Vice President, Research

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) seeks a Vice President, Research to provide strategic, operational, and cultural leadership for VEDP’s Research Division. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Research, this role leads a diverse, multidisciplinary division of approximately 25 staff responsible for conducting solutions-oriented business analysis supporting business investment efforts, communicating Virginia’s value proposition through compelling deliverables, and delivering technology-enabled operational support across the organization.

This is a highly collaborative, player-coach leadership role requiring a combination of strategic thinking, operational management, analytical capability, organizational judgment, and people leadership. The Vice President must be capable of contributing substantively to high-profile initiatives and analytical work while also building effective systems, strengthening processes, supporting team development, and ensuring the division operates effectively at a high level across a large volume of concurrent workstreams.

The Vice President will interact professionally, collaboratively, and strategically with colleagues across all divisions of VEDP, helping align Research capabilities with organizational priorities and continuously evolving how the division delivers value to internal and external stakeholders.

Core Responsibilities

Leadership & Division Management

• Lead and manage a multidisciplinary division of approximately 25 staff spanning analytics, client communications, business presentations, GIS, application development and Salesforce administration.
• Provide clear direction, priorities, and expectations for the division while fostering a collaborative, high-trust, mission-oriented culture.
• Provide ongoing coaching, performance management, professional development, and organizational support for direct reports and broader team members.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, responsiveness, curiosity, and continuous improvement.
• Promote thoughtful cross-team collaboration and avoid operational silos across the division.
• Ensure effective allocation of staff resources, workloads, budgets, and operational priorities across teams and initiatives.
• Help shape and strengthen organizational culture by modeling maturity, professionalism, sound judgment, authenticity, and collaborative leadership.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen organizational structure, workflows, processes, and team effectiveness over time.

Strategic Insight & Analysis

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to VEDP leadership on issues related to economic development, competitiveness, industry trends, business climate dynamics, and organizational strategy.
• Provide high-level analytical support, strategic framing, and problem-solving support for executive leadership, major initiatives, and priority projects.
• Help strengthen VEDP’s ability to deliver distinctive insights, communicate Virginia’s competitive advantages, and support informed decision-making for both internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain situational awareness regarding major projects, organizational priorities, and pipeline activity to ensure Research Division efforts remain aligned with business needs and organizational objectives.
• Support the development and continuous refinement of Virginia’s industry, competitiveness, and business value proposition materials and related strategic resources.
• Help ensure the Research Division delivers clear, compelling, and strategically aligned support that helps VEDP solve problems, support business investment efforts, and communicate effectively with clients and stakeholders.
• Represent VEDP credibly in select interactions with the Board of Directors, administration officials, partners, and the broader economic development practitioner community.

Operational Excellence & Service Delivery

• Lead efforts to continuously improve how the Research Division delivers services and support across the organization.
• Strengthen operational processes, quality assurance, workflow coordination, prioritization approaches, and service delivery models across teams.
• Continue strengthening the division’s consultative, strategically aligned, and high-value partnership model across the organization.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders to define service expectations, ensure appropriate intake and prioritization processes, and strengthen alignment between organizational needs and Research capabilities.
• Ensure high-quality, timely execution of project support deliverables and analytical products supporting VEDP’s business development and marketing efforts.

Technology & Data Systems

• Provide strategic oversight for VEDP’s Salesforce CRM platform, GIS capabilities, application development efforts, and related technology-enabled operational tools.
• Partner with technical teams and organizational stakeholders to help translate business needs into effective operational and technology solutions.
• Foster a culture of innovation and thoughtful experimentation around technology, analytics, automation, and operational improvement.
• Help ensure technology and data resources are aligned with organizational strategy, operational priorities, and user needs.

Organizational Performance

• Support the use of organizational metrics, operational analytics, and performance reporting to strengthen decision-making and organizational effectiveness.
• Oversee Research Division support for organizational surveys, pipeline analytics, operational reporting, and other performance management initiatives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Organizational Partnership

• Build strong collaborative relationships across VEDP divisions and with external partners where appropriate.
• Partner closely with Marketing, Lead Generation, Business Investment, Economic Competitiveness, Talent, External Affairs, and other teams to support integrated organizational objectives.
• Help bridge communication and operational gaps between technical teams, analytical teams, and business-facing functions.
• Support organizational initiatives requiring cross-functional coordination, strategic analysis, operational problem-solving, or executive-level communication support.
• Help ensure the Research Division remains highly responsive, collaborative, and solutions-oriented while maintaining focus on long-term effectiveness and sustainability.

Experience Required

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in research, analytics, economic development, strategy, consulting, operations, technology-enabled business functions, or related fields.
• Significant leadership and people-management experience overseeing multidisciplinary teams and complex operational functions.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Experience managing or partnering closely with analytical, operational, and/or technology-oriented teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information clearly and persuasively for executive audiences.
• Strong organizational judgment and decision-making skills, including the ability to balance competing priorities and operate effectively in fast-moving environments.
• Experience operating in a fast-paced, client-service-oriented or project-driven environment.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and building collaborative relationships across teams and stakeholders.
• Operational management experience, including process improvement, workflow management, resource allocation, and organizational coordination.
• Comfort working with metrics, operational reporting, CRM systems, organizational analytics, and performance management concepts.
• Strong presentation and executive communication capabilities.

Personal Attributes

• Strong emotional intelligence, maturity, and interpersonal judgment.
• Authentic, collaborative leadership style.
• Strategic and systems-oriented thinker.
• High degree of initiative and accountability.
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-moving, high-profile environments.
• Comfortable balancing strategic thinking with operational execution.
• Strong organizational instincts and sound judgment.
• Curious, thoughtful, and intellectually engaged.
• Innovative and technology-savvy with an interest in operational improvement and practical applications of emerging tools and technologies.
• Strong relationship builder capable of leading through trust, credibility, and collaboration.
• Ability to maintain composure and perspective under pressure.
• Commitment to continuous improvement, team development, and organizational effectiveness.

Within 12–18 months, success looks like . . .

• The Vice President has developed strong, trusting relationships across the Research Division and broader organization and is viewed as a collaborative, thoughtful, and highly credible leader.
• The Research Division is operating with strong alignment, clear priorities, healthy culture, and effective cross-team coordination.
• Research capabilities are increasingly viewed as a strategic differentiator for VEDP, helping strengthen Virginia’s value proposition through distinctive insight and operational excellence.
• The division has continued improving its operational processes, service delivery models, prioritization approaches, and organizational responsiveness.
• Internal stakeholders view the division as proactive, solutions-oriented, collaborative, and strategically valuable.
• Technology, analytics, CRM, GIS, and application development capabilities are increasingly integrated into broader organizational strategy and operational improvement efforts.
• The Vice President has successfully balanced strategic leadership, operational management, organizational partnership, and substantive analytical contribution.
• The division continues to strengthen its culture of trust, collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• The Vice President and team are regarded as highly effective partners capable of delivering thoughtful, high-quality work in a fast-paced, high-profile environment.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in economics, business, public policy, statistics, geography, information systems, communications, management, or related field required. Advanced degree preferred.

Compensation

Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.

References and Background Information

It is VEDP’s policy to complete an extensive background and reference check of candidates. Once strong mutual interest has been established, candidates are asked to provide a list of references that should include, but not be limited to, a supervisor, peer, subordinate, and client/stakeholder reference, as applicable. Candidates will be asked to sign an authorization to release information for the purpose of background investigation, which may include verification of education, credit check, criminal, and driving records. Should an offer be extended prior to the completion of these checks, the offer will be contingent on successful completion of the reference and background checks.

Application Process

Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. VEDP uses the E-Verify system and does not provide sponsorship.

All candidates must apply through our website https://www.vedp.org/careers. Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter. A valid Virginia driver’s license and ability to obtain a passport is required. Application deadline: Open Until Filled.

VEDP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, political affiliation, genetics, or against otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities. It is VEDP’s intent that its employment and personnel policies and practices conform to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Applicants requiring more information or requiring assistance may contact VEDP Human Resources at 1-804-545-5634 or vedphr@VEDP.org. TDD 1-800-828-1120.