Director of Economic Development, Regional Opportunities

Director of Business (Economic) Development, Regional Opportunities

World Business Chicago is a public-private, non-profit partnership that drives inclusive economic growth and job creation, supports business, and promotes Chicagoland as a leading global city.

Position Summary

The Business Development Director will oversee all business investment and job creation opportunities for the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership (GCEP) – a regional economic development initiative serviced by World Business Chicago. Located at the offices of World Business Chicago, the role will be to promote Chicagoland to both global and domestic companies with the expected outcome to generate Pro-Chicagoland Decisions on behalf of GCEP.

This work embodies a wide variety of work, including community and economic development support services; leading, and assisting with projects (attraction and retention), organizing business attraction missions, presenting the success of the work to regional board of directors, and being a professional face of Chicagoland to interested businesses.

Responsibilities

• Independently lead GCEP’s effort to attract business investment and job creation opportunities including coordinating request for proposals (RFP), organizing site visits, creatively addressing concerns, and maintaining transparent communication with the partnership.
• Comfort in working across industry sectors and supporting multiple companies at any given time
• Build relationships with Site Selectors and other commercial real estate professionals, and lead the RFP process from site consultants and other real estate brokers looking for information on Chicagoland
• Ability to organize and execute multi-day business attraction missions to attract investment including ability to develop strategy for securing meetings and leads.
• Maintain knowledge of available sites across the seven (7) counties and become familiar with each county and their unique offerings.
• Comfort in public speaking to elected, and appointed, officials as well as senior business executives through presentations and individual discussions.
• Experience in building, broad, sustainable, coalitions
• Familiarity in organizing convenings, of varying sizes, with industry, elected, appointed and other business officials
• Have the ability to travel throughout the seven (7) counties, nationally, and internationally and develop and maintain relationship with key economic development partners
• Work with World Business Chicago colleagues to ensure the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership is represented in appropriate work
• Participate in community engagement efforts, placemaking, and assist with special projects throughout the GCEP region
• Proactively attend conferences and build relationships with key foreign CEOs, consuls general, and other members of the international community
• Lead the RFP process from site consultants and other real estate brokers looking for information on Chicagoland
• Promote Chicago as the ideal location for corporate expansion needs (for instance by initiating and speaking at business seminars, participating in networking events, etc.)
• Work with GCEP to identify, plan and execute strategic event to cohost with partners
• Complete regularly required status reports and maintaining project tracking databases
• Conduct other related tasks and assignments not specified above

Desired Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Client-focused
• Proactive and highly responsive
• Results and goal-oriented
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Presentation skills
• Team player with strong work ethic
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Familiarity with Salesforce software a plus

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in economic development, strategic partnerships, business development, public administration, marketing, or a related field preferred.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, urban planning, public policy or related field
• Willingness to work in a hybrid work environment, with at least 3 days spent in office/in field per week
• Willingness to work occasional workday evenings or weekend as project and strategic opportunities arise.
• Access to a reliable auto to use for regional travel (mileage reimbursed))