Economic Development Director

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.

• 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…