POSITION SUMMARY: Supports the growth and vitality of downtown Winston-Salem through business retention, expansion, and retail recruitment efforts. Serves as the primary point of contact for downtown businesses, building relationships with business owners, property owners, developers, brokers, and community partners to identify opportunities, address business needs, support economic development initiatives, and attract new retail and restaurant investment. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 

Business Retention & Expansion 

• Conduct regular outreach to downtown businesses to understand needs, opportunities, and challenges. 
• Build relationships with business owners, property owners, brokers, developers, and community partners. 
• Connect businesses with GWSI resources and partner organizations. 
• Maintain records of business engagement and follow-up activities. 

Retail Recruitment 

• Lead outreach to prospective retail and restaurant businesses. 
• Research market opportunities and identify recruitment targets. 
• Maintain an inventory of available properties and a pipeline of prospective businesses. 
• Coordinate prospect inquiries, meetings, and site visits. 

Research & Project Coordination 

• Monitor downtown business activity, vacancies, and market trends. 
• Prepare reports and materials supporting recruitment and business retention efforts. 
• Coordinate with internal staff and external partners on downtown development initiatives. 
• Maintain data related to business outreach, recruitment efforts, and available commercial space. 

Communications & Community Engagement 

• Represent GWSI at meetings, events, and stakeholder engagements. 
• Support communications related to downtown business development initiatives. 
• Assist with events and initiatives that promote downtown business growth. 
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

NON-ESSENTIAL/PERIPHERAL FUNCTIONS: 

• Attend chamber-related events and meetings when requested. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, urban planning, or related field preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience. 
• Two to five years of experience in commercial real estate, business development, retail, downtown development, economic development, community development, account management, or a related field required. 
• Experience in retail leasing, business recruitment, or other relationship-focused roles preferred. 
• Demonstrated success building relationships with businesses, property owners, developers, brokers, or community stakeholders. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite required, with experience utilizing customer relationship management (CRM) systems or similar databases preferred. 
• Effective problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify and resolve complex problems in a timely manner; gather and analyze data and information to create innovative solutions. 
• Judgment and decision-making skills; making decisions independently and in a timely manner; ability to evaluate and prioritize information and situations. 
• Demonstrated attention to detail; precisely and efficiently evaluate data to determine its value for economic development use. 
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, including active listening, objectivity, the ability to clearly convey information in challenging situations that require tact, courtesy, and professional decorum. 
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to productively interact, communicate, and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including GWSI team members. 
• Ability to deliver informative, engaging, and persuasive presentations. 
• Planning and organization skills, including the ability to prioritize and plan work activities independently, prioritize and use time efficiently, and develop realistic action plans. 
• Commitment to maintain confidential and sensitive information; uphold ethical responsibilities and obligations by safeguarding entrusted information on behalf of the organization and its stakeholders; understand and implement applicable policies, rules and regulations. 
• Hold valid NC driver’s license. 

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

• Characteristics of working conditions and physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 
• Working Conditions: While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time during travel and site visits. This includes heat/cold, precipitation, and humidity. Ability to travel domestically and internationally is required. Occasionally work evenings as needed. This position is based in the business office. The noise level in this work environment is minimal. 
• Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to walk, sit, stand, balance, talk, speak clearly, hear, and listen throughout the workday. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and possess the ability to grasp, move, and assemble objects. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. 

To apply, please send resume and cover letter to ekeifer@winstonsalem.com.