Director of Business Growth & Trade Development

Leadership

• Provide leadership and direction to the Business Retention & Expansion Account Executives.
• Provide continuous review and evaluation of the teams' work to ensure their deliverables and performance targets are achieved.
• In collaboration with the Research Team, analyze data collected from company interactions to identify company/community-specific and common issues and opportunities and share that competitive intelligence with economic development partner organizations and government.
• Lead the implementation of a revised visitation survey prioritizing key employers in Halifax's target sectors, identifying issues, concerns and potential opportunities and assisting where appropriate.
• Develop and maintain key trade relationships with Trade Commissioners and international partner organizations.
• Track and report on program progress at quarterly intervals for internal and external accountabilities.

Account Management

• This role will have a strong emphasis on supporting companies with the potential to begin or grow their current exports and connecting them to the resources they need to have a facilitated pathway to success.
• Develop high-level expertise in the strengths, assets, programs, and connections the Halifax ecosystem can provide to help companies enhance their growth strategy. Apply this expertise in developing customized solutions for companies.
• Develop and manage key client accounts and gain an in-depth understanding of each client's unique business needs and service offerings.
• Initiate and conduct targeted interviews with company leader(s) to collect information that will help identify and recommend action plans to respond to threats and opportunities.
• Enter, compile and analyze interview data from company visits.
• Through a structured referral system, connect clients to appropriate referral partners, partner organizations, and/or community interest-holders to respond to and/or support immediate threats and/or opportunities.
• Ensure consistent, timely follow-up and ongoing dialogue with action team members and interest-holders to ensure referrals have been acted upon in a timely manner.
• Meet assigned individual targets for company visitations and connections.
• Develop trusting working relationships with public organizations and private sector companies.
• Support and collaborate on strategic economic development opportunities across all areas of Halifax Regional Municipality, including rural areas.
• This position has a high degree of accountability requiring weekly, monthly and quarterly reporting. This includes inputting data into the corporate database to identify company-specific and common issues and opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with the Partnership's Marketing and Communications team to raise awareness of lessons learned, opportunities, or systemic problems.
• Maintain a high degree of confidentiality.