Vice President, Strategic Investment

Department: Invest Vancouver

Employee Group: Exempt

Location: 4515 Central Boulevard, Burnaby

Salary Range/ Wage Rate: Professional / Technical, Level P3A ($123,587.51 - $145,395.95 annually) (2024 wage rates)

Invest Vancouver is seeking a Vice President, Strategic Investment who will lead the region’s investment attraction strategy by driving foreign direct investment, managing investor outreach initiatives, and fostering strategic partnerships that drive long-term regional prosperity.

You are: A seasoned economic development professional with deep expertise in investment attraction, adept at navigating complex stakeholder environments and translating economic insights into actionable growth strategies.

The Vice President, Strategic Investment reports to the Executive Vice President, Invest Vancouver.

This role:

Lead representative and manager for investment attraction to the Metro Vancouver region, including new foreign direct investment and expansion opportunities. Leads the teams responsible for developing and implementing investment attraction and expansion protocols and executes strategies that target, attract, and facilitate new strategic investment.

Responsible for overseeing the implementation and maintenance of the Strategic Investment function including directing industry-specific investment attraction and expansion strategies, outbound missions, and the customer relations management (CRM) system while coordinating with the Marketing and Communications team on message testing and campaigns.

Liaises with external agencies including member jurisdiction economic development departments, business and industry associations, site selectors and boards of trade, relevant officials from the provincial and federal governments and other stakeholders. Leverages business intelligence to strengthen investment attraction efforts and provide value-added services to external agencies. Develops and maintains close working relationships with all organizations dealing in investment attraction.

Works collaboratively with the Marketing and Communications team to oversee the development of sector profiles and brochures and recommends and executes investment attraction engagements during outbound missions.

Prepares a range of written materials including proposals, reports and recommendations. May deliver or review and approve presentations for various audiences as required.

Supervises, directs and motivates staff and project teams monitoring performance towards division, department and corporate objectives. Ensures staff adhere to corporate workplace conduct policies and travel policies and guidelines. Resolves technical and relational issues staff encounter while doing their work.

Performs other related duties as required.

To be successful, you have:

7 years of experience directly related to investment and/or international business attraction supplemented by a university degree in a relevant discipline such as business administration, public administration, public policy, economics, international affairs, or economic development; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Designation or interest in pursuing designation as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD).

Sound expertise and understanding of relevant investment attraction strategy, protocols, processes and best practices.

Comprehensive knowledge of the Metro Vancouver region’s economic and political landscape, including industrial and employment land use.

Demonstrated experience in developing and executing international outreach and marketing campaigns in partnership with marketing staff that lead to the generation of qualified leads that result in investment outcomes.

Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively listen, persuade others, and resolve complex problems using a high degree of independent judgment. Sound business writing skills including the ability to write memos and reports. Strong attention to detail and demonstrated flexibility in adapting to changing circumstances.

Ability to build and maintain strong and effective working relationships with internal and external contacts under circumstances that may be political and sensitive. Skill in dealing openly, tactfully and sensitively in a variety of situations including dealings with the public, member jurisdictions and other stakeholders. Builds a strategic network of relationships with outside groups relevant to the field of specialty. Ability to establish clear expectations and effectively resolve differences; strong ability to prevent the escalation of conflict.

Ability to meet timelines and objectives requiring persistence in overcoming obstacles. Demonstrated ability to identify areas of opportunity or risk and propose solutions to resolve issues in the best interest of the organization; understands and evaluates the diverse impacts of decisions. Ability to analyze, interpret and advise on complex issues where considerable variation in interpretation is possible.

Demonstrated supervisory skills including the ability to mentor, coach and guide direct reports and project teams. Strong working knowledge of budgeting and financial management.

Proficiency using Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel and Outlook.