Economic Development Director - City of Gilroy, CaliforniaLocated at the southern gateway to Silicon Valley, the City of Gilroy (population 60,000) blends innovation and enterprise with small-town warmth and historic charm. Nestled in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Gilroy offers scenic beauty, a strong sense of community, and exceptional access to the entire San Francisco Bay Area. With U.S. Highway 101 and State Route 152 intersecting the city, Gilroy is perfectly positioned for connectivity to San Jose, Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz, and the Central Valley. Once an agricultural hub, Gilroy has evolved into a dynamic, diversified economy that includes advanced manufacturing, retail, distribution, tourism, and emerging technology. To learn more about this dynamic city, please visit www.cityofgilroy.org.
The City of Gilroy seeks an accomplished and energetic Economic Development Director to lead the City’s efforts in business attraction, retention, and community revitalization. This highly visible executive will drive initiatives that enhance Gilroy’s economic vitality—revitalizing the downtown core, expanding the City’s industrial and commercial base, and positioning Gilroy as a future high-speed rail destination. Operating within a lean two-person department, the Director will be both strategist and implementer: a hands-on leader who can develop policy, broker complex deals, and champion Gilroy’s story with conviction. The role requires exceptional collaboration across City departments, elected officials, and the business community to promote a unified vision for growth and prosperity.
The ideal candidate is a strategic, tenacious, and forward-thinking leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-opportunity environment. They will possess technical depth in real estate, land development, construction, and finance—skills that underpin sound decision-making and successful project delivery. A persuasive communicator and skilled negotiator, this individual will bring the confidence to represent Gilroy with distinction, the diplomacy to manage complex relationships, and the creativity to drive meaningful economic results.
Candidates who understand Gilroy’s unique position on the edge of Silicon Valley and can leverage that advantage to attract business investment and create jobs will find this role both exciting and rewarding. A Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Marketing, Business or Public Administration, Urban Planning, or a related field is required, along with at least ten (10) years of increasingly responsible local government experience in economic or community development, including five (5) years in a management capacity. A Master’s degree (MBA or MPA) and certifications such as ACE, CEcD, or equivalent are highly desirable.
The salary range for this outstanding opportunity is $204,675 to $281,132. Placement within this range is dependent upon qualifications.
The Community
Gilroy is situated in south Santa Clara County at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay Area, which is a dynamic urban area of 7,000 square miles, nine counties, 100 cities, and a population of 8.8 million, making it the fifth most populous metropolitan area in the United States. The City is part of the enterprising and technologically advanced San Jose/Silicon Valley sub-region and is within an hour’s drive of the scenic beauty of both the San Francisco and Monterey Bay Areas. Gilroy lies at the crossing of US Highway 101 and State Highway 152, giving it direct access to the San Francisco Bay Area, San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties, and the Central Valley.
Gilroy enjoys a unique and beautiful location within this valley setting, situated in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Range, and bordered by the Llagas and Uvas creeks that flow southward into the Pajaro River. Despite its growth, Gilroy continues to harbor a rural and historic character, especially in the older neighborhoods where buildings dating back to the mid-1800s can be found. There is a sense of abundant open space, due to the wide, tree-lined streets in the older neighborhoods, the large areas of undeveloped land surrounding the newer sections of town, and the City’s pristine mountain backdrop.
The town of Gilroy got its start in 1850 as a stage stop along the San Jose to Monterey Road. By the time it was incorporated in 1870, it was the third largest community in Santa Clara County. Today, the City spans 16 square miles and has a population of almost 60,000.
In its first hundred years, Gilroy’s economy was dominated by agriculture and agricultural processing. With the completion of the US Highway 101 bypass in the early 1970’s, Gilroy became more accessible, and its growth rates rose sharply. While the agricultural sector has evolved, there are thousands of acres around Gilroy being farmed. In recent decades, manufacturing, retail, and service sectors began to grow at a faster rate. Today, Gilroy’s economy is diversified into non-agricultural commercial and industrial activities such as light manufacturing, wholesale operations, automobile sales, distribution centers, tourism (Gilroy Gardens, wineries, etc.) and large retail centers. To learn more about this dynamic city, please visit www.cityofgilroy.org.
The Organization
The City of Gilroy was incorporated as a Charter City in 1870. The City has a Council-Administrator form of government. The Mayor is directly elected, and they and the Council members serve staggered four-year terms. The 2026 election will be the first election with the established Council districts. Districts will be phased-in over the next two Council elections. The Council appointed City Administrator is responsible for financial and operational management of the City’s 298 employees.
City Departments include City Administration, Finance/Information Technology, Public Works, Fire, Police, Community Development, Utilities, Economic Development, and Administrative Services/Human Resources. Economic Development will be a newly established department with the hiring of the new Economic Development Director. The FY2026 General Fund Operating Budget for the City of Gilroy is $74.27 million. Operational oversight of all City departments is provided by the City Administrator.
The Department
The Economic Development Department strives to implement the City’s economic development strategy to create jobs, enhance business opportunities, and facilitate economic development by supporting commercial and industrial expansion, creating a thriving downtown that serves as a cultural and entertainment center, and implementing business-friendly policies. A job-rich city supports a high quality of life for residents and provides a foundation for long-term fiscal stability. The Economic Development Department is supported by the Director and an Economic Development Manager and has an annual budget of $1.17 million for FY26.
The Position
The City of Gilroy seeks its first Economic Development Director—a dynamic leader to shape a new department and drive the City’s economic future. Reporting to the City Administrator, the Director will be the City’s chief advocate for business attraction, retention, and expansion, with a strong focus on job creation, downtown revitalization, and positioning Gilroy as the southern gateway to Silicon Valley.
This highly visible role will work closely with City departments, community partners, and the business sector to create a welcoming and business-friendly environment. The Director will represent Gilroy at trade shows and industry events, market the City to potential investors, negotiate business opportunities, and help local businesses navigate City processes.
Key priorities for the first year include updating the City’s economic development strategy, expanding the City’s Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) program, launching the Gilroy Entrepreneur Encouragement (GEE) program for local start-ups, and expanding outreach and marketing efforts to attract new businesses and industries. This is a unique opportunity to hit the ground running, build a new program from the ground up, and leave a lasting mark on Gilroy’s economic future.
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be a highly visible, experienced, strategic leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment. This individual is assertive and tenacious in pursuing new business opportunities, demonstrating both the capacity to create and implement economic development strategies and the agility to respond to immediate opportunities and challenges. The successful candidate brings technical expertise across real estate, land development, construction and finance, enabling informed decisions that drive job creation and business attraction with a particular focus on revitalizing the downtown area and targeting industrial parks for future growth.
Candidates who understand the unique challenges of Gilroy as a growing community situated on the edge of Silicon Valley and recognize how this geographic advantage can be strategically leveraged make ideal candidates. A natural leader and ombudsperson, this new Director possesses the communication skills to articulate a unifying vision with City leadership, the business community, and residents alike. With a keen awareness of Gilroy’s current image and the need for community revitalization, the candidate is committed to initiatives that enhance the City’s appeal to both businesses and prospective residents while promoting the City’s future as a high-speed rail destination.
Operating within a lean two-person department, the ideal candidate must be a self-starter and problem-solver, technically adept, and one who is equally comfortable providing strategic direction and rolling up their sleeves to get work done. This role demands a creative problem-solver who excels at developing internal partnerships with other City departments, championing a citywide understanding of shared responsibility for economic vitality. This seasoned professional will possess the ability to handle difficult negotiations and guide the City’s economic development efforts with resilience, tenacity, and an unwavering focus on moving Gilroy forward. Exceptional communication skills and negotiation savvy are essential, alongside the leadership qualities necessary to galvanize both City staff and the broader community around economic development goals.
The successful candidate will be a visible and persuasive champion for Gilroy. They will have the ability to tell the City’s story, to represent its interests in the business community, and to work across City departments to embed economic development into everyday operations. They will be assertive enough to hold their own, diplomatic enough to manage friction, and skilled enough to bring diverse stakeholders together around a shared vision for the City’s future.
Minimum qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major work in Economics, Marketing, Business Administration, Urban Planning, Public Administration or a related field and a combination of experience equivalent to ten (10) years of increasingly local government experience in Economic Development, Redevelopment, Community Development or a related field, including at least five (5) years at a management level that has included management/supervisory, operational and administrative responsibilities.
Highly desirable is a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA), Public Administration (MPA) or a related field, Certification in Economic Development such as Accredited CA Economic Developer (ACE), Certified Economic Developer (CEcD/Int’l Econ. Dev. Council), and/or Executive Certificate in Economic Development (Harvard Kenney School).
The Recruitment Process
Please submit your cover letter and resume (including month/year of employment) via our website:
Peckham & McKenney
www.peckhamandmckenney.com
Please do not hesitate to contact Maria Hurtado toll-free at (866) 912-1919, by cell at (831) 247-7885 or via email at maria@peckhamandmckenney.com, if you have any questions regarding this position or the recruitment process.
Search Schedule
Filing Deadline - November 14, 2025
Preliminary Phone Interviews w/Recruiter - November 20 & 21, 2025
Recommendation of Candidates - December 4, 2025
Finalists Interviews:
- Panel Interviews - December 11, 2025
- Finalist(s) Interview w/City Administrator - December 12, 2025
These dates have been confirmed, and it is recommended that you plan your calendar accordingly.
The City of Gilroy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Supports Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Join our Team!
