Position Summary
The Business Development Manager will play a key supporting role in generating, advancing, and tracking business attraction and retention opportunities, with the goal of increasing the number of companies establishing and expanding operations in Philadelphia. This individual will collaborate on strategic initiatives that support the City’s high-impact industry sectors, including Advanced Manufacturing, Technology, and Life Sciences, among other priority areas.
In addition to supporting portfolio leads, this role will serve as a liaison between the Business Development Unit, including sector specialists, and the City’s International team, helping to strengthen Philadelphia’s global presence and position as a premier destination for business, talent, and investment.
The Manager plays a vital role in advancing Philadelphia’s business development efforts by engaging with regional, national, and international companies as they evaluate investment opportunities in the city. As a highly visible, outward-facing position, this role supports both domestic and international business attraction initiatives and serves as a key touchpoint for prospective investors.
Success in this role requires a strategic and analytical approach, including the ability to conduct in-depth research, perform competitive market analyses, track data, and assess emerging industry and workforce trends. These insights directly inform and strengthen the Business Development Unit’s portfolio strategies, enhancing the City’s ability to compete effectively for new business across diverse markets.
Additionally, the Manager collaborates closely with the Senior Manager of Strategy and Incentives to deepen the team’s understanding of available resources and incentive tools. This partnership ensures that attraction and retention efforts are data-driven, competitive, and aligned with the City’s broader economic development objectives.
The Manager will provide critical support to the Business Development Unit in the following areas:
- Partner with Business Development leadership on business attraction and retention initiatives.
- Respond promptly and effectively to project assignments, aligned with client needs.
- Conduct thorough research on market activity, delivering accurate and up-to-date insights into sector trends affecting Philadelphia.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders across industries to advance the City’s business development objectives, domestically and internationally.
- Develop and sustain a deep understanding of economic trends at the local, national, and global levels.
- Collaborate closely with public and private economic development partners to strengthen a coordinated, strategic approach to business development.
- Coordinate with industry specialists and subject matter experts within the Business Development Unit to support the needs of international companies.
Essential Functions
- Communicate proactively and professionally with businesses and partners locally and internationally, maintaining confidentiality as needed.
- Support industry experts in attraction, expansion, and retention initiatives through research, analysis, and preparation.
- Promote Philadelphia as a world-class business destination through consistent messaging and outreach.
- Collaborate with the Communications Unit to ensure accuracy of messaging and data for Business Development initiatives.
- Assist in preparing presentation materials for the Business Development Unit and individual sector portfolios.
- Maintain and update the Business Development pipeline database (Quickbase), ensuring accurate tracking of prospective activity, timelines, and outcomes.
- Track and analyze relevant data, reporting on progress and impact across industry portfolios and the Philadelphia market.
- Support the Business Development Unit in achieving goals and performance metrics.
- Build and maintain working relationships across the Department of Commerce and partner agencies within Philadelphia’s economic ecosystem.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the direct supervisor or Deputy for Business Development.
Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate the work of Business Development and city initiatives to diverse audiences.
- Professional decorum and presence when engaging elected officials, business leaders, and international delegations.
- Strong research and analytical capabilities to support data-driven decision-making.
- Self-starter with the ability to work independently and collaboratively within cross-functional and international teams.
- Ability to work efficiently, accurately, and with strong attention to detail.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and client management software is essential.