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Virginia Economic Development Partnership Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Work with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina as well as regional and local economic development organizations. Build trade ally network through membership in targeted economic ...

The Economic Development Director serves as the senior leader responsible for implementing ... Partner with CDFIs and investors to channel NMTC allocations into qualifying low-income community ...

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Virginia Economic Development Partnership information

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How much do virginia economic development partnership jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for virginia economic development partnership in the United States is $103,020.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $81,500.00 and $124,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP)?

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) is a state authority that works to promote economic growth in Virginia by attracting new businesses, supporting existing companies, and encouraging investment in the state. VEDP collaborates with local, regional, and state partners to create jobs, expand the tax base, and enhance the overall economic well-being of Virginia. The organization provides a range of services, including site selection assistance, market research, workforce training, and support for international trade.

What is the difference between Virginia Economic Development Partnership vs Virginia Business Development Specialist?

AspectVirginia Economic Development PartnershipVirginia Business Development Specialist
CredentialsBachelor's degree in economics, business, or related field; experience in economic developmentBachelor's degree in business, marketing, or related field; experience in sales or business support
Work EnvironmentGovernment agency, office-based, collaborativeOffice setting, client-facing, community engagement
Employer & IndustryState government, economic development sectorPrivate companies or government agencies, business support services
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles in economic development organizationsRoles supporting business growth and client relations

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership focuses on statewide economic growth initiatives, policy development, and attracting investments. In contrast, a Virginia Business Development Specialist typically works directly with local businesses to support growth and sales. While both roles involve economic and business development, the Partnership has a broader, strategic focus, whereas the Specialist emphasizes direct client engagement and support.

What types of projects and collaborations can I expect to work on at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP)?

At VEDP, you can expect to engage in a variety of projects that promote economic growth, such as supporting business attraction and expansion, conducting market research, and facilitating workforce development initiatives. Collaboration is a key aspect of the role, as you will regularly partner with local governments, business leaders, and state agencies to develop and implement strategies that drive investment in Virginia. These collaborations often involve cross-functional teams, providing ample opportunities to learn from colleagues with diverse expertise and to contribute to impactful, high-visibility projects that shape Virginia's economic future.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and why are they important?

To excel at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, candidates generally need expertise in economic development, business analysis, and project management, often supported by a degree in business, economics, or a related field. Familiarity with CRM software, data analysis tools, and economic impact modeling systems is typically expected. Strong interpersonal skills, negotiation abilities, and public speaking are vital for building relationships with stakeholders and promoting Virginia as a business destination. These skills and qualifications are essential for driving investment, fostering job creation, and supporting the state's economic growth.
More about Virginia Economic Development Partnership jobs
What cities are hiring for Virginia Economic Development Partnership jobs? Cities with the most Virginia Economic Development Partnership job openings:
What states have the most Virginia Economic Development Partnership jobs? States with the most job openings for Virginia Economic Development Partnership jobs include:
Infographic showing various Virginia Economic Development Partnership job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 71% Full Time, and 29% Part Time. Highlights an 55% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 44% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $103,020 per year, or $49.5 per hour.

Vice President, Research

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

Richmond, VA โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 19 days ago


Job description

Position Overview


The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) seeks a Vice President, Research to provide strategic, operational, and cultural leadership for VEDPโ€™s Research Division. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Research, this role leads a diverse, multidisciplinary division of approximately 25 staff responsible for conducting solutions-oriented business analysis supporting business investment efforts, communicating Virginiaโ€™s value proposition through compelling deliverables, and delivering technology-enabled operational support across the organization.

This is a highly collaborative, player-coach leadership role requiring a combination of strategic thinking, operational management, analytical capability, organizational judgment, and people leadership. The Vice President must be capable of contributing substantively to high-profile initiatives and analytical work while also building effective systems, strengthening processes, supporting team development, and ensuring the division operates effectively at a high level across a large volume of concurrent workstreams.

The Vice President will interact professionally, collaboratively, and strategically with colleagues across all divisions of VEDP, helping align Research capabilities with organizational priorities and continuously evolving how the division delivers value to internal and external stakeholders.

Core Responsibilities

Leadership & Division Management

  • Lead and manage a multidisciplinary division of approximately 25 staff spanning analytics, client communications, business presentations, GIS, application development and Salesforce administration.
  • Provide clear direction, priorities, and expectations for the division while fostering a collaborative, high-trust, mission-oriented culture.
  • Provide ongoing coaching, performance management, professional development, and organizational support for direct reports and broader team members.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, responsiveness, curiosity, and continuous improvement.
  • Promote thoughtful cross-team collaboration and avoid operational silos across the division.
  • Ensure effective allocation of staff resources, workloads, budgets, and operational priorities across teams and initiatives.
  • Help shape and strengthen organizational culture by modeling maturity, professionalism, sound judgment, authenticity, and collaborative leadership.
  • Identify opportunities to strengthen organizational structure, workflows, processes, and team effectiveness over time.

Strategic Insight & Analysis

  • Serve as a strategic thought partner to VEDP leadership on issues related to economic development, competitiveness, industry trends, business climate dynamics, and organizational strategy.
  • Provide high-level analytical support, strategic framing, and problem-solving support for executive leadership, major initiatives, and priority projects.
  • Help strengthen VEDPโ€™s ability to deliver distinctive insights, communicate Virginiaโ€™s competitive advantages, and support informed decision-making for both internal and external stakeholders.
  • Maintain situational awareness regarding major projects, organizational priorities, and pipeline activity to ensure Research Division efforts remain aligned with business needs and organizational objectives.
  • Support the development and continuous refinement of Virginiaโ€™s industry, competitiveness, and business value proposition materials and related strategic resources.
  • Help ensure the Research Division delivers clear, compelling, and strategically aligned support that helps VEDP solve problems, support business investment efforts, and communicate effectively with clients and stakeholders.
  • Represent VEDP credibly in select interactions with the Board of Directors, administration officials, partners, and the broader economic development practitioner community.

Operational Excellence & Service Delivery

  • Lead efforts to continuously improve how the Research Division delivers services and support across the organization.
  • Strengthen operational processes, quality assurance, workflow coordination, prioritization approaches, and service delivery models across teams.
  • Continue strengthening the divisionโ€™s consultative, strategically aligned, and high-value partnership model across the organization.
  • Work closely with internal stakeholders to define service expectations, ensure appropriate intake and prioritization processes, and strengthen alignment between organizational needs and Research capabilities.
  • Ensure high-quality, timely execution of project support deliverables and analytical products supporting VEDPโ€™s business development and marketing efforts.

Technology & Data Systems

  • Provide strategic oversight for VEDPโ€™s Salesforce CRM platform, GIS capabilities, application development efforts, and related technology-enabled operational tools.
  • Partner with technical teams and organizational stakeholders to help translate business needs into effective operational and technology solutions.
  • Foster a culture of innovation and thoughtful experimentation around technology, analytics, automation, and operational improvement.
  • Help ensure technology and data resources are aligned with organizational strategy, operational priorities, and user needs.

Organizational Performance

  • Support the use of organizational metrics, operational analytics, and performance reporting to strengthen decision-making and organizational effectiveness.
  • Oversee Research Division support for organizational surveys, pipeline analytics, operational reporting, and other performance management initiatives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Organizational Partnership

  • Build strong collaborative relationships across VEDP divisions and with external partners where appropriate.
  • Partner closely with Marketing, Lead Generation, Business Investment, Economic Competitiveness, Talent, External Affairs, and other teams to support integrated organizational objectives.
  • Help bridge communication and operational gaps between technical teams, analytical teams, and business-facing functions.
  • Support organizational initiatives requiring cross-functional coordination, strategic analysis, operational problem-solving, or executive-level communication support.
  • Help ensure the Research Division remains highly responsive, collaborative, and solutions-oriented while maintaining focus on long-term effectiveness and sustainability.

Experience Required

  • At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in research, analytics, economic development, strategy, consulting, operations, technology-enabled business functions, or related fields.
  • Significant leadership and people-management experience overseeing multidisciplinary teams and complex operational functions.
  • Strong strategic thinking, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving capabilities.
  • Experience managing or partnering closely with analytical, operational, and/or technology-oriented teams.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information clearly and persuasively for executive audiences.
  • Strong organizational judgment and decision-making skills, including the ability to balance competing priorities and operate effectively in fast-moving environments.
  • Experience operating in a fast-paced, client-service-oriented or project-driven environment.
  • Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and building collaborative relationships across teams and stakeholders.
  • Operational management experience, including process improvement, workflow management, resource allocation, and organizational coordination.
  • Comfort working with metrics, operational reporting, CRM systems, organizational analytics, and performance management concepts.
  • Strong presentation and executive communication capabilities.

Personal Attributes

  • Strong emotional intelligence, maturity, and interpersonal judgment.
  • Authentic, collaborative leadership style.
  • Strategic and systems-oriented thinker.
  • High degree of initiative and accountability.
  • Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-moving, high-profile environments.
  • Comfortable balancing strategic thinking with operational execution.
  • Strong organizational instincts and sound judgment.
  • Curious, thoughtful, and intellectually engaged.
  • Innovative and technology-savvy with an interest in operational improvement and practical applications of emerging tools and technologies.
  • Strong relationship builder capable of leading through trust, credibility, and collaboration.
  • Ability to maintain composure and perspective under pressure.
  • Commitment to continuous improvement, team development, and organizational effectiveness.

Within 12โ€“18 months, success looks like . . .

  • The Vice President has developed strong, trusting relationships across the Research Division and broader organization and is viewed as a collaborative, thoughtful, and highly credible leader.
  • The Research Division is operating with strong alignment, clear priorities, healthy culture, and effective cross-team coordination.
  • Research capabilities are increasingly viewed as a strategic differentiator for VEDP, helping strengthen Virginiaโ€™s value proposition through distinctive insight and operational excellence.
  • The division has continued improving its operational processes, service delivery models, prioritization approaches, and organizational responsiveness.
  • Internal stakeholders view the division as proactive, solutions-oriented, collaborative, and strategically valuable.
  • Technology, analytics, CRM, GIS, and application development capabilities are increasingly integrated into broader organizational strategy and operational improvement efforts.
  • The Vice President has successfully balanced strategic leadership, operational management, organizational partnership, and substantive analytical contribution.
  • The division continues to strengthen its culture of trust, collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
  • The Vice President and team are regarded as highly effective partners capable of delivering thoughtful, high-quality work in a fast-paced, high-profile environment.

Education

Bachelorโ€™s degree in economics, business, public policy, statistics, geography, information systems, communications, management, or related field required. Advanced degree preferred.

Compensation

Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.

References and Background Information

It is VEDPโ€™s policy to complete an extensive background and reference check of candidates. Once strong mutual interest has been established, candidates are asked to provide a list of references that should include, but not be limited to, a supervisor, peer, subordinate, and client/stakeholder reference, as applicable. Candidates will be asked to sign an authorization to release information for the purpose of background investigation, which may include verification of education, credit check, criminal, and driving records. Should an offer be extended prior to the completion of these checks, the offer will be contingent on successful completion of the reference and background checks.

Application Process

Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. VEDP uses the E-Verify system and does not provide sponsorship.

All candidates must apply through our website https://www.vedp.org/careers. Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter. A valid Virginia driverโ€™s license and ability to obtain a passport is required. Application deadline: Open Until Filled.


VEDP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, political affiliation, genetics, or against otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities. It is VEDPโ€™s intent that its employment and personnel policies and practices conform to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Applicants requiring more information or requiring assistance may contact VEDP Human Resources at 1-804-545-5634 or vedphr@VEDP.org. TDD 1-800-828-1120.