Background:

Tulsa Innovation Labs LLC (TIL) is a tech-led economic development organization headquartered in Tulsa, OK pioneered by the George Kaiser Family Foundation. The organization is responsible for catalyzing Tulsa’s leadership in advanced industries such as energy tech, advanced air mobility, virtual health, and cyber. We believe that by building a world-class tech hub in America’s heartland, we unlock opportunity for all.

The organization was founded in January 2020 and has already experienced significant momentum including its $38.2M Build Back Better Regional Challenge win and $51M in implementation funding as an EDA Designated Tech Hub. Now, TIL is emerging from startup-phase and has established itself as a system hub and community leader, requiring additional emphasis on scaling-up operations and organizational capacity.

Position Summary:

The Head of Business Attraction reports to the Managing Director and serves as a member of the TIL Leadership Team. The position is responsible for designing, building, and executing a targeted business attraction strategy for advanced industries such as advanced air mobility, energy tech, and autonomous systems. The Head of Business Attraction is accountable for defining and managing internal systems, processes, budgets, and resources to ensure effective and efficient business attraction activities across the TIL system. To be successful in the position, the Head of Business Attraction must have demonstrated competency and depth in leading economic development initiatives, expertise in business-to-business marketing and communication strategies, experience leading and managing high performing teams, as well as mastery of project management skills to plan and facilitate activities, anticipating and mitigating any potential issues, and creating solutions that optimize the impact of TIL.

Responsibilities / Essential Job Function:

The following functions represent the majority of the duties performed by the position. The description is not meant to be all-inclusive or prevent other duties from being assigned when necessary:

• Oversees the development and implementation of targeted business attraction activities and programs to reach prospective companies through qualified national and international business development lead generation.
• Collaborates with regional partners including Chambers of Commerce, state agencies, municipalities, and others to successfully support or lead regional business attraction activities.
• Executes targeted national and international business development meetings, and recruitment trips; coordinates with other members of the TIL team and related regional partners as needed.
• Stays current on issues and trends that affect economic development partners, companies, and investment activity; maintains a pulse of general economic development priorities and trends. 
• Develops and maintains professional business relationships with clients, brokers, consultants, site selectors and allies regionally, nationally, and internationally through personal contact and participation in professional industry related organizations.
• Collaborates with executive leadership team members with the development and implementation of a strategic plan for TIL that includes vision, goals, and objectives.
• Coordinates cross-functionally to help craft and implement a sustainable strategy to grow the Tulsa region’s industrial base in target sectors.
• Devises and implements operational plans that include role clarity, accountability, resourcing, and trackable performance indicators.
• Completes due diligence on prospects and source background information to prepare for business development meetings and special events which promote the Tulsa Region.
• Conducts promotional and informational presentations to market Tulsa to targeted audiences.
• Leads communication and engagement related to RFP & RFI processes, effectively managing and facilitating all activities with business prospects and allies.
• Develop SalesForce Business Attraction module and capabilities in order to provide timely reports to the Managing Director and other key stakeholders on pipeline, activities, etc.
• Works with Marketing and Communications teams and Research and Data teams to compile fact-sheets and relevant materials/collateral necessary to carry out business attraction activities and assist in the development of other critical assets and campaigns needed.
• Analyzes trends and conditions that will impact the Tulsa Region and determine necessary strategic modifications to take advantage of those trends and conditions.
• Identifies areas of opportunity and weakness to improve the competitiveness and business climate of the community and the organization’s related efforts.
• Other duties as assigned by Managing Director.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related field is required.
• Minimum of 10 years of direct experience in economic development, preferably leading and managing business attraction programs.
• Experience and strong competency related to program and project management.
• Experience with process design/development, creative problem solving, and process improvement is a plus.
• Experience with MS Office Suite and Salesforce (or other CRM) is preferred.

Competencies, Skills & Abilities:

To be successful in this role, you must be able to design and lead business attraction strategies, have masterful facilitation and relationship development skills, and the organizational and project management skills to drive results. You must also have excellent communication skills, actively listening, engaging and connecting with diverse groups of people, fostering meaningful relationships with our partners and stakeholders. Our team must be nimble and adaptable to the growing and changing needs of our organization and stakeholder groups, creating solutions and improving processes to achieve TIL goals.

• Integrity – honesty and directness in all things, especially with respect to the true status of initiatives and when in need of help and support from teammates and stakeholders.
• Intentionality – the desire to act now, and not later, on tasks and initiatives. Exhibit a hunger for success and results.
• Interest – an attitude of constant learning, curiosity, and humility with respect to what has yet to be understood.
• Interconnectedness – respect and appreciation for teammates and stakeholders: their backgrounds, skills, history, challenges, fears, and expectations that influence how approach shared tasks and relationships.
• Cultural competency and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, with experience integrating these values into operational practices and team culture.
• Masterful communication and facilitation skills, approaching all interactions with positive intent, respect, and solutions-based approach.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, effectively assess & prioritize activities, proactively manage timelines, processes, and resources to achieve defined outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to translate a vision, ideas and high-level strategies into initiatives and action plans, creating clarity out of ambiguity, and aligning the team/activities to achieve goals.
• High energy influencer and problem solver, with ability to discern / anticipate needs, proactively mitigate issues, and adapt processes and procedures as necessary to improve for future success.
• Leads and communicates with a highly collaborative and transparent approach to engaging a team and getting results.
• Ability to define and utilize appropriate metrics to measure program success and performance and individual projects, processes, and procedures.
• Champion of change, with ability to perform and adapt/innovate in a fast-paced, dynamic business environment with ongoing refinements to processes and scope of work to achieve goals.
• Conducts all activities with integrity in alignment with the principles of the George Kaiser Family Foundation.

Physical Requirements:

• Communicate: Frequent phone, in-person, and messaging communication via various platforms. Must be able to exchange information effectively and accurately in all elements of verbal and written communication.
• Operate: Constant operation of computer, phones, and other office productivity tools.
• Willingness and ability to travel between program and related stakeholder locations, and service provider/vendor offices as required.

Hours & Location:

• Position is based in Tulsa within TIL headquarters located at 3 North Cheyenne Ave.
• Typical work hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 to 5:00, with flexibility required for various events, meetings, and relevant business needs.

Benefits and Compensation:

As part of our overall compensation package, we offer work/life flexibility, comprehensive health benefits, paid time off, and generous retirement contributions designed to support you and your family. 

Details:

• 100% employer paid medical, dental, and long-term disability for full-time employees only. Option to add vision and dependents.
• 401K employee and employer contributions.
• Paid time off to support you while you are out of the office.
• Paid holidays so our employees can spend time with those they care about.
• Employer paid AD&D life insurance, with employee option to add supplemental life insurance.