Senior Director of Research

Under the direction of the President/CEO, the Senior Director of Research leads GRP’s research, data insights, and competitive intelligence capabilities – ensuring Greater Richmond is positioned as one of the nation’s most compelling destinations for business investment and talent. This includes market intelligence, economic analysis, industry cluster research, target company prospecting, talent and workforce analytics, data storytelling, and supporting business investment projects and regional partners.

This is an at‑will position.

• Lead GRP’s research efforts in alignment with the 30 & Thriving strategic plan and regional economic priorities.
• Serve as a senior expert on economic research, site selection trends, workforce insights, and cluster development.
• Advise GRP leadership on data‑driven strategies and emerging economic development opportunities.
• Oversee development of advanced analytics, dashboards, and market intelligence systems to support business recruitment and expansion efforts.
• Conduct analysis on industry clusters including advanced manufacturing, life sciences, corporate services, information technology, and other target sectors.
• Evaluate regional competitiveness through benchmarking, economic impact modeling, workforce supply‑demand analysis, and demographic trends.

• Lead research responses for requests for information (RFIs), company due diligence, consultant inquiries, and site selection briefs.
• Maintain and enhance GRP’s proprietary datasets, CRM intelligence, and competitive intelligence assets.
• Collaborate with project managers and marketing to craft compelling, data‑backed pitches, proposals, and presentations for company prospects.

• Translate complex data into clear narratives that communicate Greater Richmond’s business value proposition.
• Support GRP’s marketing team with data visualization, regional rankings, and content for reports, investor updates, and national media.
• Publish periodic research reports, trend analyses, and whitepapers that elevate GRP’s visibility as a leading research‑forward economic development organization.

• Oversee data subscriptions and vendor relationships (GIS, Lightcast, Chmura, Tableau, etc.).
• Ensure accuracy, integrity, and continuous improvement of GRP’s research methodologies, outputs, and publications.
• Proven ability to synthesize complex data into actionable insights.
• Expertise with research tools such as GIS platforms, Lightcast, JobsEQ/Chmura Economics & Analytics, Census data tools, CRM systems (Salesforce, Hubspot), and visualization platforms (Tableau, Power BI).
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills – especially the ability to create compelling data narratives.
• High attention to detail, accuracy, and responsiveness.
• Strong organizational skills with experience using work‑management platforms such as Asana and Outlook. Strategic thinker who embraces innovation, continuous learning, and cross‑functional collaboration.

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Analytics, Public Administration/Policy, Business, Urban Planning, or related field.
• Minimum 8–10 years of experience in economic development research, site selection, corporate location analysis, applied economics, or a related analytical field.
• Experience managing teams and working in a fast‑paced, highly collaborative environment.
• Strong understanding of workforce analytics, demographic trends, industry classification systems, and economic modeling.
• Working knowledge of GIS procedures and workflows, including use of ArcGIS online; preparing table‑based data for import into ArcGIS and integrating existing maps into the GRP’s mapping system.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are critical. Must speak, read, and write English proficient.
• Advanced computer skills, including Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. All important for communication and presentation materials.
• Working knowledge of AI‑related tools and applications used to support research and data…