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Director of Economic Vitality
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International Downtown Association
Iowa City, IA (In Person)
Full-Time
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Job Description
Job Title:
Director of Economic Vitality Reports To:
Executive DirectorOrganization:
Iowa City Downtown DistrictEmployment Type:
Full-time How toApply:
Please submit a resume and cover letter detailing your relevant experience and passion for economic development, business attraction and retention, and strengthening downtown business ecosystems to: betsy@downtowniowacity.comPosition 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. This role is responsible for advancing business attraction, retention, and expansion efforts; cultivating relationships with property owners, developers, and commercial brokers; and positioning Downtown Iowa City as a premier destination for investment and entrepreneurship. The Director will oversee key economic vitality programs, manage development pipelines (including locatedowntowniowacity.com), and align efforts with the ICDD's Strategic Plan to ensure a vibrant, resilient, and inclusive downtown business environment. The ideal candidate brings strong market awareness, project management skills, and the ability to translate data and trends into actionable strategies that support long-term economic growth.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, ofce, 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 trafc and activation efforts. This position reports to the Iowa City Downtown District Executive Director. Qualifcations
- 5+ years of experience in economic development, business attraction and retention, commercial real estate, revitalization, or related felds, 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 fscal 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 feld.
Benefts:
A full, generous benefts 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 The Iowa City Downtown District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.