Trade Office Executive Director Position

The Trade Office Advisory Board has formed a search committee to fill the executive director position. Applicants with export management experience are encouraged to provide a letter of interest, resume and three references by 4pm, Thursday, Feb. 11.

Application materials can be mailed to North Dakota Department of Commerce Commissioner Shane Goettle at:

North Dakota Department of Commerce

1600 E. Century Ave., Suite 2

PO Box 2057

Bismarck, N.D.  58503

Job Summary

The North Dakota Trade Office executive director oversees all staff, operations and functions developed by the Trade Office to expand the state’s trade opportunities through advocacy, education and expertise. The executive director is responsible for managing the Trade Office’s funding and maintaining strong relations with the North Dakota Legislature, the North Dakota Trade Office Advisory Board, Trade Office member companies, other export business leaders, state and federal government officials and the general public. 

Qualified applicants should demonstrate significant experience in export management, global business operations and results-driven managerial skills.

Key Responsibilities:

·         The executive director is the lead spokesman for the Trade Office and its mission.

·         Demonstrate successful work experience managing organizational finances, budgets and grant funding.

·         Drive new member development and export market expansion 

·         Develop and connect international business resources with exporter clients to facilitate ease of exporting

·         Manage in-state and overseas personnel to achieve overall export expansion goals 

·         Enable client access to capital for international growth and expansion

·         Ensure trade opportunities and issues are being addressed on behalf of clients 

·         Drive overall awareness and brand identity for the Trade Office, its services and member companies

·         Oversee the collection of export and services-related data from member companies to measure and report Trade Office results. The executive director is charged with conducting rigorous member analysis to ensure member satisfaction.

Key Competencies:

·         The executive director will lead the delivery of global business results via development and execution of key initiatives, programs and other functions.  The executive director must have a disciplined understanding of global business and posses strong interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate and direct team members and associates around the world.

·         The executive director must be a proven leader, able to create a compelling vision and lead change as well as capability building to drive sustained results.

·         The executive director is responsible for Global marketing analytics - integrates data to understand macro trends, understands and challenges assumptions to drive data-based decision making.  The executive director must work effectively with in-house and outside market research functions to ask the right questions, identify key markets and draw data-based insights that can be leveraged to drive business results.