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Vice President, Economic Development

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership), the economic and community development organization for the Orlando region, seeks an exceptional, innovative and passionate professional to join a high-performing team and help shape the future of the second fastest-growing employment metro market in the nation. The Partnership is a high-impact, inclusive, adaptable, and forward-thinking organization that is seizing the moment to advance Broad-based Prosperity® throughout the Orlando region. Transforming the future of economic development by leveraging first-of-its-kind technology, the Partnership seeks an accomplished leader to further its strategic plan of growing the diversity of the economy and driving investment into the region while catalyzing Orlando’s collaborative spirit to fuel regional leadership and improve the region’s competitiveness.

This job description is intended primarily as an illustration of the type of work to be performed by the Vice President, Economic Development, who will report directly to the Senior Vice President of Innovation and Economic Development. The Vice President, Economic Development (VP) leads the Orlando Economic Partnership’s (OEP) team of business specialists whose challenge is to recruit, retain and grow companies in the Orlando Region. Integration and collaboration with other OEP business units (Branding/Marketing, Market Intelligence, Corporate Engagement and Administration) to achieve the overall OEP mission is critical.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Leadership & Management

Team Management: The VP serves as leader and coach for the Economic Development team and is responsible for the development and implementation of the organization’s economic development goals, strategy, budget, and work plans. The VP implements OEP policies and procedures and is responsible in part for revenue generation and cost controls.

B. Recruitment & Project Management

Economic Development: The VP is responsible for economic development and client outreach initiatives including client/prospect development and business relations. This position is responsible for shepherding prospective businesses through the business location/expansion decision process with the goal of securing corporate expansions and relocations for the Orlando region. The VP will advise on outreach, marketing and PR that supports the generation of leads for such business prospects as well as on market intelligence and content to construct compelling cases for job creation and business investment within the region.

Cluster Development: The VP will assist in the planning, coordination and implementation of outreach to targeted industries within the region to establish supportive relationships and market the Orlando region. The VP will work with organizations and trade associations in these targeted sectors to strengthen the clusters, as well as organizations and associations outside the region to enhance the image of the Orlando region among influencers in these sectors. The VP will provide input to more effectively develop key industry sectors and targeted markets for economic development. When opportunities arise for new cluster development, the VP will be instrumental in planning/building the cluster ecosystem and recruitment.

Business Influencers: The VP will participate in the ongoing effort to build, maintain and leverage relationships with site selection consultants and VIPs in a coordinated outreach program to facilitate lead generation. This includes identifying key contacts, meetings during personal sales calls, sales missions and/or trade shows and conferences and hosting regional familiarization tours.

Trade Shows/Sales Missions: The VP will be required to coordinate and conduct sales missions and industry-specific trade shows and conferences outside the region, calling on clients and prospects, and marketing the Orlando region. Accordingly, this position will arrange travel schedules to optimize time and OEP resources.

Regional and Organizational Investment/Community Relations: The VP will support corporate goals of the OEP including securing investment in conjunction with the Corporate Engagement team. The VP will also develop and maintain professional relationships to support the generation of new business leads and contacts that facilitate business development. Contacts include government officials (particularly economic development counterparts), the real estate community, financial institutions, educational institutions, utilities, employment agencies, professional business associations and similarly aligned community/business development organizations.

Confidentiality: The VP is expected to maintain confidentiality and trade secrets of the OEP and its clients and at the client’s request, is responsible for protecting project information per Florida statutes.

IV. Job Qualifications/Skills

Required:

• Strong business acumen including the impacts of economic, political and social trends
• Thorough knowledge of the factors influencing business location and expansion decisions
• Understanding of basic business needs of the unique target industries
• Ability to construct and present compelling business cases/rationales
• Effective at developing business deals involving real estate, financial incentives, etc.
• Advising partners, particularly government, on appropriate financial incentive and infrastructure investments including return on investment analyses
• Influencer of business executives, site selection consultants and key partners
• Goal-setting and strategy design
• Personal initiative with an entrepreneurial spirit and team-driven philosophy
• Inspirational leadership and organization of a team

• Effective coaching and mentoring for direct reports
• Ability to handle a high-paced setting, to prioritize, managing multiple assignments to meet deadlines

• Public speaking and communication with media representatives
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills
• Strong computer skills – proficiency with the Microsoft suite of office
• Research aptitude and familiarization with economic and demographic data sources as well as various return on investment (ROI) models
• Knowledge of basic marketing and branding tactics
• Must be able to travel outside the region for up to one week at a time, three to six times annually

Preferred:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in economic development, sales, marketing or a related field with a combination of public or non-profit and private sector experience
• Minimum of 5 years of managerial experience
• Master’s degree from an accredited university

• Consultative sales experience
• Economic development certifications