Associate Director of Placemaking

Organization: The Midtown Association (MA) is a non-profit organization that is making Midtown the center for culture, creativity and vibrancy in Sacramento’s urban core. We were recently selected by our team and the Sacramento Business Journal as one of the Best Places to Work in Sacramento. Our Culture and Values: Our small but mighty team is fast-paced, creative, and mission-driven. We value: Integrity: High standards and personal accountability Responsiveness: Empathetic, thorough service to all stakeholders Growth: Personal, team, and organizational growth celebrated often Collaboration: Helping others succeed as part of a collective mission Resiliency & Resourcefulness: Adaptability in a changing environment Efficiency Through Technology: Tech-driven transparency and results Our modern, open-concept office is surrounded by more than 20 restaurants, coffee shops, and cultural amenities. Our team enjoys a smart casual/business dress code. Position Summary and Requirements: The Associate Director of Placemaking's mission at the organization is to create dynamic and vibrant public spaces by leveraging and advocating for public investment and support from public agencies while working in partnership with colleagues at the Midtown Association within events, maintenance, public safety, and communications. The position will have oversight of capital improvement investments through construction and contract management. Transferable and necessary skills for this position include creative and flexible thinking, ideation with follow through, and ability to create urgency and buy-in with internal and external partners. Applicants will be screened for a strong ability to negotiate, problem solve, innovate, manage contracts, advocate/work with public agencies, and experience working in with complex public space projects. What is a Midtown Association Associate Director? Associate Directors have successful supervisory experience of staff and consultants, are able to act as the staff support to committees of board members and expert community members, are politically astute, drive program budget development and deliver program projects within developed budgets, operate with high integrity to uphold company policies, and can plan program performance to generate specific outcomes. Associate Directors bring recommendations to their supervisor for greater efficiency and service delivery in the organization. Associate Directors create partnerships in coordination with senior management to build pathways to generate funds to grow and sustain the organization. Associate Directors should have no less than five years of professional experience in a relevant area and a bachelor’s degree in a relevant area of study. Basic Employment Qualifications: 7+ years of full-time demonstrated experience in a relevant professional field Bachelor’s degree Excellent written communication and presentation skills Proficiency in project management software, Office Suite, and Adobe. Ability to lift 40 lbs and pass background and drug screenings (cannabis permissible)  Ideal candidates will also possess: Knowledge in and experience with construction management with a  preference of public right of way capital improvements Skilled in contract management, coordination with public agencies particularly Public Works and Parks Departments, and experience with lighting and landscaping improvements Ability to manage multiple projects with speed and precision Work Environment/Hours: This is a full-time, exempt position at no less than 40 hours per week. The schedule is generally Monday through Friday professional hours, with variations for meetings and special events such as Second Saturday. The work environment is located primarily inside and consists of completing tasks involving communications by using technology independently and collaborating digitally or in-person with others. Conditions can range to include working outside in all types of inclement weather but would be very unlikely unless a project installation was taking place in unexpected inclement weather. Must be able to work around varying degrees of noise and interruptions. Must be positive, resourceful, self-motivated, flexible, patient, and able to complete job assignments without direct supervision under sometimes dynamic conditions. Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Construction and Contract Management: Lead and manage public space improvement projects for the Midtown Association including ambient lighting projects, landscaping improvements, and art investments Specific projects include Second Saturday major art install, Midtown Train Station Art Install, Sutter’s Fort lighting improvements, Marshall Park amphitheater improvements, Alhambra Blvd streetscape improvements, and K Street lighting improvements. Key components of this responsibility include researching and managing vendors, developing and managing contracts, engaging and communicating with businesses and property owners, managing permitting, and installation/construction management. Public Improvement Advocacy Leverage the experience, scale and funding of public agency partners to deliver major public space improvements. Key components of this responsibility include maintaining relationships with staff within the City and County, informing and recommending policy improvements, finding creative ways to leverage public investments for the improvement of Midtown’s public spaces, and connecting Midtown investments to larger city initiatives.   Management of On-going Investments Oversee the maintenance of existing lighting, art and landscaping investments in coordination with clean and safe team. Key components of this responsibility are creating long-term maintenance plans that assess the success of an installation, and evaluate and scale investments by testing technology or pilot projects in their efficacy to have positive interventions in the public space. Benefits: Midtown Association has a very generous benefits package after the introductory period: 8 days of sick time, 12 days of vacation plus several paid public holidays, 401k with 5% match , Flex-spend account, fully paid insurance (Medical, Life, Dental, Vision and Alternative Care Insurance) wellness program, sabbatical program, in office refreshments, work from anywhere hours, an assigned work from home day each week, and parking. Salary: COE with an anticipated starting range of $90-$100k per year Midtown Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).

Created: 2026-03-04