Vice President : Beyond Bengaluru

A. Position Summary

This role will be responsible for KDEMs Beyond Bengaluru verticals work in all the clusters. This work aims to accelerate and transform the clusters as hubs for business investment, leading to the state's digital economy.

Develop strategies and facilitate implementations of all Bengaluru & Beyond” efforts regarding Policy advocacy, Budgets, Government relations, Market Development, Communication, and Outreach activities.

Build partnerships with industry, accelerators, corporate, sponsors, industry partners, academia, training institutions, media houses and local entrepreneurial networks to achieve Digital growth. Facilitate growth footprint by working with the government, IT/ITES community, ESDM industries, and Tech startups. Create a platform to resolve operational challenges between Government frameworks and ensure Enterprise innovations are achieved successfully.

The position requires a metric-focused change agent to drive success through in-depth research and community mobilisation. The incumbent must lead with zeal and passion and create a growth track record across the cluster.

B. Role Responsibilities

Investment Promotion:

• Evangelise & position “Bengaluru & Beyond” cities (Mysuru, Hubli-Dharwad, Mangalore, Kalaburagi, and Belagavi) as emerging destinations for key IT/ITES, BPM, GCC, CoE, ESDM, and Tech-based Startups.
• Design & develop strategies to Encourage & motivate industries to set base across all “Bengaluru & Beyond” clusters by partnering with - GCC Service providers, Co-working/Managed Space Developers, Real Estate Developers, Infrastructure Companies (Internet, Telecom, etc.), Training and upskilling Organizations, and Industry Body Associations
• Collaborate with the heads of KDEM's different verticals to Develop a strategy to Attract and facilitate corporate (international companies, Indian multinationals, startups/MSMEs, IT/ITeS, BPM, GCC, ESDM, and tech-based startup) Investments in the State, specifically in the emerging tech cities.
• Promote Beyond Bengaluru as a prime preferred location for industries to set up their operations.
• To facilitate the plan to develop “Technology Parks” beyond Bengaluru.
• Develop Local Industry Anchor groups to enable and foster the development of the Digital Economy in the cluster.

Branding

• Be the “Go-to” person for all the “Bengaluru & Beyond” clusters and clearly articulate the government-specific incentives for innovation, growth, and development in the respective clusters.
• Create and promote all “Bengaluru & Beyond” market-facing programs - develop campaigns in lines of the “Invest Karnataka” campaign.
• Organise events across clusters in collaboration with educational & research institutions to bridge the corporate/academic gap.

Strategy & Stakeholder Management:

• Engage and collaborate with decision-makers from the pipeline companies to facilitate their investments in Karnataka.
• Forge partnerships to promote and brand “Bengaluru & Beyond” and its activities across various clusters.
• Assist the department and investors to ensure a seamless setup process for new companies.
• Plan and strategies to identify and create plug-and-play facilities to attract businesses to relocate or co-locate in partnership with the “Beyond Bangalore” cluster-specific advisory committee members.
• Collaborate with the vertical heads of KDEM to develop and execute outreach programs for the State, corporations, investors, and accelerators.
• Through technology enablement, engage business leaders and entrepreneurs to develop and drive a distributed delivery model, or the “SUPPLY” side of the “Bengaluru & Beyond” initiative.

Research & Policy:

• Formulate regular research & surveys, at regular intervals, of the existing demand data of corporates that are currently being supported by talent from “Bengaluru & Beyond” clusters.
• Design & implement a pull strategy to retain and grow cluster-specific talent.
• Build and maintain a database to track all the clusters' progress and growth.
• Engage with various internal and external stakeholders to conduct research and publish reports on clusters' resources and potential.

Operational Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with the other vertical heads, strategise, plan, and manage the program activities for the Beyond Bengaluru vertical.
• Build, train and develop critical team members who will forge the “Bengaluru & Beyond” initiative.
• Conduct fundraising events for “Bengaluru & Beyond”.
• Develop a strategy for setting up and onboarding qualified IT/ITES corporates in collaboration with the IT/GCC team.
• Partner with the Government of Karnataka, Steering Committee, investors, Foundations, and stakeholders for the full success of programs.
• Partner with the Startup & Innovation team to utilise resources and build a forum to listen to and understand the challenges and requirements of both verticals.

C. Other Skills

• Well-networked and played a senior executive or leadership role.
• Worked in the Investment promotion area and Experience in attracting and facilitating investments
• Experience in handling Government Relations and stakeholder management of corporates & senior management and investors.
• Have an understanding of Policies and Regulations in this ecosystem.
• Ability to raise funds
• Background or exposure to marketing & community partnership
• Strong network in India's Investment Promotion ecosystem with multiple stakeholders
• Excellent communication and interaction skills; ability to build and grow relationships
• Resourceful and able to operate in a fast-changing environment
• Demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in a team environment
• Comfortable with multi-tasking and handling a variety of responsibilities.
• Ability to make sound decisions based on evidence.
• Passion to succeed and go-getter
• Demonstrated high standards of ethics and integrity
• Proficiency in the Kannada language is mandatory

D. Competencies:

Strategic Thinking

• Should be seen as a thought leader who provides alternate ideas to all stakeholders
• Ability to identify long-term, medium-term, and short-term focus areas

Networking and Influencing skills

• Ability to identify the real stakeholders and get them engaged
• Ability to influence people who do not report to you and who may have other (often different) priorities

Others

• • Ability to split large jobs into smaller executable jobs and yet integrate them for fullness
• Technology savviness with a social media focus
• Ability to build and drive strategies for sector-specific programs.
• Demonstrated program management skills to run multiple programs.
• Willingness to travel extensively