Manager, Economic Development & Urban Policy

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Job Description

AECOM is seeking a Manager or Senior Manager, to lead our economic development and urban policy as well as real estate capabilities in Los Angeles. The selected candidate will join the Buildings + Places (B+P) Consulting practice which brings together planners, architects, engineers, economists, and advisors to create city-shaping plans and strategies that tackle major policy, design, and social challenges around how cities and regional agencies serve their constituents.

The B+P Consulting team helps clients understand market demand, identify industry sectors and clusters positioned for growth, and clarify economic and demographic disparities. We focus on evaluating the impact of pre-existing structural challenges that hold back regional economic performance across sectors such as tourism, green jobs, and advanced manufacturing, while also assessing strategies for industry, workforce, funding and financing, housing and real estate.

The successful candidate can lead quantitative and qualitative economic analysis, conduct real estate development feasibility studies, analyze policies and programs, evaluate industry sectors and clusters, and develop strategies. This technical work would be in support of economic development projects as well as real estate and market assessments, housing and policy studies, corridor plans, district plans, and framework plans.

In addition to technical proficiency, the candidate will be expected to effectively participate in business development activities and to direct project teams to ensure quality and timely work products that satisfy clients’ needs. The position requires the ability to lead a project team while working closely with other disciplines and balancing multiple projects and deadlines, delegating and mentoring staff, and communicating clearly with both clients and other team members. Business development expectations include responding to requests for proposals and managing responses, in addition to representing our team internally and externally for opportunities.

Examples of our work includes collaborating with our urban planners on Specific Plans in Long Beach, Pasadena, and Burbank; developing a Growth Strategy for the City of LA; supporting the County of San Diego in adopting an Inclusionary Housing Policy; and conducting assessment of value capture strategies for multiple transit agencies including LA Metro, MTA, WMATA, and MBTA.

Example Project Types:

• Adaptive Reuse and Neighborhood Revitalization Studies
• Funding and Financing Strategies, including Value Capture and Special Assessment Districts
• Economic and Fiscal Impact Analysis
• Equitable Policy and Strategy Development
• Evaluation of Pro-Housing Policies such as Density Bonuses and Inclusionary Zoning
• Workforce Development and Labor Force Analysis

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Urban Planning, Public Policy Analysis, Business, Real Estate or a related field plus six (6) years of relevant experience or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education

Preferred Qualifications :

• 10+ years of professional experience at a planning and economics consulting firm, or equivalent professional experience in urban economics, real estate, strategy, data science, urban planning, public policy analysis, or related fields
• Master’s degree from an accredited university in a related field
• Experience working closely and collaboratively with many disciplines, including urban planners and urban designers as well as infrastructure experts in transportation, ports, water, environment, and/or energy
• Experience leading quantitative and qualitative economic analysis related to economic & community development, real estate, equity, and public finance
• Experience presenting and developing content for proposals, interacting with clients, having leadership on multiple parallel projects, managing project teams, presenting professional work at meetings, workshops, and industry conferences
• Strong technical skills, including experience with one or more of the following software packages:
  • ArcGIS and other spatial or data analysis tools (e.g., R, Python, Costar)
  • Comfort working in excel to develop financial cashflows from scratch

Additional Information

About AECOM

AECOM is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absences, voluntary benefits, perks, well-being resources, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan, and employee stock purchase plan.

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $14.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.