Director of Economic Vitality
Downtowniowacity, Iowa City, IA, United States
Position Overview
The Iowa City Downtown District (ICDD) seeks a strategic, relationship-driven, and data-informed Director of Economic Vitality to lead initiatives that strengthen, grow, and sustain the downtown economy.
Reports To:
Executive Director
Organization:
Iowa City Downtown District
Employment Type:
Full-time
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
Lead and evolve the Economic Vitality strategic priority area, identifying opportunities for growth, investment, and innovation.
Develop and implement a comprehensive economic vitality work plan aligned with ICDD’s Strategic Plan.
Monitor local, regional, and national market trends to inform business recruitment and retention strategies.
Serve as a thought leader and advocate for policies and initiatives that support downtown economic growth and sustainability.
Business Attraction & Development
Lead proactive business recruitment efforts, targeting a diverse mix of retail, restaurant, office, and experiential uses.
Manage and grow the locatedowntowniowacity.com pipeline, including prospect tracking, lead generation, and site selection support.
Build relationships with commercial realtors, developers, site selectors, and entrepreneurs to position downtown as a competitive market.
Identify and market available properties, redevelopment opportunities, and key catalyst sites.
Business Retention & Support
Conduct regular business outreach visits to assess needs, identify challenges, and uncover opportunities.
Develop and implement retention strategies that support legacy businesses, small businesses, and emerging entrepreneurs.
Collaborate with partners to connect businesses to funding, technical assistance, workforce resources, and grant programs.
Data, Research & Reporting
Collect, analyze, and maintain data related to downtown economic performance, including occupancy, leasing activity, business mix, and trends.
Utilize tools such as Placer.ai and internal datasets to inform strategy and communicate impact.
Develop reports, dashboards, and insights for stakeholders, developers, businesses, potential businesses, and partners.
Track and report on key performance metrics tied to economic vitality goals.
Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement
Build and maintain strong relationships with property owners, business owners, developers, and brokers.
Collaborate with the City of Iowa City, University of Iowa, Think Iowa City, and Greater Iowa City to align economic development efforts.
Support and engage the Economic Vitality Committee by providing leadership, coordination, and implementation of its priorities.
Represent ICDD in meetings, forums, and public settings as a key advocate for downtown economic development.
Program Development & Implementation
Oversee and enhance economic vitality programs, including:
• Business recruitment and marketing initiatives
• Incentive and grant programs
Business resource development and education
Identify opportunities to activate vacant storefronts and support adaptive reuse of spaces.
Collaborate with marketing and events teams to align economic strategies with foot traffic and activation efforts.
Note: this section contains an em tag in the source; the text remains the same without emphasis styling.
Qualifications
5+ years of experience in economic development, business attraction and retention, commercial real estate, revitalization, or related fields, with demonstrated leadership responsibility.
Strong understanding of market dynamics, commercial real estate, and small business ecosystems.
Proven ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
Experience managing projects, programs, and data-driven initiatives.
Strategic thinker who is energetic, detail-oriented, collaborative, and comfortable working under deadlines.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to work effectively with diverse audiences and partners.
Ability to balance creativity with operational discipline and fiscal responsibility.
Experience working with boards, committees, sponsors, and public agencies preferred.
Passion for Downtown Iowa City and alignment with ICDD’s mission, vision, and values.
Bachelor’s degree (preferred) in economic development, business, urban planning, public administration, or related field.
Benefits
A full, generous benefits package including, but not limited to:
Health insurance (100%)
IRA
Wellness program
Phone contribution
Starting 15 PTO/Vacation days, 4 sick days, and 10 paid holidays per year
Anticipated salary:
commensurate with experience
Application Process
The Iowa City Downtown District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and value a wide range of lived and professional experiences. If your experience and skills align with this role and you are passionate about supporting a vibrant community, we encourage you to apply. If there is anything we can do to support you throughout the application process, please let us know.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
The Iowa City Downtown District (ICDD) seeks a strategic, relationship-driven, and data-informed Director of Economic Vitality to lead initiatives that strengthen, grow, and sustain the downtown economy.
Reports To:
Executive Director
Organization:
Iowa City Downtown District
Employment Type:
Full-time
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
Lead and evolve the Economic Vitality strategic priority area, identifying opportunities for growth, investment, and innovation.
Develop and implement a comprehensive economic vitality work plan aligned with ICDD’s Strategic Plan.
Monitor local, regional, and national market trends to inform business recruitment and retention strategies.
Serve as a thought leader and advocate for policies and initiatives that support downtown economic growth and sustainability.
Business Attraction & Development
Lead proactive business recruitment efforts, targeting a diverse mix of retail, restaurant, office, and experiential uses.
Manage and grow the locatedowntowniowacity.com pipeline, including prospect tracking, lead generation, and site selection support.
Build relationships with commercial realtors, developers, site selectors, and entrepreneurs to position downtown as a competitive market.
Identify and market available properties, redevelopment opportunities, and key catalyst sites.
Business Retention & Support
Conduct regular business outreach visits to assess needs, identify challenges, and uncover opportunities.
Develop and implement retention strategies that support legacy businesses, small businesses, and emerging entrepreneurs.
Collaborate with partners to connect businesses to funding, technical assistance, workforce resources, and grant programs.
Data, Research & Reporting
Collect, analyze, and maintain data related to downtown economic performance, including occupancy, leasing activity, business mix, and trends.
Utilize tools such as Placer.ai and internal datasets to inform strategy and communicate impact.
Develop reports, dashboards, and insights for stakeholders, developers, businesses, potential businesses, and partners.
Track and report on key performance metrics tied to economic vitality goals.
Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement
Build and maintain strong relationships with property owners, business owners, developers, and brokers.
Collaborate with the City of Iowa City, University of Iowa, Think Iowa City, and Greater Iowa City to align economic development efforts.
Support and engage the Economic Vitality Committee by providing leadership, coordination, and implementation of its priorities.
Represent ICDD in meetings, forums, and public settings as a key advocate for downtown economic development.
Program Development & Implementation
Oversee and enhance economic vitality programs, including:
• Business recruitment and marketing initiatives
• Incentive and grant programs
Business resource development and education
Identify opportunities to activate vacant storefronts and support adaptive reuse of spaces.
Collaborate with marketing and events teams to align economic strategies with foot traffic and activation efforts.
Note: this section contains an em tag in the source; the text remains the same without emphasis styling.
Qualifications
5+ years of experience in economic development, business attraction and retention, commercial real estate, revitalization, or related fields, with demonstrated leadership responsibility.
Strong understanding of market dynamics, commercial real estate, and small business ecosystems.
Proven ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
Experience managing projects, programs, and data-driven initiatives.
Strategic thinker who is energetic, detail-oriented, collaborative, and comfortable working under deadlines.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to work effectively with diverse audiences and partners.
Ability to balance creativity with operational discipline and fiscal responsibility.
Experience working with boards, committees, sponsors, and public agencies preferred.
Passion for Downtown Iowa City and alignment with ICDD’s mission, vision, and values.
Bachelor’s degree (preferred) in economic development, business, urban planning, public administration, or related field.
Benefits
A full, generous benefits package including, but not limited to:
Health insurance (100%)
IRA
Wellness program
Phone contribution
Starting 15 PTO/Vacation days, 4 sick days, and 10 paid holidays per year
Anticipated salary:
commensurate with experience
Application Process
The Iowa City Downtown District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and value a wide range of lived and professional experiences. If your experience and skills align with this role and you are passionate about supporting a vibrant community, we encourage you to apply. If there is anything we can do to support you throughout the application process, please let us know.
#J-18808-Ljbffr