About the Opportunity

A growing Nation-owned economic development organization is seeking a Director, Economic Development to serve as its senior operating and economic-development leader.

Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, this executive will translate the organization’s broader economic vision into an executable business strategy while overseeing a diverse portfolio spanning land development, commercial real estate, infrastructure, business development, strategic partnerships, financial stewardship, government relations, community engagement, and organizational leadership.

This is a broad, hands-on leadership mandate suited to an entrepreneurial and commercially minded executive who can move complex development initiatives forward while building trusted relationships across government, community, industry, engineering, regulatory, and commercial environments.

Key ResponsibilitiesEconomic Development & Business Strategy

● Develop and execute the organization’s economic-development and business strategy

● Establish growth objectives and translate strategy into practical operating priorities

● Identify new revenue streams, strategic investments, and commercial opportunities

● Support Nation-owned businesses and future business-development initiatives

● Build the organizational capability required to support future growth

Land Development & Commercial Real Estate

● Lead land-development and commercial real-estate initiatives

● Advance land-leasing and development-planning priorities

● Coordinate servicing and infrastructure requirements for commercial properties

● Navigate municipal approvals, permitting, licensing, and regulatory requirements

● Work with engineers, utilities, contractors, and technical consultants

● Support commercial leasing and property-management activities

● Evaluate development opportunities through both commercial and community perspectives

Strategic Partnerships & Business Development

● Develop strategic business partnerships

● Negotiate joint ventures and other commercial arrangements

● Assess commercial and investment opportunities

● Identify new sources of sustainable revenue

● Build relationships with developers, investors, and business partners

● Advance public-private and infrastructure partnerships

● Represent the organization in complex external negotiations

Government, Municipal & Stakeholder Relations

● Build and maintain strong relationships with multiple levels of government

● Work closely with municipalities, neighbouring communities, regulators, utilities, developers,



engineers, financial institutions, and industry partners

● Navigate municipal governance, approvals, consultation, and regulatory environments

● Build credibility across both community and commercial settings

The ability to work effectively across multiple levels of government and stakeholder groups is a core requirement of the role.

Infrastructure & Project Leadership

● Coordinate property servicing and infrastructure requirements

● Work with civil engineers and technical consultants

● Engage local utility providers

● Support contractor coordination

● Navigate municipal approvals

● Obtain required permits and licences

● Oversee project priorities, timelines, and risk

● Ensure development activity aligns with the broader operating strategy

Financial Stewardship

● Work with the Board on business plans and budgets

● Oversee operating and capital planning

● Monitor financial performance

● Support cash-flow and investment decisions

● Evaluate the financial implications of development and commercial opportunities

● Maintain effective controls, reporting, and compliance

● Support long-term capital planning

Governance & Organizational Leadership

● Keep the Board informed on strategy, operations, financial performance, and risk

● Provide clear recommendations to support informed decision-making

● Manage day-to-day operations within delegated authority

● Strengthen organizational controls and governance practices

● Build and develop the Economic Development function over time

● Identify future capability and staffing requirements

● Establish accountability and operating rhythms

● Build a culture of execution and continuous improvement

Qualifications

The successful candidate is expected to bring:

● Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Urban or Regional Planning, Public Administration, Business Administration, Finance, or a related discipline

● Approximately 8–10+ years of progressive leadership experience in public-private partnerships, municipal real estate, urban development, economic development, or a related workplace

● Significant land-development experience

● Strong commercial real-estate experience





● Demonstrated ability to work effectively with multiple levels of government

● Experience working with communities, First Nations, engineering firms, and other stakeholders

● Experience obtaining permits and licences

● Experience coordinating servicing and infrastructure requirements for properties

● Experience managing complex multidisciplinary development or infrastructure projects

● Strong financial literacy, including capital budgeting, financial modelling, and pro forma analysis

● Experience negotiating complex commercial arrangements

● Experience navigating municipal governance, approvals, consultation, and regulatory environments

Assets

The following will be considered advantageous:

● Experience working with or for a First Nation

● Economic-development experience within a First Nations or Indigenous organization

● MBA, Master of Urban Planning, Master of Public Administration, or similar graduate degree

● PMP, CCIM, RPP, or AICP designation

● Experience negotiating joint ventures, land acquisitions, or significant commercial leases

● Experience building or scaling an economic-development function or organization

Leadership Profile

The ideal candidate will be:

● Entrepreneurial and commercially astute

● Hands-on and execution-oriented

● Comfortable navigating ambiguity and complex stakeholder environments

● Strong in diplomacy, relationship-building, and government engagement

● Financially literate and commercially disciplined

● Respectful, culturally aware, and community-minded

● Comfortable operating between Board-level strategy and practical execution

This role requires someone who can move development projects forward through the intersection of government, regulation, infrastructure, commercial priorities, and community interests.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to:

● Report directly to the Board

● Help shape an evolving economic-development strategy

● Build an economic-development function

● Influence major land and commercial-development initiatives

● Advance infrastructure and servicing priorities

● Develop recent commercial and partnership opportunities

● Work directly with government, community, and industry

● Participate in commercial negotiations and strategic investments

● Help create sustainable long-term economic value

This is a role for a leader who wants to build, not simply inherit.

Pay: $150,000.00-$180,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person

📌 Director, Economic Development (Coquitlam)
🏢 Important Group
📍 Coquitlam