Vice President, Research
Job Location:
Richmond, VA - USA
Monthly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) seeks a Vice President Research to provide strategic operational and cultural leadership for VEDPs 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 Virginias 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 VEDPs ability to deliver distinctive insights communicate Virginias 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 Virginias 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 divisions 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 VEDPs business development and marketing efforts.
Technology & Data Systems
- Provide strategic oversight for VEDPs 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 1218 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 Virginias 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
Bachelors 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 VEDPs 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 must submit a resume and cover letter. A valid Virginia drivers 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 VEDPs 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- or. TDD 1-.
Required Experience:
Exec
About Company
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, a state authority created by the Virginia General Assembly to better serve existing and new companies, to expand, locate, or increase trade opportunities, by providing confidential site selection, workforce solutions, and international tr ... View more
