Downtown Design Manager

THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote‑first environment

PTO and flexible work schedule

Professional development and tuition‑s

Health, dental, vision, and life ins.

Wisconsin Retirement System

Hybrid work allowance

Job summary

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is seeking a Downtown Design Manager to lead downtown revitalization initiatives across Wisconsin from a remote-based role. You will provide design expertise, guidance on projects, and support community development while collaborating with local leaders and partners.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree and 5+ years in related fields, strong communication and project management, and willingness for statewide travel to engage communities and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, community development, architecture, real estate, business administration, or a related field.
• Five+ years of experience in community development, planning, architecture, commercial real estate, or related field; knowledge of downtown revitalization and preservation.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities with the capacity to manage multiple priorities.
• Frequent statewide travel, including overnight travel (more than 30%).

Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance and design expertise to communities pursuing downtown revitalization initiatives.
• Support redevelopment projects through design guidance, schematic renderings, and navigating local review and permitting processes.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on building design, historic preservation, downtown development and related incentive programs.
• Develop and deliver workshops, training programs, and educational resources for communities and stakeholders.
• Build and maintain relationships with local communities, partner organizations, and economic development stakeholders.
• Represent WEDC at conferences, meetings, and public events that support downtown development efforts.

Skills

Design expertise

Communication

Facilitation

Relationship-building

Project management

Downtown revitalization knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in urban planning or related field

Job description

Downtown Design Manager

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)

Location: Remote (Wisconsin-based)

Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt

Reports To: Senior Director of Downtown Development

About WEDC

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) works with businesses, communities, and partners statewide to foster innovation, support job creation, and strengthen Wisconsin’s competitive position. Driven by a mission to make Wisconsin the best place to live, work, and build a business, WEDC is a purpose-driven organization that values integrity, collaboration, and forward-thinking solutions, and invests in its people so they can help invest in Wisconsin’s future.

WEDC is a Wisconsin-based organization with a remote-work-first environment. Remote work is expected to be performed in the state of Wisconsin.

Role Overview & Key Responsibilities

The Downtown Design Manager helps Wisconsin communities revitalize downtowns and historic commercial districts through design expertise, technical assistance, and strategic community development support. This role collaborates with local leaders, property owners, and partner organizations to advance redevelopment projects, strengthen district identity, and support sustainable economic growth across the state. In this role, you will:

• Provide technical assistance and design expertise to communities pursuing downtown and commercial district revitalization initiatives
• Support redevelopment projects through design guidance, schematic renderings, and assistance navigating local review and permitting processes
• Serve as a subject matter expert on building design, historic preservation, downtown development best practices, and related incentive programs
• Develop and deliver workshops, training programs, and educational resources for communities and stakeholders
• Build and maintain relationships with local communities, partner organizations, and economic development stakeholders
• Represent WEDC at conferences, meetings, and public events that support downtown and community development efforts

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, community development, architecture, real estate, business administration, or a related field
• Five or more years of experience in community development, planning, architecture, commercial real estate, or a related fieldKnowledge of downtown revitalization, redevelopment, design review, and historic preservation principles
• Strong communication, facilitation, and relationship‑building skills
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities with the capacity to manage multiple priorities
• Frequent statewide travel, including occasional overnight travel (more than 30%)

Benefits

WEDC is committed to supporting the well‑being and growth of our team. We offer a remote‑first work environment that promotes work‑life balance, supported by generous paid time off (PTO) and a culture that values flexibility. Professional development is a priority at WEDC, and we invest in our employees through dedicated training resources, internal learning opportunities, tuition reimbursement, and support for professional certifications. In addition to these development‑focused offerings, employees receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System; a hybrid work allowance; and health, dental, vision, and life insurance.

WEDC DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING STATEMENT

WEDC must be a diverse and inclusive organization reflective of the businesses, communities, and people in Wisconsin and beyond. We believe that diversity drives innovation and commit to create an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace where our differences are celebrated as drivers of our organization’s performance.

TO SUPPORT A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE AT WEDC, WE WILL WORK TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING GOALS:

• Increase WEDC’s racial diversity, specifically with Black/African American, Native American and Latinx populations;
• Increase LGBTQ representation across WEDC; and
• Increase the diversity of WEDC’s leadership.

TO MEET OUR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION GOALS, WEDC WILL TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:

• Create an intentional approach to recruit minority candidates by using targeted media channels to promote open positions;
• Ensure formal offers are made only after a diverse pool of candidates have been considered at each hiring stage;
• Identify and develop a variety of employee resource groups, including groups for African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, LGBTQ+ and more;
• Post signage to highlight WEDC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion; and
• Revisit EEO disclosures in our application process to highlight statements regarding WEDC’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution and EEO/Affirmative Action Employer committed to excellence through diversity. Employment offers are made on the basis of qualifications, and without regard to race, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

Veteran Declaration

Applicants for employment are invited to participate in affirmative action program by reporting their status as a protected veteran or other minority. In extending this invitation, we advise you that: (a) workers (applicants) are under no obligation to respond but may do so in the future if they choose; (b) responses will remain confidential within the human resource department; and (c) responses will be used only for the necessary information. Refusal to provide this information will have no bearing on your application and will not subject you to any adverse treatment.

Protected veteran means a veteran who may be classified as an active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran, disabled veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran or recently separated veteran.

Active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

Armed Forces service medal veteran means any veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985 (61 FR 1209, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 159).

Disabled veteran means (1) a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or (2) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.

Recently separated veteran means a veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran’s discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service.

EEOC RACE/ETHNIC IDENTIFICATION CATEGORIES

Hispanic or Latino – A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.

White – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East or North Africa.

Black or African American – A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa or other Pacific Islands.

Asian – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand and Vietnam.

American Indian or Alaska Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Two or more races – All persons who identify with more than one of the above races.