Commerce Corp. hiring firm to fill spots

The Executive Office of Commerce, newly created this year, will hire two senior professionals who will be responsible for promoting commerce and the economy through economic development, business regulation, housing development, workforce development, tourism and other activities.
The Executive Office of Commerce, newly created this year, will hire two senior professionals who will be responsible for promoting commerce and the economy through economic development, business regulation, housing development, workforce development, tourism and other activities.

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Commerce Corporation will hire an executive search firm to help identify and hire about a dozen junior- to senior-staff members who will help the agency administer the economic-development programs created under the current state budget.
A request for proposal, expected to be issued Thursday, will request applications from firms that can develop a recruitment strategy, write compelling job descriptions, locate candidates and assess their qualifications, among other tasks.
According to the documents, the Commerce Corporation will need to hire approximately 10 junior through senior professionals in the areas of business development, investments/transactions, client services and strategic marketing.
The Executive Office of Commerce, newly created this year, will hire two senior professionals who will be responsible for promoting commerce and the economy through economic development, business regulation, housing development, workforce development, tourism and other activities.
Responses are due by July 31 and some of the newly hired employees could be in place within a few months, said Stefan Pryor, the state’s commerce secretary, in a phone interview.
“It’s crucial that we recruit additional staff members who will allow us to operate and oversee the new programs that were passed as a part of the governor’s budget,” he said. “To ensure that we recruit as vigorously and effectively as possible, we are seeking a professional search firm to help us accomplish this search.”
The fiscal 2016 state budget, which took effect July 1, provides the funds for all of the new positions, he said. The budget provided $7.4 million in state funds for the Commerce Corporation, an increase of about $3.4 million over the previous year.
Overall, the new Executive Office of Commerce will get $76 million for economic development efforts this year, including about $40 million in incentive programs.
The 10 or so new hires for the Commerce Corporation will include additions to the business development team, which provides services relating to attraction of new corporations, business retention and expansion. The client services team provides advocacy and project management services to Rhode Island companies interacting with the state.
The investment team specializes in evaluating economic-development investments through incentive programs. The marketing team will redevelop Rhode Island’s “brand” and manage the state’s efforts to strengthen its attractiveness for tourism and business growth.

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