Director of Economic Development

National Congress of American Indians; Indian Neck (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The National Congress of American Indians is seeking a Director of Economic Development to oversee the department, drive business growth, identify new opportunities, and foster strategic partnerships. The role focuses on building long-term economic growth for the Nation through strategic planning and collaborative leadership with staff and stakeholders.

This position emphasizes trust, integrity, and loyalty in all professional relationships, with responsibilities spanning strategic planning,

Qualifications

• Proven track record in business development and strategic partnerships.
• Experience leading teams and managing complex projects.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.

Responsibilities

• Strategic planning and thinking to develop actionable, scalable plans.
• Market expansion by identifying opportunities across federal, state, and commercial contracting.
• Build and maintain high-level relationships with partners and clients for long-term collaboration.
• Oversee end-to-end business development cycle from lead generation to contract closure.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Product, and Sales to align development initiatives with roadmaps.
• Define KPIs and report monthly on performance to executive leadership.

Skills

Business development experience

Leadership

Communication and negotiation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or related field

MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred

Job description

Job Description

The Director of Economic Development is responsible for oversight of the department, its programs, projects, and businesses. The candidate will be responsible for driving business growth by identifying new opportunities, fostering strategic partnerships, while managing existing businesses and expanding our market presence. The role focuses on creating long-term economic growth for the Tribe through building strategic planning and partnerships, with the highest level of trust, integrity, and loyalty in our professional relationships

Skills & Qualifications

• Experience: Proven track record in successful business development, strategic sales, and partnership management, typically with 7-10 years of professional experience.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead and supervise teams, influence stakeholders, and manage complex projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Communication: Exceptional negotiation skills, presentation development, and interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with staff and others at the executive level.

Job Purpose Qualifications

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Planning and Thinking: Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to interpret market data and translate insights into actionable, scalable plans. Must be able to develop business plans, marketing plans, pro formas, revenue forecasting, COGS, operating budgets, and profits.
• Risk Management, sensitivity analysis, and decision‑making support.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or a related field; an MBA or equivalent advanced degree is often preferred.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Strategy Development: Design and implement comprehensive business
  development strategies to achieve our business growth and revenue objectives.
• Market Expansion: Identify and evaluate new market opportunities and
  emerging industry trends in federal, state, and commercial contracting.
• Relationship Management: Build and maintain high‑level relationships with key partners, stakeholders, and prospective clients to facilitate long‑term
  collaboration.
• Pipeline Management: Oversee the end‑to‑end business development cycle,
  from lead generation and qualification to complex contract negotiations and
  final closure.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Marketing, Product, and
  Sales teams to ensure business development efforts are aligned with product
  roadmaps and overall organizational goals.
• Performance Tracking: Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of initiatives and provide monthly reports to executive
  leadership.