Business Investment and Economic Competitiveness Division Director

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Arlington County requires all applicants to thoroughly complete each section of the application, including prior job responsibilities, duties, and supplemental questions. While you may attach a resume, it will not replace a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The Arlington Economic Development (AED) seeks an experienced, collaborative, and strategic leader to serve as Business Investment and Economic Competitiveness Division Director. This position leads the Business Investment Group (BIG) and is responsible for advancing Arlington’s long-term economic competitiveness by developing and executing strategies that attract investment, support business growth, strengthen the commercial tax base, and reinforce Arlington’s position as one of America’s most consequential urban economies at the heart of the National Capital Region.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of AED, this position manages a team of professional economic development staff and works closely with the Economic Development Director, AED’s senior leadership, County departments, and regional, state, and private sector partners to position Arlington as a premier destination for business investment, innovation, and long-term economic growth.

Specific Duties Include:

• Manage the development and execution of Arlington’s business attraction, business retention and expansion, strategic account management, target industry, business investment marketing, and economic competitiveness strategies in collaboration with AED’s senior leadership;
• Lead the BIG by establishing priorities, managing staff, fostering professional development, promoting collaboration and accountability, and delivering measurable results aligned with organizational goals;
• Recruit, retain, and expand domestic and international businesses, corporate headquarters, nonprofit organizations, research institutions, and other strategic investments that strengthen Arlington’s economy and commercial tax base;
• Serve as the relationship manager with national site selection consultants and the commercial real estate brokerage community, including collaboration with the Economic Development Director, while cultivating strategic relationships with corporate executives, developers, investors, property owners, and key industry partners;
• Lead complex business investment projects from initial engagement through implementation by coordinating multidisciplinary teams, preparing competitive proposals, negotiating business terms, developing performance-based incentive strategies, and ensuring exceptional customer experience;
• Collaborate with AED’s Strategic Investment Group (SIG) to translate market intelligence, competitive analysis, target industry trends, and emerging opportunities into actionable business investment and economic competitiveness strategies and recommendations;
• Lead Arlington’s business investment marketing and brand positioning function to strengthen Arlington’s visibility among corporate executives, entrepreneurs, investors, developers, commercial real estate professionals, and site selection consultants, ensuring all initiatives support measurable business investment outcomes;
• Collaborate with AED’s BizLaunch to strengthen Arlington’s innovation ecosystem, support entrepreneurship, encourage business growth, and create pathways for companies to start, scale, expand, and invest in Arlington;
• Partner with County departments to deliver a seamless, customer-focused business experience by advancing coordinated solutions involving planning, permitting, transportation, infrastructure, workforce development, housing, sustainability, technology, finance, and other business investment priorities;
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with local, regional, state, federal, academic, nonprofit, and private-sector partners that advance Arlington’s economic competitiveness and long-term business investment objectives; and
• Manage the BIG’s operating budget, grants, contracts, customer relationship management system, project pipeline, and performance metrics while evaluating program effectiveness and communicating results to executive leadership.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• A passion for driving economic growth, positive community impact, and deep understanding of economic development policies and best practices.
• Proven experience as an economic or business development leader with superior analytical skills to evaluate and provide recommendations on complex issues to departmental and County leadership.
• Strong understanding of corporate location strategy, site selection, business investment negotiations, and incentive strategies. 
• Demonstrated ability to operate under pressure on highly visible projects, lead complex initiatives, while working collaboratively across organizations to achieve measurable results.
• Experience building executive-level relationships with corporate leaders, site selection consultants, commercial real estate professionals, developers, investors, universities, and public sector partners.
• Effective communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship building skills. Ability to mentor and facilitate professional development, fostering a work environment that encourages team collaboration.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Urban Planning or related field; and
• Three years of experience in marketing or economic development, including program management and supervision of a business/marketing team.

Substitution:  Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Desirable:  Preference may be given to candidates with a Master's degree in a related field and experience in one or more of the following:

• Working for local, regional, state, or national economic development organizations;
• Developing successful strategies to improve economic competitiveness, or the recruitment, retention, expansion, and creation of businesses and non-profit organizations;
• Leadership experience in local, state or federal government economic development; and
• Managing business investment related issues involving planning, permitting, transportation, technology, finance, workforce development or related field.

Special Requirements:

Please attach a resume and cover letter; however, your cover letter response can be included in the supplemental question section. Please describe why you are interested in the position and accomplishments in the following areas:

• Developing strategies to improve the recruitment, retention, expansion and creation of businesses, non-profits, or organizations;

• Managing business investment-related issues involving planning, permitting, transportation, technology, finance, workforce development and/or related field; and

• Program management and supervision of a business/marketing team in economic or business development. 

Economic Interest Form: Completion of the Virginia Statement of Economic Interest form will be required of the successful candidate upon hire and annually thereafter.

Driver’s License: Applicant must possess, or obtain by time of appointment, a valid driver license, or the ability to use alternative methods of transportation to perform duties at other locations and if applicable, must provide or authorize Arlington County to obtain a copy of official driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon favorable review of the applicants driving record.

Background Check: A pre-employment criminal records check will be conducted.  It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You may be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.

Additional Information:

Work Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a hybrid office policy requiring employees to be in office at least three days a week. The employee must be able to travel and attend local, state, and national events even if outside normal working hours.

The official job title is Business Investment Group Manager.

This position is eligible for County government employee benefits that include health, dental, vacation and sick leave, commuter transportation subsidies, tuition reimbursement, as well as a generous retirement plan. For more information, click here.

Arlington County is committed to advancing diversity, equity, access, and inclusion across all our services, activities, and programs. Learn more about our commitment.

Your responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire are considered part of the selection process. Please do not enter "see resume" as a response to the questions. Each section of the application must be completed. A resume may be attached; however, it will not substitute for the completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. In accordance with § 19.2-392.15, applicants are not required to provide information regarding sealed arrests, charges, or convictions in response to any questions or inquiries during the hiring process.

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