community, economic, and/or workforce development programs. Permission to work in the U.S. is required. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required. Experience with data visualization and analysis tools such as Power BI, Tableau, R, or Python is preferred.

Our Benefits: For full-time regular employees, CREC provides medical, dental, and vision insurance and a Health Savings Account, paid Federal Holidays, Paid Time Off Leave accrual, contributions to a company 401k Retirement Savings Plan, plus special leave for the end-of-year holiday season.

Application Requirements: Interested in joining us? Send a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to bisaacson@crec.net

About CREC 

The Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) is a nonprofit that equips community leaders, policymakers, and practitioners with the insight and tools to solve today’s economic challenges. Since 2000, we have helped regions strengthen workforce systems, advance economic development strategies, and shape data-informed public policy.

Position Overview 

CREC is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented Association Management and Accounting Assistant to support the financial operations, membership, subscriber, and programmatic functions across the organization. This full-time paid position is ideal for early career professionals or recent graduates interested in accounting, association management, nonprofit operations, or member focused administrative work.

This role will play a key role in supporting invoicing workflows, and conducting outreach to current, lapsed, and prospective members. This is a hands‑on role with meaningful responsibility and the potential to grow.

Key Responsibilities

Accounting and Bookkeeping

• Enter and maintain financial transactions in QuickBooks, including deposits, credit card transactions from PayPal activity, and other cash receipts
• Prepare customer invoices and assist with accounts receivable
• Perform and assist with monthly reconciliations of bank accounts, PayPal accounts, credit cards, and other financial accounts
• Process accounts payable and vendor invoices
• Maintain customer and vendor files, W-9s, and compliance documentation

Membership Support

• Assist with data entry, record cleanup, and quality control
• Generate membership lists and reports as needed
• Maintain and update communication and marketing contact lists across platforms

Invoicing & Administrative Support 

• Assist with preparing and sending invoices to members and subscribers 
• Track payments and follow-up on outstanding invoices 
• Help maintain accurate financial and membership records

Member Outreach & Customer Service 

• Conduct outreach to existing, past, and potential members via email and phone 
• Respond to member inquiries with professionalism and clarity 
• Provide high‑quality customer service and troubleshoot common membership questions 
• Represent CREC’s values of responsiveness, accuracy, and relationship‑building 

General Support & Collaboration 

• Assist with special projects related to membership growth and retention 
• Collaborate with administrative, events, and operations team 
• Bring initiative, adaptability, and curiosity to improving processes and member experience
• Perform other duties as assigned 

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field required
• 1–3 years of experience in lieu of a bachelor’s degree
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy 
• Excellent organizational and time‑management skills 
• Clear, professional written and verbal communication 
• Ability to work well under pressure and adapt to shifting priorities 
• Demonstrated initiative and willingness to learn 
• Customer‑service mindset with a positive, solutions‑oriented approach 
• Comfortable with phone and email outreach 
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Excel, Teams, SharePoint) 
• Experience with QuickBooks or similar accounting software and basic understanding of accounting principles
• Experience with CRM systems is a plus (training provided) 

What You’ll Gain

• Hands‑on experience in association operations and membership management 
• Exposure to CRM systems and real‑world administrative workflows 
• Professional development through mentorship and cross‑team collaboration 
• Opportunity for long‑term growth

Compensation & Schedule 

• Full-time paid (40 hours/week) 
• $60,000-$65,000
• Hybrid schedule with **4 days in office**    

How to Apply: Email resume and cover letter to Jennifer Gual at jgual@crec.net