Ascendant is recruiting qualified candidates for a full-time Consultant position linked to a contract that we hold with the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Consultant will support the work of SelectUSA (a U.S. government program led by the U.S. Department of Commerce) in attracting and retaining foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States.

The Consultant will support the SelectUSA Investment Services team on investment pipeline work, conducting activities that enhance progress of existing and new quality investment pipeline projects. Duties and responsibilities will include:

• Mining networks, SelectUSA resources, and other assets for new FDI leads;
• Assisting in developing and implementing strategies to proactively curate and foster deal development aimed at facilitating investment into the United States;
• Conducting research to identify company targets for proactive outreach;
• Vetting and qualifying investment deals;
• Project managing selected deal engagement;
• Running reports and building dashboards;
• Drafting briefing materials;
• Coordinating investment promotion activities with international and domestic staff; and
• Providing regular updates on pipeline progress.

This position is based in Washington, DC and is metro accessible (Federal Triangle).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is required
• Six (6) or more years of relevant professional experience in economic development, site selection, international trade, and/or foreign direct investment is desired
• Experience in business development and/or sales is desired
• Experience attracting, supporting, or implementing investments is desired
• Ability to add industry-informed value to investor client conversations is highly desirable; examples of desirable industries include expertise in or with ICT, energy, and healthcare sectors
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Prior experience with Salesforce/CRM desired
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Ability to operate independently to complete tasks and succeed in a fast-paced environment
• Applicants should demonstrate enthusiasm, initiative, flexibility, and attention to detail
• A public trust background check with U.S. Government must be completed prior to starting work