Chief Economic Development Officer

The Miami-Dade Beacon Council, the economic development partnership for Greater Miami, seeks a Chief Economic Development Officer (CEDO) to lead the region’s business growth strategy and drive transformative economic impact. This is one of the most consequential economic development roles in the United States.

Greater Miami is at a defining moment. As a global gateway connecting the Americas, the region is experiencing sustained growth driven by inbound capital, population expansion, and the rapid evolution of key industries, including financial services, technology, life sciences, aviation, and logistics. Billions of dollars in public and private investment are reshaping the region’s economic landscape.

At the center of this momentum, the Beacon Council serves as the primary engine for business attraction, expansion, and economic competitiveness. The CEDO is responsible for building and converting a world-class pipeline of opportunities, securing high-impact corporate investments, and ensuring Miami-Dade County competes and wins on a national and global stage. Reporting directly to the President and CEO, the CEDO is responsible for translating strategy into execution and leading Beacon’s business development efforts to deliver quality results. The CEDO is a strategic partner in shaping and executing the region’s growth agenda.

Position Summary:

The Chief Economic Development Officer leads the full lifecycle of economic development for Greater Miami, including business attraction, retention, and expansion, sector strategy, and partner alignment.

This role sits at the intersection of:

• Corporate location strategy and site selection
• Real estate and infrastructure readiness
• Workforce and talent alignment
• Public-private partnership
• Data-driven market competitiveness

The CEDO owns the pipeline strategy, leads complex deal structuring and incentive negotiations, and ensures that industry engagement with the Beacon Council consistently delivers value for corporate partners and the region's long-term economic goals. The Chief Economic Development Officer is a key figure responsible for driving the organization's strategic and operational goals.

Performance Mandate

This is a high-accountability, results-driven role with clear expectations for economic impact. The Chief Economic Development Officer will:

• Manage a pipeline of approximately $2 billion in prospective investment.

• Deliver approximately $800 million annually in new investment commitments.

• Support the creation of 3,000+ jobs annually.

• Build on a strong baseline of $1.2 billion in investment and 3,200 jobs delivered in the most recent year.

• Oversee a pipeline of 120–130 active projects, with 45–55 projects successfully closed annually.

• Strengthen and expand relationships with top-tier site selectors, CEOs, developers, and corporate decision-makers.

• Serve as a primary relationship builder and interface with Miami’s private sector leadership and economic development counterparts at the state, county, and municipal levels.

Responsibilities

Market Strategy & Competitive Positioning

• Execute Miami-Dade’s economic development strategy in alignment with the CEO and Board.
• Strengthen the region’s position across priority sectors, including aviation, life sciences, technology, financial services, and logistics.
• Identify and address barriers to competitiveness, including talent, real estate, infrastructure, and incentives.

Business Attraction & Pipeline Development

• Build, manage, and convert a high-quality pipeline of corporate relocation and expansion opportunities.
• Lead complex deal origination, structuring, and execution.
• Position Miami-Dade County as a premier destination through national and global outreach.

Corporate Engagement & Retention

• Develop and execute proactive strategies to support the growth of existing businesses.
• Maintain strong relationships with C-suite executives, investors, and developers, locally and nationally.
• Deliver a high-touch, best-in-class experience for all prospects and partners.

Stakeholder & Partner Leadership

• Serve as a primary liaison, cultivating and building stronger partnerships with county, municipal, and state economic development partners.
• Engage site selection consultants and national intermediaries.
• Ensure industry engagement with the Beacon Council drives both client value and regional economic outcomes.
• Representing the organization at national conferences, industry forums, and key external engagements.
• Preparing monthly economic development updates for communication with the CEO, board, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitating the development/implementation of appropriate economic development councils and task forces as needed or directed by the CEO.

Organizational Leadership & Integration

• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing business development team of five professionals.
• Operate within a lean, high-impact organization of 18 staff.
• Collaborate closely with leadership across Strategy & Research, Fund Development & Partnerships, Marketing, and
• Finance & Administration.
• Foster a culture of accountability, urgency, collaboration, and execution.
• Provide joint guidance and support to the Strive 305 (small business) program, Beacon Nexus (research initiatives), and TalentBridge (workforce and talent development) to ensure proper linkages between the organization’s larger business development efforts and the competitiveness efforts being driven through the Beacon Council Foundation.
• Promoting the mission and core values of MDBC in a positive work environment.

Data, Metrics & Performance Management

• Track and report key performance indicators related to investment, job creation, and pipeline development.
• Provide regular updates to the CEO, Board, and key stakeholders.
• Leverage data and market intelligence to inform strategy and decision-making.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a dynamic, market-facing executive with a proven track record of driving economic growth, leading high-performing teams, and closing complex deals.

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in economic development, corporate strategy, business development, real estate, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success managing pipelines, closing deals, and delivering measurable economic impact.
• Experience leading teams and operating in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Strong understanding of site selection, incentives, and corporate location strategy.

Leadership & Capabilities

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into execution.
• Strong commercial instincts and negotiation capabilities.
• Proven ability to build relationships with senior business and government leaders.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• Highly accountable, data-driven, and results-oriented.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a major metropolitan or global gateway market.
• Relationships across key sectors such as finance, technology, real estate, logistics, or life sciences.
• International experience is highly desirable.
• Spanish and/or Portuguese fluency is a plus.
• Advanced degree (MBA, MPP, JD, or related field) or CEcD certification.

Why This Role

This is a rare opportunity to:

Shape the economic trajectory of one of the fastest-growing and most globally connected regions in the United States.

Operate at the highest levels of business, government, and civic leadership.

Lead high-impact projects that drive job creation and attract significant capital investment.

Build and scale a best-in-class economic development platform in a market with extraordinary momentum.

Why Miami

Greater Miami offers a unique combination of:

Global connectivity as the gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Rapid population and economic growth.

Significant inbound capital across real estate, finance, technology, and infrastructure.

A diverse, international workforce and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

A business environment is increasingly recognized as one of the most dynamic in the country.

For the right leader, this can be a career-defining platform.

Compensation

The Beacon Council is committed to attracting exceptional talent with a competitive compensation package, including relocation support, for highly qualified candidates.

About the Miami-Dade Beacon Council

For four decades, the Miami-Dade Beacon Council has served as the driving force behind the region’s economic growth, facilitating billions in private investment and supporting the creation of tens of thousands of jobs. Today, the organization is executing an ambitious strategy to build a more sustainable, globally competitive, and prosperous economy, positioning Greater Miami as a premier destination for business and innovation.