GO Topeka, the economic development organization for Topeka and Shawnee County, Kansas, is searching for a special individual to lead its external business attraction initiative. GO Topeka is housed within the Topeka Chamber of Commerce but functions with a separate governing board.

The attraction initiative is supported by an aggressive marketing strategy and a target list of primary business sectors which is being updated in 2010. The attraction initiative is one of four components of the GO Topeka prosperity strategy. The other components are existing industry retention and expansion, entrepreneurial and minority business development, and workforce development.

The candidate must possess the following:

• A minimum of an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. An emphasis in business or marketing desired.
• Certification as an economic development professional (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council highly preferred.
• Experience in job and investment attraction or substantial experience within business and industry or a successful marketing/sales professional.
• Exhibit an understanding of the changing dynamics of business and what is required to attract businesses to a community in such an environment.
• Exhibit an understanding of the global competitive landscape and how to compete in that arena.
• Exhibit and understanding of competitive intelligence gathering and how to use trends in assessing industry changes and emerging opportunities.
• Exceptional computer proficiency includeing Microsoft Word and Excel, database development and management, and knowledge of tools to perform trends analysis and assessments.
• A sales mentality that builds trust and respect.
• Must enjoy travel and building and sustaining relationships with targeted industry executives, site selectors, and industrial real estate professionals.
• Customer service orientation.
• Driven and focused; confident, organized and decisive yet affable and able to develop and sustain effective trusting relationships.
• Naturally curious, with an innovative and creative mind.
• Accountable for performance and results.
• A proven and quantified track record of success in “primary” job and investment attraction over the last 5 years.

Minimum Position Expectations:

• To create a robust inventory of quality leads that generates projects with high probabilities of locating in the community stemming from our targeted business sectors.
• To develop quality, trusting relationships with site selectors, corporate real estate professionals, and industrial contractors as well as targeted companies.
• To monitor and track industry trends in targeted and emerging sectors. To modify, in conjunction with the senior vice president, strategic, marketing and sales approaches based on such trends.
• To work with the senior vice president in developing and implementing an annual marketing/promotions plan, strategy and budget as part of a five-year program.

Letters of interest, a completed application (get it here) and documentation supporting experience and capabilities should be submitted electronically to Steve Jenkins at sjenkins@TopekaChamber.org by Monday August 16, 2010, at which time the applications will be closed.