Economic Development & FTZ Coordinator

Thank you for considering a career at Port Houston. We appreciate your interest in joining our team. By applying, you are taking an important step toward advancing your career with an organization committed to excellence.

Port Houston offers competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a diverse, inclusive work environment. Joining our team means embarking on a fulfilling career path with opportunities for growth and impact.

Before submitting your application, please ensure your resume is ready for upload in either .doc or .pdf format. Application must be completed in full.

Position Summary:

The Economic Development & FTZ Coordinator is responsible for providing program, administrative, and stakeholder support across two core areas that help drive cargo, trade, and investments to the Houston Ship Channel region. ED/FTZ Coordinator supports the administration, compliance, and daily operations of Port Houston’s Foreign-Trade Zone program. The role ensures compliance with federal FTZ regulations, supports FTZ operators, tenants, and coordinates with regulatory agencies, including maintaining accurate records and reporting. Reporting to the Director Economic Development, and providing secondary support to the FTZ Administrator, the ED/FTZ Coordinator will assist in tracking business development efforts, supporting compliance functions, managing outreach logistics, organizing meetings, events, and ensuring effective communication with internal and external partners. This role is key to strengthening Port Houston’s efforts in regional economic competitiveness and trade facilitation and supports initiatives aligned with Port Houston’s Strategic Plan pillars: Maritime Economic Development, Partnerships, and People & Organization.

Key Responsibilities/Duties:

• Provide cross-functional administrative and programmatic support for both the Director Economic Development and FTZ Administrator.
• Coordinate logistics and preparation for departmental meetings, site visits, business development outreach, FTZ operator roundtables, and stakeholder events.
• Maintain and update the department’s CRM, prospect pipeline, contact databases, FTZ operator/user lists, and project tracking systems.
• Assist with the intake and response to inquiries from regional economic developers, site selectors, prospective FTZ users and consultants.
• Support the production and organization of economic reports, presentations, talking points, and marketing materials.
• Compile and maintain FTZ operator data, forms, and compliance documentation in coordination with the FTZ Administrator.
• Work closely with the accounting department on tasks related to FTZ annual billing and payments.
• Conduct research and gather data to support business attraction efforts, cargo opportunity analysis, and FTZ strategic planning.
• Help prepare agendas, take meeting notes, and follow up on action items with internal and external stakeholders. Coordinate outreach campaigns, promotional items, events, assist with social media and web content updates in partnership with Corporate Communications & Marketing department.
• Routinely conduct process improvement audits and make recommendations on improvements.
• Monitor relevant trade and economic development industry trends, events, and policy developments to inform team efforts.
• Assist department with administrative tasks, including but not limited to budget, sponsorships and service agreements.
• Attend and participate in Economic Development & FTZ related events as needed.
• Perform other duties and projects assigned to support the department and Port Houston’s strategic initiatives.
• Act in accordance with Port Houston core values (respect, excellence, accountability, diligence, and you)
• Perform other duties as assigned

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Business, Public Administration, International Trade, Economic Development, Logistics, Communications, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 2+ years of experience in economic development, foreign trade zone, international trade, logistics, port operations, public affairs, or a related field preferred.
• Performs work under general supervision, handles moderately complex issues and problems, and refers more complex issues to higher-level staff.
• Possesses solid working knowledge of subject matter.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Behaviors:

• Strong project coordination and administrative skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Working knowledge of the FTZ program including compliance and best practices a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); experience with CRM systems (e.g. HubSpot) or project management tools is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with senior leadership, stakeholders, and government partners.
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and capable of working both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, with strong skills in Excel and Word.

Key Competencies Required:

• Achieving Results - Takes proactive steps to improve workflow, solve problems, and enhance program support.
• Adaptability - Effectively manages shifting priorities in response to changing conditions or urgent requests.
• Detail-Oriented - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness in managing data, documents, and communications.
• Collaboration - Builds and maintain productive relationships across departments and with external partners. Customer Focus - Anticipates and responds to internal and external stakeholder needs with professionalism and timeliness.
• Communication - Clearly conveys information in both verbal and written formats appropriate for diverse audiences.

This work site location of this job is:

Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but due to open office environment noise level may occasionally be high.  To apply, please go to porthouston.com/careers.  Only applications submitted through the Port Houston Careers website will be acknowledged.  Port Houston is an equal opportunity employer and participates in the E-Verify program supervised by the U.S. Government.

Disclaimer:

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this job.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

We appreciate your interest in Port Houston. Port Houston is an equal employment opportunity employer. Port Houston’s policy is not to discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Port Houston also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. Application must be completed in full.