Director of Business Recruitment

About the Organization:

The Executive Office of Economic Development, in partnership with the Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD), leads the state’s business outreach efforts to attract, support, and help strengthen all types of businesses that make up the ever-evolving business sector in the Commonwealth. Our constituents are business entities that are looking to further thrive and grow in the state, or companies looking to establish a presence here.

The Massachusetts Office of Business Development is committed to creating and sustaining a work culture that is welcoming, inclusive, and mutually respectful to all its employees regardless of race, color, age, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran or disability status. We strive to reflect diversity in all facets and levels of our agency. The Massachusetts Office of Business Development values inclusiveness and diversity within their employee and management teams. Within our community we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.

The Massachusetts Office of Business Development is committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel respected, valued, and empowered to maximize their skills and talents to serve our citizens.

About the Role:

The Director of Business Recruitment ("Director") serves as the agency lead for top-of-the-funnel out-of-state business attraction and recruitment efforts for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development. This role is responsible for formulating, developing, and directing EOED policy related to business development incentives and the Commonwealth's approach to business attraction and recruitment in order to support business growth. The Director develops and determines business attraction approaches and advises executive leadership on business recruitment policies and priorities that support the Commonwealth's long-term economic development objectives. Working collaboratively with relevant partners, the Director proactively identifies, cultivates, and advances investment opportunities that align with the Commonwealth's economic development priorities, including initiatives such as Global Massachusetts and sector-focused growth strategies.

Working closely with external partners, including site selection teams and organizations focused on increasing the presence of global companies in Massachusetts, the position plays a key role in formulating and determining EOED's business recruitment policies, including policies governing the use and positioning of business development incentives and the approaches used to attract and support prospective businesses. The Director exercises substantial independent judgment in directing company targeting strategies, lead generation, outreach, and relationship management efforts, while evaluating emerging economic trends and determining and recommending policy and strategic approaches that position Massachusetts as the premier destination for business growth, innovation, and international investment.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead Generation: Lead proactive business recruitment efforts to identify, cultivate, and advance high-value international and domestic companies considering expansion, relocation, or investment opportunities in Massachusetts, while formulating and directing EOED policy related to business development incentives and business recruitment approaches and developing, recommending, and shaping EOED's strategic business attraction priorities.
  • Develop, implement, evaluate, and continuously refine targeted recruitment strategies by analyzing emerging market opportunities, industry trends, and competitive factors to formulate and determine business attraction policies and approaches, including how business development incentives and other economic development resources should be positioned and leveraged to support business growth, and recommend business attraction priorities and strategic initiatives aligned with EOED's economic development objectives and sector strengths.
  • Build and manage a strategic pipeline of prospective companies and site selection consultants, leveraging market intelligence, economic data, and industry trends to inform executive leadership and guide the development and refinement of policies governing EOED's business attraction and incentive approach, investment focus areas, recruitment priorities, and long-term business attraction strategies.
  • Collaborate with consultants, regional partners, and external stakeholders to develop and execute outreach strategies, strengthen relationships with prospective companies, evaluate the effectiveness of recruitment initiatives, and identify and direct policy changes related to business development incentives and recruitment approaches that enhance Massachusetts' competitiveness as a destination for business growth and investment.
• Global Massachusetts Business Attraction Strategy and Implementation: Help develop, shape, and advance the lead generation strategy for Global Massachusetts and related international economic development initiatives designed to increase out-of-state and international business recruitment and investment in Massachusetts. Formulate and help determine business attraction policies governing EOED's approach to international business recruitment, including the positioning and use of business development incentives and other approaches designed to support business growth and investment. Provide strategic and policy recommendations that inform EOED's international business attraction priorities and support the Commonwealth's long-term economic development objectives.
  • In partnership with Massachusetts' International Trade and Investment Office (MOITI), develop, evaluate, and refine strategic approaches for engaging foreign companies, consulates, trade organizations, and international business networks, leveraging global market intelligence to develop and refine policies and approaches governing international business attraction, and recommend target markets and recruitment priorities.
  • In partnership with MOITI, represent EOED's business recruitment objectives during trade missions, advising executive leadership on international market opportunities, emerging industries, competitive positioning, and policy approaches related to business attraction and business development incentives that strengthen Massachusetts' international economic development strategy.
  • Develop and recommend strategies and policy approaches that promote Massachusetts' competitive advantages globally, evaluate emerging international investment opportunities, and help shape initiatives that enhance the Commonwealth's position as a leading destination for international business growth, innovation, and investment.
• Strategic Pipeline Management and Analytics: The Director has responsibility for formulating and directing EOED policy regarding business development incentives and the approaches used to attract and support business growth. Oversee, evaluate, and analyze business recruitment pipelines within the Business Front Door Salesforce platform, leveraging data, market intelligence, and performance metrics to develop strategic recommendations that inform EOED's business attraction strategies.
  • Develop, maintain, and evaluate comprehensive reporting and analytics on business recruitment pipelines, assessing performance trends, identifying emerging opportunities, and recommending strategic and operational improvements that strengthen EOED's business recruitment priorities and overall business attraction strategy.
  • Analyze pipeline outcomes, market conditions, and key performance metrics to advise executive leadership, support strategic decision-making, refine business recruitment strategies, and inform the ongoing development of statewide business attraction priorities and initiatives.
• Communications and Representation: Serve as a strategic representative of EOED and the Commonwealth with partner organizations at conferences, industry events, business meetings, and economic development forums, communicating and advancing the Commonwealth's business attraction priorities while gathering market intelligence and stakeholder feedback to advise leadership and help shape future recruitment strategies and economic development initiatives.
  • Develop and deliver strategic presentations and represent EOED at recruitment events, cultivating relationships with key stakeholders, identifying emerging business and industry trends, and providing recommendations that inform the evolution of business attraction strategies, priorities, and initiatives.
  • Contribute to the development, evaluation, and refinement of marketing content, messaging, and outreach strategies related to business attraction initiatives, recommending enhancements to ensure alignment with EOED's economic development objectives, strategic priorities, and the Commonwealth's competitive positioning.
• Other duties as assigned

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

• Must possess excellent verbal and writing skills.
• Must be proficient at public speaking.
• Must have the ability to interact with business professionals at all levels up to the CEO.
• Must have excellent project management skills.
• Must possess excellent communication, interpersonal, and team skills.
• Must have the ability to cultivate and maintain strong working knowledge of all partner organizations within the state’s economic development organizations and the resources and services which they provide.
• Must have outbound focused business development experience, including the ability to generate leads, identify opportunities, and successfully manage projects through closure.
• Must have an understanding of performance management and be able to report on various metrics around job creation, job retention, and private investment dollars.
• Must have experience working across cultures.
• Sales, sales management, or marketing experience.

​​​​​​​All applicants should attach a cover letter and resume to their online submission for this position.