Economic Development Director

WICHITA COMPANY LIMITED; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Wichita seeks a dynamic Economic Development Director to chart the city's economic future as its chief strategist in collaboration with development professionals to recruit, retain, redevelop and invest. The director will bridge City Hall and the business community, elected officials, developers, and regional partners, leading with integrity, hustle, and a culture of continuous improvement.

This role requires expertise in incentives, municipal finance, urban development, and turning

Qualifications

• Thorough knowledge of municipal financial structures and political processes.
• Knowledge of the principles of economics, organization and management.
• Ability to plan, organize, and supervise the work of other department employees.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.

Responsibilities

• Formulates and establishes work goals, policies, and procedures for the Economic Development Division.
• Implements and coordinates a robust business retention program that encourages local businesses to expand operations.
• Advises the City Manager, City Council and City departments on economic development matters.
• Serves as liaison and makes presentations to City departments, councils, boards, and the public.
• Conducts due diligence analysis of prospective projects and programs.

Job description

The City of Wichita is NOT an E-Verify Employer.

Distinguishing Features of Work

The City of Wichita seeks a dynamic, forward-thinking leader to boldly chart the City's economic future as its Economic Development Director. The successful candidate will be an experienced leader who's ready and able to push the largest city in Kansas toward what's next. As the City's chief economic development strategist, the director will collaborate with development professionals to set the vision for business recruitment, retention, redevelopment, and investment by turning ambitious goals into tangible results, and turning relationships across the community into momentum.

This is a role built on connection. The director will be the trusted bridge between City Hall and the business community, elected officials, developers, and the region's key economic partners. The ideal candidate will lead with integrity and sound judgment, but also with hustle: a leader unafraid to seek out partners, test new approaches, and champion the kind of collaborative, continuous-improvement culture that's already part of Wichita's leadership team.

Paramount to this role is a keen understanding of economic development principles, including background with incentives, and thorough knowledge in building the economic development ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship, small business development and existing business retention and expansion. Familiarity with municipal financial structures, public funding sources, and urban development principles is a must. Wichita has seen significant economic activity over the past five years, particularly in aviation, biomedical, music, tourism and digital arts with more planned in the next three years. This position will help unlock new possibilities, fuel investment, and build an even stronger economic future for Wichita.

Collaborating with the City Manager and reporting to the assistant city manager for development services and quality of life, the director will be challenged to expand the City's tax base, create jobs, revitalize commercial corridors, and encourage investment across every corner of the community. The director will bring a tested command of leading economic development initiatives and creatively generating investments in the community. This is a chance to help write the next chapter of Wichita's Strategic Plan with the long-term vision, moxie, and mandate to make the City think bigger.

First review of applications will be September 18, 2026.

Posting may remain active until position filled.

Examples of Work Performed

• Formulates and establishes work goals, policies, and procedures for the Economic Development Division.
• Formulates responsive but consistent criteria for City involvement in economic development and redevelopment projects.
• Implements, recommends, and updates the City's guidelines for Economic Development.
• Oversees financial analysis and implementation of economic development and redevelopment projects.
• Prepares economic development and redevelopment incentive proposals and public/private partnerships for business recruitment and expansion.
• Maintains positive and productive relationships with the City's key economic development partners, including the Greater Wichita Partnership, Wichita Chamber of Commerce, Visit Wichita, Downtown Wichita, and the Kansas Department of Commerce.
• Oversees monitoring of local businesses having received financial incentives/assistance from the City.
• Oversees management of City-owned real estate, including parking resources.
• Oversees coordination and improvement of City services to the real estate, development and general business communities.
• Implements and coordinates a robust business retention program that encourages local businesses to expand operations.
• Conducts research to produce reports for internal departments, policy-making bodies, citizen groups and/or representatives of other agencies.
• Oversees grant management.
• Advises the City Manager, City Council and City departments on economic development matters relating to City programs and services.
• Serves as liaison and makes presentations to City departments and other agencies, councils, boards, commissions, the media, the development community, elected officials, and the general public.
• Participates in a variety of teams, groups, and meetings.
• Conducts due diligence analysis of prospective projects and/or programs.
• These examples are not intended to be all inclusive.
• Other related duties may be assigned as needed.

Requirements of Work

• Thorough knowledge of municipal financial structures and political processes.
• Thorough knowledge of the principles of and options for economic development and redevelopment projects.
• Knowledge of the principles of economics, organization and management.
• Develop a comprehensive and robust economic development program to grow the tax employment base in the city.
• Develop a multi-faceted economic development program that focuses on business recruitment, as well as business expansion, entrepreneurship and small business formation and growth.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances, and regulations
• Knowledge of public funding sources.
• Ability to plan, organize, and supervise the work of other department employees.
• Ability to use a computer to access, record, and interpret information, and for electronic spreadsheet development, using complex mathematical and statistical operations.
• Ability to review financial/accounting procedures, perform administrative analysis and report results.
• Ability to create and review financial proformas with multiple year financing and forecasting models.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with associates, employees of other departments, representatives of other organizations and other stakeholders in urban development activities.
• Ability to read and interpret maps, plans and specifications, including zoning maps and plats.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability