Shalini Bansal, who has worked in city or state governments in five states, has been hired by the city of Covington as its new economic development manager.

Bansal’s first day on the job was Aug. 11. She heads the economic development division of the Community Development Department.

Her duties include retaining and recruiting businesses in the city, improving partnerships with the business community, and resolving issues in new-business planning and development.

She was selected from among four candidates who participated in an interview process, the first phase of which was an open house involving the public.

Covington officials said Bansal has been working in economic development for the last 14 years. Most recently, she worked for the state of Washington in its Community, Trade and Economic Development Department as a business development manager.

Bansal has also worked for city governments in Virginia, Tennessee, Kansas and Texas.

In the private sector, she was a commercial real estate consultant for Ernst and Young, an international business consulting firm.

Bansal education background includes a degree in architecture from the New Delhi School of Planning and Architecture and a degree in city and regional planning from the University of Memphis.