Director of Economic Develpment & Government Affairs

Director of Economic Development & Government Affairs

The Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce is seeking to fill the position of Director of Economic Development & Government Affairs. The position oversees the Chamber’s economic development and government affairs programs, which include:

·        Develop, organize and execute a three-day business attraction and retention mission to New York with emphasis on the luxury retail sector and in partnership with the City of Beverly Hills.

·        Manage a comprehensive work program of business development and marketing initiatives for the City of Beverly Hills.

·        Understand the unique partnership between the Chamber and City with the mutual goal to cultivate a dynamic local economy in Beverly Hills. Maintain productive relationships with City officials including the Mayor and City Council, City Manager and senior City staff. 

The Director must demonstrate strategic thinking as well as the ability to implement complex initiatives and shall report directly to the CEO of the Chamber. The Director will provide general support for the programming and events concerning economic development and government affairs. In addition, the Director will prepare agendas, meeting materials, and minutes.  Additional requirements are strong relationship development with excellent people skills, team player and goal oriented with a proven track record of meeting and exceeding budget goals.

Economic Development

The Director shall utilize their knowledge of the marketplace to manage a robust portfolio of economic development programs, which include:

·        Create and administer the Chamber’s signature Economic Development Council (EDC) monthly luncheon program, which includes research and development of an ongoing list of potential speakers, comprised of influential leaders in the business and government communities; recruit Chamber members for the EDC; and market the EDC to the business community.

·        Develop and implement business development and marketing initiatives through the Chamber’s annual funding agreement with the City of Beverly Hills. Previous initiatives included a Small Business Saturday marketing program, biannual Commercial Broker Roundtable Meetings, and hyper-local marketing campaigns to promote various streets in the city’s commercial areas.

·        Develop, organize and execute a three-day business attraction and retention mission to New York with emphasis on the luxury retail sector and in partnership with the City of Beverly Hills. Responsibilities include research of potential luxury businesses for Beverly Hills; schedule meetings with business executives; manage the overall trip schedule; and post-trip follow up activities.

·        Work in coordination with the City of Beverly Hills to assist members of the business community with appropriate City services such as valet parking permits, business signage regulations, and building inspections.

·        Answer inquiries from prospective businesses interested in opening retail stores or professional office spaces in Beverly Hills and connect them to the appropriate City staff for assistance.

Government Affairs

The Director shall be familiar with relevant local, regional and statewide political issues and recruit speakers for monthly Government Affairs Committee meetings and handle logistics for the meetings. While the Director shall be aware of legislative initiatives at the state and federal levels, the primary level of political awareness will be with laws and ordinances proposed by the City of Beverly Hills that are of interest to the local business community. A key part of Government Affairs at the Chamber involves helping members understand local laws and regulations including those necessary to do business in the city.

The Chamber has two Political Action Committees (PACs) to preserve, protect and foster good government. The Director shall oversee the administration of the PACs and work in conjunction with the seven members of the PAC Board of Trustees.

Qualifications required: A Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Economic Development, Public Administration, Marketing, or a related field is required. Master’s Degree preferred. Ideal candidate shall have three to five years of economic development, government affairs and marketing experience, preferably with a local government entity. Superior communication, writing and public speaking skills are required. Experience working with a PAC is preferred.

Salary: $110,000- $115,000 annually, and an excellent benefits package including a 9/80 flex schedule.

Please send your cover letter and resume to HR@beverlyhillschamber.com