How to use a semicolon

No Matt. Just omit the semi

Ok, that is what I thought but I kept second guessing myself. Thank you for the help!

Without the semi, I expect the sentence to be followed by a list.

A semicolon is like a weaker full stop. If both parts of the sentence could be two separate sentences, but there's enough to keep it in the same sentence, use a semicolon.
I always wake up early; I live next door to a dairy.

This could be two separate sentences, but the reason I wake up early is because of the dairy, so instead a semicolon is used.

In your example the semicolon does not work, the phrase provides the proper background to succeed in this position. does not stand alone as a sentence.