Economic Development Director

Harris County • Houston, TX

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Economic Development Director serves as the senior leader responsible for implementing, managing, and advancing Harris County Economic Development initiatives. This position drives business attraction, retention, and expansion by deploying the full suite of tax incentive and financing tools available under local, state, and federal law. The Director collaborates with elected officials, the business community, site selectors, developers, regional partners, and state agencies to expand the tax base, create quality jobs, and strengthen the jurisdiction's economic competitiveness.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Economic Development, Public Administration, Urban Planning, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related field
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in economic development
• At least three (3) years in a supervisory or management role
• Demonstrated experience negotiating and administering tax abatement agreements, TIF districts, or equivalent incentive programs
• Experience with multiple state and federal financing and incentive tools (IRBs, NMTCs, Opportunity Zones, EDA grants, CDBG-ED, or equivalents)
• Proven track record of successfully recruiting businesses, closing deals, and managing incentive compliance
• Working knowledge of Foreign Trade Zone administration and federal trade zone regulations
• Familiarity with hotel/motel tax (HOT) statutes, allowable uses, and tourism-related economic development applications
• Comprehensive knowledge of local, state, and federal economic development statutes, regulations, and incentive programs
• Expert-level understanding of property tax abatement policy design, performance benchmarking, and claw back mechanisms
• Strong financial analysis skills, including ROI modeling for incentive packages and cost-benefit analysis
• Ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders, including elected officials, business leaders, and community members
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to present complex financial and policy information to lay audiences
• Proficiency in economic development CRM platforms and GIS-based site selection tools
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously
• High ethical standards and commitment to transparency in the administration of public incentive programs

Nice To Haves

• Master’s Degree in Economic Development, Public Administration, Urban Planning, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related field
• Graduate-level coursework or certification in public finance, tax law, or community development finance
• Experience administering a municipal or county Foreign Trade Zone subzone or grantee program
• Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation through the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
• Site Selector Guild membership or demonstrable relationships with national site selection community

Responsibilities

• Lead proactive marketing and recruitment efforts targeting priority industry sectors identified in the strategic plan
• Serve as the primary point of contact for prospective businesses, site selectors, and real estate brokers
• Manage prospect relationships throughout the full pipeline, from initial inquiry to operational launch
• Negotiate letters of intent, development agreements, and incentive packages on behalf of the jurisdiction
• Design, negotiate, and administer real and personal property tax abatement agreements; establish performance standards (job creation, wage thresholds, capital investment); monitor compliance and enforce clawback provisions
• Administer or pursue FTZ grantee/operator status; advise manufacturers and distributors on duty deferral, reduction, and weekly entry procedures; coordinate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• Advise on allowable uses of HOT revenues for tourism and economic development; partner with CVBs and the hospitality industry on eligible project funding
• Identify, designate, and manage TIF districts; prepare project and financing plans; coordinate bond issuance and fund administration with the finance department
• Partner with CDFIs and investors to channel NMTC allocations into qualifying low-income community investments
• Market designated Opportunity Zones to investors; connect developers with Qualified Opportunity Funds; track qualifying investment activity
• Structure and administer IRBs and other conduit financing for qualifying manufacturing and industrial projects
• Administer local option sales tax rebate programs and Chapter 380/381 (or equivalent) economic development agreements
• Negotiate Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes arrangements with nonprofit or public institutions as economic development tools
• Identify and pursue EDA, CDBG-ED, USDA, and state economic development grant opportunities aligned with plan priorities
• Execute a structured Business Retention and Expansion program with regular outreach to existing employers
• Identify businesses at risk of relocation or contraction and develop retention strategies
• Facilitate expansion projects for existing businesses, including incentive structuring and site/facility assistance
• Partner with workforce boards, community colleges, and K-12 systems to align training programs with employer needs
• Integrate workforce development objectives into incentive agreements where appropriate
• Build and maintain relationships with chambers of commerce, industry associations, utilities, and regional economic development organizations
• Present before elected bodies, planning commissions, and community groups on economic development matters
• Represent the jurisdiction at state, regional, and national economic development conferences and events
• Supervise economic development professional staff; conduct performance evaluations and foster professional development
• Prepare and manage the department budget; ensure fiscal accountability for all incentive programs
• Maintain a comprehensive incentive tracking and compliance database; submit required state and federal reports
• Ensure all programs operate within applicable legal and ethical frameworks; work with legal counsel on agreements.

Benefits

• This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours may vary based on the business needs of the department.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager