Economic Development Manager

Position Description:

The Downtown Boston Alliance (DBA) seeks a relationship-driven, innovative, energetic, and experienced project manager to serve as the Economic Development Manager. This role merges the organization’s high-touch Level Up Downtown retail leasing and activation initiative with the newly launched Downtown Office Opportunity & Recruitment (DOOR) program to support filling vacant office space.

As the primary "concierge" and market-maker for the district, the successful candidate will serve as the face of a comprehensive economic success effort while coordinating the organization’s work to steward prospective tenants from the first conversation with DBA. They will work to develop a broad recruitment program that understands the needs of prospective office and retail tenants; establishes matchmaking protocols to identify and cultivate business interest while reducing barriers to entry; and develops creative public-private partnerships to incubate new enterprises. The Manager identifies pathways toward attracting a diverse array of businesses—specifically creating equitable opportunities for BIPOC and WMBE entrepreneurs—and positions proposed businesses for success by assisting them with navigating government permitting, engaging with property owners, and leveraging institutional-grade market data.

Success in this role will be measured by the ability to cultivate prospective tenants, advance opportunities through the recruitment pipeline, and contribute to the reduction of commercial vacancies in Downtown Boston.

About the Downtown Boston Alliance:

The Downtown Boston Alliance was created by property owners committed to achieving the district's

full potential as a premier and vibrant destination. Our mission is to significantly improve the experience

of all who live, work, visit, go to school or shop in Downtown Boston by: (1) providing supplemental

services to keep the streets and sidewalks clean, upgrade the aesthetic appearance of the district, and

make people feel welcomed and safe; (2) promoting and fostering an energetic and thriving business

climate in the area; and (3) serving as the voice and advocate for the district.

Principal Responsibilities:

• • Strategic Business Recruitment & Intake: Serve as the lead "matchmaker" for prospective tenants, conducting deep-dive intake meetings and developing/refining/maintaining tracking documents in order to understand space and infrastructure requirements for any prospective short- or long-term tenant, particularly high-growth sectors like ClimateTech, AI, and the Creative Economy.
  • Concierge Leasing Support: Facilitate site tours and property owner introductions. Act as a district-level connector for prospective tenants by providing data-driven site-selection packages and navigating hurdles in the "First-Mile" of the leasing process.
  • The "First-Mile" Reservoir Fund: Partner with DBA staff to administer a flexible fund for visualization services, including coordinating architectural "test fits," 3D renderings, and small capital grants for signage or code compliance.
  • Tenant Retention & Advocacy: Implement a formal engagement program to meet with existing downtown firms with upcoming lease expirations to facilitate renewals or internal district relocations to prevent attrition.
  • Market Intelligence & Reporting: Support the production and distribution of high-level industry resources, including the Quarterly Office Market Reports and corridor-specific Visioning Reports (strategic retail audits).
  • Broker & Sector Engagement: Partner with DBA placemaking teammates to coordinate and host Broker & Sector Summits, including the annual ClimateTech Crossing technology demo day, to educate the brokerage community and prospective tenants on district opportunities.
  • Relationship Management: Maintain active, high-level relationships with the "Top 50" downtown property owners and the commercial brokerage community to ensure real-time awareness of vacancies.
  • Other: Perform all other duties assigned by supervisor or manager.

Qualifications & Experience:

• • 3–5 years of professional experience in commercial real estate, urban planning, economic development, community-building, project management, or a related field.
  • Strong understanding of the Boston real estate market and urban economic trends.
  • Proficiency in CRM systems (Salesforce preferred) and commercial real estate data platforms (CoStar, CompStak, etc.) a considerable plus.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including confidence speaking in front of groups, and an easy relationship-building nature that prioritizes consistent communication.

A "deal-closer" mentality with a commitment to equitable economic growth and BIPOC and

WMBE entrepreneurship.

Logistics

• • Organizational work hours for office-based staff are generally Monday through Friday (9:00 am – 5:00 pm); however, this role will require flexibility to align with prospective tenant availability as well as some of the organization’s programs and events.
  • This role will be both office- and district-based, with limited remote work opportunities.
  • The role requires physical ability to conduct frequent walking tours of the district and various building types.

comprehensive benefits

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