Business Development Manager (Economic Development Manager)

City of Norfolk, VA; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employer provided parking

Pension plan

Life insurance

Credit union membership

Tuition assistance

Job summary

City of Norfolk, VA seeks a knowledgeable Business Development Manager to support BRE and attraction programs, identify growth opportunities, and drive investment in Norfolk’s economy.

You will collaborate with the Business Development team, assess real estate options, and contribute to improving Norfolk’s business climate while expanding high-value industry sectors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent required.
• Three years' experience in a related field.
• Five years of economic development, marketing, and/or business development experience (preferred).
• Executive level interaction and marketing experience (preferred).
• Completion of economic development courses, certificates, or training (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Contributes to developing industry targets and participates in strategic planning.
• Lead and implement business programs targeting geographies, industries and businesses to drive investment.
• Develop new business prospect leads for expansion in the Norfolk market.
• Respond to internal and partner-referred prospect leads.
• Build and nurture prospect relationships, provide information and resolve problems.
• Prepare and deliver responses to RFIs and follow up through proper channels.
• Prepare project pro-forma revenue calculations and assist in negotiating incentives.
• Prepare City/Economic Development Authority paperwork and edit contracts.
• Support existing businesses by listing needs and removing expansion barriers.
• Assist new businesses navigating city processes to establish a presence in Norfolk.
• Coordinate landing of prospect businesses through operations and aftercare for retention.
• Perform other duties related to retention, expansion and attraction as market conditions require.

Skills

Economic development knowledge

Business development

Market analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Economic development training/courses

Job description

Description

The Department of Economic Development is seeking a knowledgeable and experienced professional in economic development or a closely related field to serve as the Business Development Manager (BDM), a key member of our Business Development team. The BDM will support business retention and expansion (BRE) efforts and business attraction strategies designed to strengthen Norfolk’s economic competitiveness. This role will generate business investment interest in Norfolk from both existing companies and out-of-market prospects; pursue strategic attraction and expansion opportunities in high-value, targeted industry sectors that diversify the city’s business base; support the growth of quality jobs for Norfolk residents; and enhance the city’s fiscal position through increased net revenue.

The Department of Economic Development is seeking a knowledgeable and experienced professional in economic development or a closely related field to serve as the Business Development Manager (BDM), a key member of our Business Development team. The BDM will support business retention and expansion (BRE) efforts and business attraction strategies designed to strengthen Norfolk’s economic competitiveness. This role will generate business investment interest in Norfolk from both existing companies and out-of-market prospects; pursue strategic attraction and expansion opportunities in high-value, targeted industry sectors that diversify the city’s business base; support the growth of quality jobs for Norfolk residents; and enhance the city’s fiscal position through increased net revenue.

Working collaboratively with the Business Development team, the BDM will support BRE and attraction programming, identify market and industry growth opportunities, assess and fill available real estate options within the city, and contribute to improving Norfolk’s business climate and its competitive position within the region.

The mission of the Department of Economic Development is to stimulate economic growth by enhancing our business climate, fostering a diverse workforce to grow the tax base, and fueling the prosperity of Norfolk.

Departmental Hiring Salary Range

$70,486.56 - $80,884.94

Essential Functions

• Contributes to developing industry targets and participates in strategic planning.
• In collaboration with the lead Business Development Manager, leadership, and staff, the BDM will work to implement business programs aimed at targeted geographies, industries and businesses, driving new and existing business investment.
• Develops new business prospects leads for new and existing businesses considering expansion in the Norfolk market.
• Responds to internally generated and externally, partner-referred, prospect leads.
• Starts and nurtures prospect business relationships, providing information, resolving problems, and forming long-lasting professional relationships.
• Prepares and delivers responses to Requests for Information (RFI’s) and follows-up through the appropriate channels.
• Prepares project pro-forma revenue calculations, identifies capacity for revenue sharing and assists in negotiating performance-based incentives if necessary to close on a project.
• Prepares City and Economic Development Authority paperwork, edits contracts and otherwise readies projects for approval.
• Supports the existing business community by listing their needs and removing barriers to business expansion and business retention.
• Supports new businesses by facilitating interactions between prospects and city departments, assisting in navigating city processes crucial to their establishing a presence in Norfolk.
• Coordinates a prospect businesses’ successful landing in Norfolk through start of operations and by offering aftercare services to ensure long term business retention.
• Perform other duties as assigned; executes retention, expansion and business attraction related duties as needed and based on market conditions.

Education/Experience

Work requires broad knowledge in a general professional or technical field. Knowledge is normally acquired through four years of college resulting in a Bachelor's degree or equivalent; or equivalent in number of years of related professional or military experience.

Three years' experience in a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Preferred Experience

• Five years of economic development, marketing, and/or business development experience.
• Considerable executive level interaction and marketing experience in an economic development office or corporate business environment.

Preferred, Not Required Training

Completion of economic development courses, certificates, or training related to the economic development field.

Additional Information & Requirements

• A valid Virginia's driver's license and ability to obtain a passport (required)
• Domestic/international travel will be required as needed
• Regular full-time and permanent part-time employees may receive paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, employer paid pension plan, basic life insurance, voluntary participation in medical and dental, Section 457 deferred compensation, long-term disability, optional life insurance for self, spouse and children, medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, access to membership in credit union and employer provided parking.
• Special project/grant employees are generally eligible for the same benefits of regular full-time employees; however, retirement, life insurance and participation in health plans vary depending upon funding and authorization.
• Temporary/seasonal and part-time employees are generally only eligible for employer provided parking and access to membership in credit union.
• Retirement

If you are hired October 5, 2010, or after to a position with City of Norfolk Retirement System benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

If you are hired January 1, 2022, or after to a position with Virginia Retirement System (VRS) benefits, you will be required to contribute five percent (5%) of your salary toward your retirement benefit. This will be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

• The Tuition Assistance Program is established to encourage employees toward continued self-development and education. Permanent full-time and permanent part-time classified, unclassified permanent, full-time special projects, and constitutional employees who have completed six months continuous service will be eligible to apply. The applicant’s school of enrollment must be an accredited institution.

Note

The benefits described above are broad generalizations. The specific benefits that an employee may be eligible for are governed by City regulations, as applicable to job type.

Non-City

Positions listed with a job type designation of "Non-City" are not subject to the benefits descriptions above. Refer to the content of the job posting for information regarding these positions.