Director International Business Development Jobs in Raleigh, NC

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina (hybrid/office as applicable)
Schedule: Monday and Friday remote, Tuesday-Thursday in office (based on business needs)

About EDPNC

At EDPNC, our mission is to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians. In partnership with state, regional, local, and private sector leaders, we support North Carolina’s growth through business recruitment, existing industry support, international trade and export assistance, small business counseling, and tourism promotion.

As a public-private partnership serving on behalf of the State of North Carolina, EDPNC operates at the intersection of public service and economic strategy. Our work helps attract investment, support employers, strengthen communities, and position North Carolina as one of the best places in the country to live, work, and do business.

We are a collaborative, mission-driven organization that values professionalism, initiative, responsiveness, and strong relationships. The work is fast-paced, meaningful, and highly collaborative, offering employees the opportunity to engage with leaders across business, government, and communities throughout the state. At EDPNC, team members are motivated by the opportunity to make a tangible impact while working alongside smart, dedicated people who care deeply about North Carolina’s future.

About the Role

Lead and direct the organization’s efforts to proactively identify and cultivate new business prospects considering the state for new investment. Develop and implement a strategy that maximizes the success of the team in generating new deal flow, with a focus on foreign-direct investment (FDI), by collaborating with various partners and advisory organizations and communicating North Carolina’s value proposition to audiences of prospective investors.

Supervisory Responsibility: International Business Development Managers, Business Development Coordinator, Business Development Specialist, and Foreign Investment Office Directors (multiple contractors)

What You’ll Do

• Develop, implement, lead, and manage the Business Development unit’s strategy - including performance metrics and annual target goals – to generate and deliver qualified business recruitment leads
• Direct the organization’s efforts to identify new corporate investment leads, including the advanced manufacturing, distribution, food-processing, headquarters, information-technology, R&D, and back-office/shared-services sectors
• Direct and coordinate lead-generation and business development strategies of EDPNC’s overseas investment offices, serving as primary point of contact for select foreign offices
• Personally identify, cultivate and manage an active pipeline of opportunity leads, and, when appropriate, refer those leads to the Business Recruitment unit, Existing Industry unit, local partners, and/or private sector partners
• Identify high-growth industry sectors and companies for North Carolina to prioritize for corporate recruitment and prospecting purposes
• Promote North Carolina as a business location to corporate decision makers through marketing events, conferences/forums, and one-on-one meetings
• Create and communicate relevant iterations of the state’s value proposition for new investment to prospective investors and decision-influencers (e.g. transactional advisory firms and foreign governmental agencies involved with helping companies evaluate the U.S. and North Carolina for expansion)
• Proactively engage corporate decision makers at industry conferences, trade shows and other related events
• Develop strategic partnerships with other North Carolina associations and organizations, as well as other businesses (e.g. service providers in law, construction, banking, and other related sectors) to increase generation of deal flow
• Learn and leverage current trends in foreign-direct investment, including understanding the most active sectors and source countries for new FDI
• Provide regional and/or industry specific project-management support as needed for business recruitment and expansion projects, however those projects are sourced
• Lead the organization’s efforts to build and develop relationships with third-party influencers of the corporate investment decision, including transactional advisors (e.g. law firms, construction firms, accounting firms, etc.) and related international business, government, and non-profit organizations (e.g. German-American Chamber of Commerce, SelectUSA)
• Serve as a representative for the organization, such as through speaking engagements to various stakeholder groups
• Other duties as the supervisor deems necessary
• Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time

What We're Looking For

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, preferably in related fields such as business, marketing, economics, finance, public policy, etc.
• Professional fluency in a major Western European (e.g. German, French, Spanish) or East Asian (e.g. Japanese, Korean, Chinese) language is preferred.
• Minimum three years of experience in business development, preferably involving international clientele or similar experience in site-selection or incentives advisory work, or marketing and sales.
• Minimum two years of experience managing multiple direct reports in an economic development agency or similar business-development capacity is preferred.
• Knowledge of foreign-direct investment issues (including industry sector trends) is preferred.

Key Competencies

• Ability to interface professionally with senior-level business executives and government officials at all levels and across different cultures.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including presentations to outside audiences
• Strong organizational skills and thorough follow up.
• Strategic thinking
• Focus on attaining performance results
• Ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders, both internal and external to the organization
• Customer service-focused attitude and behavior

We Invest in Our People—Professionally and Personally.

At EDPNC, our benefits are designed to support your career, well-being, and life outside of work.

• Competitive compensation and performance incentives that reward impact and results
• Hybrid work schedule that supports flexibility, and balance
• Generous time off, including 4 weeks of PTO, 9 paid holidays, 3 sick and wellness days, and 3 flex holidays
• 401(k) with a 5% employer match after six months to help you build long-term financial security
• Paid parental leave, including 8 weeks of maternity leave and 4 weeks of paternal leave, because family matters
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with HSA and FSA options
• Company paid short- and long-term disability coverage as well as 50K life insurance for added peace of mind
• Employee Assistance Program that covers your entire household’s wellbeing
• Voluntary benefit options such as critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, life insurance and pet insurance
• Corporate amenities such as paid parking, gym access and complimentary snacks
• Family Forward Certified, reflecting our commitment to family-friendly workplace practices

Why Join EDPNC?

This is an opportunity to work with manufacturers across North Carolina and play a meaningful role in strengthening one of the state's most important industries. You'll collaborate with a statewide network of business, workforce, education, and economic development leaders while helping companies access resources that support growth, competitiveness, and long-term success.