ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT JOB DESCRIPTION

Under the direction of the Director of Economic Development, the Assistant Director of Ecosystem Development role is an opportunity for a motivated, self-starter who will supervise and manage Economic Development staff in the day-to-day implementation of the Economic Development Strategic Plan as it relates to business attraction, retention, expansion, equity, economic mobility, innovation and entrepreneurship, international trade/foreign direct investment, creative industries, and other special projects as assigned. Additionally, the Assistant Director will manage the attraction project pipeline and, in conjunction with the Director and SVP, will represent Invest Atlanta to economic development partners at the local regional, state, federal and international level. The ideal candidate will have deep connections to the Atlanta business community, including the broker/commercial real estate communities, understand economic development principles and understand the importance of working collaboratively with other stakeholders in the city. This position will be responsible for strong metrics as it pertains to matching business needs and serving as a resource for businesses in the City of Atlanta.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Direct and implement business attraction marketing and recruitment programs and activities at the national and international level.

• Manage relocation requests from companies and site selection consultants in conjunction with business attraction staff.

• Manage the project pipeline of new business prospects and ensure that data is entered in the CRM system to accurately report on the agency's progress.

• Schedule face-to-face interaction with local businesses to determine areas of support from Invest Atlanta and work with partner agencies on major projects.

• Perform data entry functions for all touch points on the Invest Atlanta CRM system.

• Define and modify program of work to maximize positive outcomes and efficiencies for the benefit of local businesses.

• Identify and monitor potential funding sources from public, non-profit and private sectors.

• Create new programs to assist businesses with their growth strategy and increase market penetration, etc.

• Identify suitable commercial space for existing business owners looking to expand their business.

• Travel locally to meet with partners, prospects and attend conferences, trade shows, etc.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

• Excellent interpersonal/communication/listening skills.

• Highly motivated/self-starter.

• Leadership/management skills - must be able to represent Invest Atlanta to stakeholders, businesses and partners.

• Highly organized/ time management skills. Must be able to work automatously in an outward facing role, while pivoting between strategy development and tactical execution.

• Detail oriented - must be able to demonstrate ability to create a strategy and execute.

• Private or public sector sales and/or management background desired.

• Knowledge of economic and workforce development programs.

• Must have working knowledge of the broker/commercial real estate communities and ability to activate that network.

• Must have a great working relationship with city departments, partner organizations, etc. to assist in resolving issues of existing businesses.

• Experience with workforce development projects is highly desired; you must be able to connect business needs with workforce talent.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Graduate of an accredited college or university with a Bachelor' s Degree in Public or Business Administration, Economic Development, Urban Planning, Commercial Real Estate, Economics, Finance or a related field. Masters and/or Certified Economic Development designation is a plus.

• A minimum of four (4) years of experience in economic development, redevelopment, commercial real estate development, banking, financial planning, business assistance and service, chamber of commerce, government, public facility or infrastructure development, public and/or private finance, or workforce development.

Resumes should be submitted to: jobs@investatlanta.com.

Invest Atlanta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants, including but not limited to Minorities, Females, Disabled and Veterans are encouraged to apply.