Deputy Director of economic Deveolpment

Downtown Houston +•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Deputy Director of Economic Development is a visionary leadership role responsible for amplifying the economic, demographic, and social context of Downtown Houston. This position serves as the organization’s primary architect for research-driven strategy, ensuring that every economic initiative—from retail recruitment to space activation—is backed by robust data and a commitment to inclusive growth. This role is not only a steward of the internal project pipeline but a prominent public-facing spokesperson dedicated to building a resilient, equitable, and human-centric urban core.

Requirements

Deep, expert-level understanding of the intersection of Urban Planning and Economic Development, with a clear perspective on how streetscape comfort, walkability, and design drive private investment and property value.
8–10+ years of professional experience in urban leadership, real estate strategy, economic development, or a Business Improvement District (BID) / place management organization.
A track record of successfully managing high-performing specialist teams (such as research and program administration staff) and working seamlessly across cross-functional departments.
Exceptional ability to synthesize complex real estate data, corporate metrics, incentive structures, and planning concepts into accessible, persuasive narratives for public presentation and executive boards.
Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Real Estate Development, Business Administration (MBA), Public Policy, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with the unique dynamics of Houston’s real estate market, public-private funding tools (TIRZ/redevelopment authority frameworks), and downtown stakeholder networks.

Responsibilities

Directly manage and provide policy, operational, and strategic direction to two key departmental pillars: The Small Business Manager and The Research Manager.
Oversee the tracking of market intelligence, real estate analytics, and district metrics, turning raw data into actionable economic strategies.
Align research-driven insights with storefront execution, ensuring that small business assistance directly targets identified market gaps and structural vacancy priorities.
Provide strategic support on high-impact adaptive reuse projects and building modernizations.
Collaborate with TIRZ leadership, public agencies, and private developers to explore creative financing tools, public-private incentive structures, and economic mechanisms that lower barriers to district reinvestment.
Advance street-level vibrancy, building a resilient and contiguous ground-floor retail environment that serves workers, residents, and visitors alike.
Coordinate with planning efforts to turn improved streetscapes, activated plazas, and underutilized parcels into economically viable spaces for micro-retail, creators, and local entrepreneurs.
Strategize to future-proof downtown’s tenant mix, shifting recruitment efforts to include diverse services, grocery/fresh food development, and evening/weekend economy drivers.
Oversee the creation and publication of high-level economic reporting, annual market reviews, and investment maps that position Downtown Houston as a premier destination for regional and national capital.
Serve as the primary, relationship-based liaison to the brokerage, development, and investment communities to foster property recruitment and collaborative space-sharing models.
Act as a key organizational voice at industry events, panels, and media briefings, translating planning metrics into value-driven economic stories.
Author "decision-ready" technical briefs and performance dashboards for executive leadership and the boards of Central Houston, Inc., the Houston Downtown Management District (HDMD), and the Downtown Redevelopment Authority (DRA).