Senior Business Development Advisor
Statement of Duties
This position will focus on supporting the Managing Director of Business Development by delivering high-level operational, administrative support and developing a deep understanding of organizational priorities, business needs, and decision making frameworks to shape compelling proposals that drive business development efforts and advance economic growth across Rhode Island.
The Senior Business Development Advisor streamlines and coordinates core business development activities, including outreach efforts, document and data management, preparation of presentations, provides strategic advisory support and day-to-day operational sustenance. The position contributes to business attraction and expansion efforts by managing workflows, monitoring progress on strategic initiatives, and supporting communications, logistics, and engagement with prospective businesses and internal stakeholders.
Position Functions
The essential functions and duties listed below are intended only as an illustration of the various types of work that may be performed. The specific omission of specific statements of duties does not preclude them from the position if work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.
Essential Functions
Operational Support
- Provide comprehensive administrative support to the Managing Director of Business Development, including overseeing scheduling, travel, and preparing for key events for the department.
- Maintain an organized system for tracking business development projects, prospects, and outreach efforts, ensuring accurate and up-to-date documentation.
- Assist in monitoring departmental goals, key performance indicators, and project timelines, while leading efforts to build, strengthen, and maintain partner relationships.
- Draft, edit, and finalize correspondence, meeting notes, reports, and presentations as needed.
Business Development & Attraction
- Conduct research on prospective businesses, market trends, and regional growth opportunities to support business development strategies.
- Oversee relationship development and ongoing stakeholder engagements and coordinate outreach initiatives.
- Provide strategic leadership in planning and executing events, site visits, and engagement activities that support business attraction and expansion initiatives in coordination with the Managing Director of Business Development.
Strategic Advisory Support
- Provide strategic advisory support to prospective businesses, guiding early-stage conversations and shaping opportunities
- Coordinate behind-the-scenes efforts to prepare leadership for prospective engagements, including synthesizing insights, developing briefing materials, and aligning internal strategy.
- Partner with the Managing Director of Business Development—or act in their absence—to assess inbound inquiries, determine strategic fit, and guide positioning, next steps, and stakeholder alignment.
Key Competencies
- Strategic skills: Job requires the ability to determine opportunities and threats through comprehensive analysis of current and future trends.
- Resourcefulness: Job requires problem solving and finding ways over, around or through barriers to success. A results-oriented "doer."
- Collaborative Mindset: Job requires a willingness to work as a team member, yet at times be a project lead.
- Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Achievement/Effort: Job requires establishing and maintaining challenging goals for self.
- Written Communications: Writes clear, precise, well-organized documents using appropriate vocabulary and grammar.
- Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, dependable, professional, discretion, and a commitment to maintaining confidentiality.
Preferred Qualifications
- 5-7 years of relevant professional experience or demonstrated high level of success related to business development, sales, investor relations, or a related area.
- Bachelor’s degree is required. An advanced or professional degree in Business, Public Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurial studies, or related field is preferred.
- Experience in economic development, business, business development, sales, or relevant field is required. Small business experience is preferred.
- Ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced work environment.
- Ability to work with multiple constituent groups.
- Self-motivated, creative, organized, and deeply committed to personal and organizational success.
- Ability to communicate clearly and accurately and to interact with professionals at all levels in all business units.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills with attention to detail.
- Experience with Salesforce CRM or other customer relation management system is preferred.
Classification
Regular Full Time
Salary / Exempt
Reports to
Managing Director of Business Development
The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (the ‘Corporation’) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Corporation does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by applicable law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. The Corporation will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.