Description

 POSITION SUMMARY

Oversee day-to-day operations of the North Carolina Megasite Readiness Program as established by the General Assembly to support the evaluation, identification, site development, and marketing efforts intended to identify up to five megasites best positioned to successfully serve major advanced manufacturing projects. This position will also have the responsibility of leading and directing the organization’s overall product development efforts through on-going site evaluation, site identification, and industry sector location needs analysis for the attraction of new corporate operations and high-impact expansions to North Carolina.

Collaboration with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the NC General Assembly, and other state and local economic development partners is essential.

Requirements

 PRIMARY FUNCTIONS

· Overall management of the North Carolina Megasite Readiness Program to ensure proper execution of the goals and objectives as outlined by the North Carolina General Assembly to include, but not limited to, the identification of up to five megasites for industrial development and marketing, support to install or upgrade public infrastructure to meet the needs of prospective users, support to fund on-site preparation, including clearing, grading, or other related expenses, and facilitate coordination between NCDEQ to identify and expedite any environmental needs related to timely development.

· Manage all administrative functions related to the program including, but not limited to, development of program guidelines, applications, agreements, reporting guidelines, review and approve program expenses.

· Development of program marketing materials, megasite website enhancements, drone video footage, etc.

· Conduct and document quarterly on-site monitoring of sites participating in the Megasite Program.

· Conduct and document a final monitoring visit/audit to ensure all state and local funds were spent in accordance with statutory and programmatic guidelines/agreement.

· Prepare annual report for NC Department of Commerce as stipulated in the statutory guidelines.

· Lead the EDPNC’s on-going site/product marketing effort via drone video production of non-megasites selected each year.

· Provide on-going research and analysis of specific industry sector needs to align site requirements (i.e. acreage, utility consumption, etc.) to help drive state and local product development efforts.

· Conduct on-going research of new megasite development in competitor states. Provide updated report as needed.

· Partner with the NC Commerce Utility Fund to assist local partners in the identification of appropriate site development opportunities in their communities where the installation of necessary infrastructure improvements would enhance site marketability.

· Maintain and develop relationships with the commercial real estate development community within North Carolina to broaden the EDPNC’s knowledge and awareness of product/site development opportunities throughout the state.

· Provide site location support to the organization’s Business Recruitment and Existing Industry teams via real estate RFI submittals, site location visits, and other various state-wide real estate activities in the promotion of the state’s recruitment initiative.

· Create/Maintain an internal product/site marketing database and act as a resource for the EDPNC’s Business Recruitment, Business Development, and Existing Industry teams proactively engaged in soliciting real estate options for their project/clients.

· Participate in client site visits as needed to serve as a resource in the analysis of sites under consideration.

· Partner with the BR/EI Operations Manager to produce the EDPNC Annual Real Estate report for distribution and presentation to statewide local partners.

· Serve on the North Carolina Certified Sites Steering/Technical Review Committee. Lead in the formulation of additional guidelines/requirements in the development of a Certified Megasites Program.

 KEY COMPETENCIES

· Ability to interface professionally with senior-level business executives and government officials at all levels and across different cultures.

· Strong verbal and written communication skills, including presentations to outside audiences

· Strong organizational skills and thorough follow up.

· Strategic thinking

· Ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders, both internal and external to the organization

· Customer service-focused attitude and behavior

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

· Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) required, preferably in related fields such as business, marketing, economics, city/regional planning, finance, real estate, public policy, etc.

· Post-graduate educational experience or degree preferred in related fields such as business, marketing, public policy, real estate, finance, etc.

· Minimum 5 years’ experience in state or regional business recruitment, preferably involving state/local incentives and corporate site selection; similar private-sector experience in site-selection or incentives advisory work, or sales, is also substitutable

· Strongly prefer minimum 2 years’ experience managing multiple direct reports in an economic development agency or similar organization