Head Economist

About the teamAs a leading voice on the U.S. housing market, Zillow Group’s Economic Research team provides research, commentary and insight for a broad audience including public, industry and internal business stakeholders. The work of our data- and fact-driven team is powered by Zillow’s industry-leading living database of all homes, as well as publicly-available data sources, and our findings are unbiased and independent of Zillow’s business goals. We explore topics and developments that we deem exciting and important in the housing market and shed light on how changing conditions affect a variety of perspectives and decisions. Our work on such a critical market and its participants also contextualizes Zillow’s business performance and helps advise long run company strategy. At Zillow, you’ll work in a lively, collaborative atmosphere with a high-performance team with diverse data engineering and analytical skills.

About the role

We seek a dynamic, creative Head Economist to lead Zillow’s economic research and thought leadership.  This high-impact leader will serve as Zillow’s top housing market expert for research and analysis efforts.  With your presence in broadcast media and presentations to other internal and external stakeholders, you will be a public voice on affordability, supply, mortgage trends, and macroeconomic forces that impact the housing industry.  This person will be responsible for harvesting Zillow’s proprietary and public datasets into compelling research on behalf of the customer and industry partners while informing internal strategy.  You will oversee a team of economists and analysts to produce original research and partner across the company to embed economic insight into our products and business decisions.  This is an excellent opportunity to shape both public discourse and the future of real estate technology at a national scale.  The role will report to the Vice President of Strategic Affairs and Investor Relations.

• Lead Zillow’s housing economics research team's research agenda and priorities. 

• Produce and publish research blending Zillow’s proprietary data with relevant government and industry data, by working with cross-functional data teams to extract key trends impacting the housing market and those participating. 

• Serve as market expert and Zillow data spokesperson to media, social media, industry partners, and internal business stakeholders on specific research, market statistics, and Zillow’s point of view on the latest housing market & economic trends. This includes live or recorded presentations, panels, and interviews for print and broadcast media. 

• Build novel measurements or metrics to understand real estate trends at scale.

• Manage and mentor a team of economists and data experts.

This role has been categorized as a Remote position. “Remote” employees do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and, instead, work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company. U.S. employees may live in any of the 50 United States, with limited exceptions.

In California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $222,900.00 - $356,100.00 Annually. This base pay range is specific to California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC and may not be applicable to other locations.

In addition to a competitive base salary this position is also eligible for equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance and location. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance and location.

Who you are

• PhD degree in economics, finance, statistics, or similar. 

• 10+ years of work experience in a fast-paced environment applying insights from big data to real-world problems.

• Expert in real estate markets, mortgage finance, demographics, and macroeconomic trends. 

• Commanding knowledge of econometrics, multivariate statistics, economic theory, and data science techniques is a plus. 

• Ability to turn complex data into clear insights that drive action. 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• You love teaching and telling stories using data and are curious about real estate, housing policy, and urban affairs.

• Works well on direct and indirect cross-functional teams of all sizes with representatives from a diverse set of technical backgrounds.

• A passion for public speaking and giving public-facing presentations.

• Strong leadership background, including managing high-performing analytical teams.

Get to know us

Zillow is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people.

As the most-visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow® and its affiliates help movers find and win their home through digital solutions, first class partners, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences. Millions of people visit Zillow Group sites every month to start their home search, and now they can rely on Zillow to help make it easier to move. The work we do helps people get home and no matter what job you're in, you will play a critical role in making home a reality for more and more people.

Our efforts to streamline the real estate transaction are supported by a deep-rooted culture of innovation, our passion to redefine the employee experience, a fundamental commitment to Equity and Belonging, and world-class benefits. These benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverages as well as parental leave, family benefits, retirement contributions, and paid time off. We’re also setting the standard for work experiences of the future, where our employees are supported in doing their best work and living a flexible, well-balanced life. But don’t just take our word for it. Read recent reviews on Glassdoor and recent recognition from multiple organizations, including: the 100 Best Companies to Work For, Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award, Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Corporate Equity Index, and TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

Zillow Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment with the best employees. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please contact your recruiter directly.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable state and local law.

Applicants who receive job offers from Zillow Group will be asked to sign a Proprietary Rights Agreement which includes confidentiality, intellectual property assignment, customer and employee non-solicitation, and non-competition provisions. If you are contacted for a role at Zillow Group and wish to review a copy of the Proprietary Rights Agreement prior to receiving an offer, you may request a copy from your Recruiter.