VP, Place-Based Initiatives

ST LOUIS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION•St. Louis, MO

2d•$150,000 - $0•Onsite

About The Position

The Vice President (VP) of Place-Based Initiatives is responsible for leading SLDC’s neighborhood implementation, corridor revitalization, and small business empowerment strategies across the City of St. Louis. This role oversees SLDC’s geographically focused implementation work through a team of Neighborhood Managers while also providing executive leadership for SLDC’s small business empowerment ecosystem, including the Northside Economic Empowerment Center (NEEC), technical assistance initiatives, neighborhood business support programs, corridor activation efforts, and related entrepreneurship and capacity building initiatives. The VP serves as the executive leader responsible for connecting: neighborhood priorities economic empowerment corridor revitalization small business growth community partnerships and place-based investment strategies. This role ensures SLDC operates as a coordinated implementation platform that advances neighborhood economic development through aligned investments, strategic partnerships, business support systems, and catalytic projects. The VP of Place-Based Initiatives operates at the intersection of: neighborhood development small business ecosystem development economic empowerment corridor revitalization and community-centered implementation. Success in this role is measured by neighborhood implementation outcomes, growth and effectiveness of SLDC’s small business ecosystem, corridor activation, stakeholder trust, and the successful alignment of public, private, philanthropic, and institutional resources around neighborhood and economic empowerment priorities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred in: Urban Planning, Community Development, Economic Development, Public Administration, Urban Design, Business Or related field
10+ years of progressively responsible experience in: economic development, community development, small business ecosystem development, place-based initiatives, neighborhood revitalization, public-private partnerships, or related fields
Demonstrated experience: managing teams and complex stakeholder environments
Demonstrated experience: leading cross-functional implementation initiatives
Demonstrated experience: coordinating capital and partnerships
Demonstrated experience: advancing neighborhood and economic empowerment strategies
Strong understanding of: neighborhood development dynamics, commercial corridor revitalization, small business ecosystem development, economic empowerment strategies, public-private partnerships, economic development incentives and financing tools, entrepreneurship and workforce development systems
Ability to: lead complex place-based initiatives
Ability to: build trust across diverse stakeholder groups
Ability to: align multiple organizations and systems around shared priorities
Ability to: translate strategy into implementation systems
Ability to: operate effectively in politically and operationally complex environments
Strong communication, facilitation, negotiation, and relationship-management skills
Strong organizational leadership and operational management capabilities
Valid driver’s license required
Requires St. Louis City residency within timeframe established by SLDC policy

Nice To Haves

advanced degree preferred

Responsibilities

Lead SLDC’s citywide place-based implementation strategy
Oversee implementation of adopted neighborhood, corridor, and small area plans
Ensure neighborhood priorities are integrated into SLDC’s broader economic development strategy
Develop systems that translate neighborhood plans into executable implementation priorities, project pipelines, and investment strategies
Coordinate neighborhood implementation efforts across varying market conditions and geographies
Identify catalytic opportunities that strengthen neighborhood stability, economic activity, and long-term investment potential
Lead, coach, and manage a team of Neighborhood Managers responsible for assigned geographies across the City
Establish clear implementation priorities, performance expectations, and accountability systems
Ensure Neighborhood Managers operate as high-capacity place-based implementation leaders
Support development of staff capabilities related to: economic development, development coordination, partnership management, corridor revitalization, and community-centered implementation
Build operational systems for: implementation tracking, project escalation, stakeholder coordination, and cross-functional collaboration
Lead SLDC’s small business empowerment strategy and related implementation efforts
Oversee the Northside Economic Empowerment Center (NEEC) and related business support initiatives focused on technical assistance, workforce development, access to capital, and entrepreneurial support systems
Coordinate SLDC’s broader small business ecosystem initiatives, including: business technical assistance, entrepreneurship support, contractor and supplier development, certification assistance, training programs, and neighborhood business support services
Coordinate partnerships with lenders, technical assistance providers, workforce organizations, educational institutions, and community-based partners
Support alignment of public, private, philanthropic, and institutional capital around neighborhood priorities
Coordinate implementation of small business grant, lending, and capacity-building initiatives
Support development of investable neighborhood and small business pipelines
Identify opportunities to leverage incentives, grants, financing tools, and strategic partnerships to support neighborhood economic growth
Support coordination with philanthropic and institutional partners on place-based initiatives
Oversee neighborhood commercial corridor revitalization efforts citywide
Support strategies related to: vacancy reduction, business attraction and retention, public realm improvements, façade enhancement, and corridor activation
Coordinate corridor-level investment and partnership strategies
Ensure corridor revitalization efforts align with neighborhood plans and broader economic development priorities
Coordinate closely with: EVP of Development, SVP, Real Estate / Major Projects, VP, LRA, COO, Incentives team
Ensure neighborhood and small business priorities are integrated into: development pipelines, incentive strategies, land assembly efforts, infrastructure planning, and capital deployment decisions
Facilitate cross-department coordination to remove barriers to implementation and improve organizational responsiveness
Build and maintain strong relationships with: Community Development Corporations (CDCs), neighborhood organizations, small business support organizations, anchor institutions, lenders and CDFIs, workforce development providers, philanthropic partners, chambers and business associations
Serve as an executive-level representative of SLDC in neighborhood and economic empowerment settings
Ensure SLDC maintains strong credibility and visibility within neighborhoods and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem
Develop and maintain implementation dashboards and performance systems leveraging CRM (i.e. Salesforce) and other software platforms related to: neighborhood plan implementation, corridor activation, small business growth, stakeholder engagement, and investment activity
Establish KPIs related to: business support outcomes, neighborhood implementation progress, corridor vitality, partnership development, and investment coordination
Provide regular updates and strategic recommendations to executive leadership and the Board
Ensure initiatives are measurable, coordinated, and outcome-oriented