Executive Director, ULI Washington

About the Urban Land Institute

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is the oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land use experts in the world. Founded in 1936, ULI is a member-driven global nonprofit research and education organization whose mission is to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide. It’s more than 48,000 members span the full spectrum of real estate and land use: developers, owners and investors, finance professionals, brokers and consultants, attorneys, architects, engineers, urban planners, public officials and academics.

Headquarters in Washington, DC, ULI operates across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. In the Americas, much of ULI’s local work is delivered through more than 50 District Councils, ULI’s regional chapters, which bring the Institute’s knowledge, research and network to the cities and regions where members live and work.

About ULI Washington

ULI Washington is the District Council for the Metropolitan Washington region, covering the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia. With approximately 1,800 members, it is one of ULI’s largest District Councils in the United States and a central convener of thought leadership for the region’s real estate and land use community.

Through signature annual events, monthly programs, member committees and Technical Assistance Panels, ULI Washington brings together private and public sector leaders to tackle the issues that shape how the national capital region grows. The council operates much like an independent small nonprofit, with its own budget, sponsors, volunteer leadership and a staff team of five, supported by the resources, research and global network of ULI.

The Role

ULI is seeking an experienced, entrepreneurial and relationship-driven Executive Director to lead ULI Washington into its next chapter. The Executive Director is the senior staff leader of the council: setting its strategy, leading its team, growing the sponsorship revenue that funds its work, and giving ULI Washington a clear and trusted voice on the region’s most important land use issues.

This is a role for a leader who wants a long-term platform. Member leaders are looking for someone who will build deep relationships across the region and stay to see the results: a senior executive who is an active listener and can distill the thoughts of the members into action, thinks strategically, and is equally comfortable in the room with the region’s leading developers, around the table with elected officials, and rolling up their sleeves to run a small organization well.

The Executive Director works in close partnership with the ULI Washington Chair, Governance Committee and member committees, and with ULI’s Americas District Council leadership. The role is based in Washington, DC and is not remote.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead the Organization and Set Strategy

• Develop and implement the strategic vision and annual operating plan for ULI Washington in partnership with the Chair and Governance Committee, ensuring alignment with ULI’s global priorities.
• Decide where ULI Washington should focus its programming and voice, prioritizing work that moves the needle for the region, such as Technical Assistance Panels and multi-year advisory engagements.
• Own the budget and run the council as a well-managed small nonprofit, with clear outcomes, sound financial planning and fiscal sustainability.
• Use data on engagement and impact to evaluate programs and guide decisions.

Grow Sponsorship and Revenue

• Develop and execute a comprehensive sponsorship strategy that funds the council’s operations and growth.
• Personally lead relationships with the region’s major firms and institutions, renewing and growing sponsorship and bringing lapsed sponsors and members back to the table.
• Align sponsorship opportunities with a compelling local value proposition within ULI’s broader framework.

Engage Members and the Region

• Build deep relationships with private and public sector leaders across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia.
• Keep members engaged and well served, refining membership offerings and broadening participation across sectors, career stages and backgrounds.
• Support the District Council Chair, Governance Committee and leadership of member led committees, ensuring robust and rewarding volunteer participation.

Shape the Regional Conversation

• Identify the regulatory, policy and market issues that matter most to members and convene the right people to address them. ULI convenes and educates; it does not lobby.
• Engage with leaders of peer nonprofits, civic organizations and public agencies, spotting where ULI Washington’s members and expertise can help and where we can collaborate effectively.
• Represent ULI Washington publicly as spokesperson and thought leader with members, elected officials, partners and the media.
• Direct research, publications and communications that advance best land use practice, and partner with mission-aligned organizations.

Lead and Develop the Team

• Lead, manage and develop a team of five, many early in their careers, building their skills and helping them grow.
• Create a positive, inclusive and accountable workplace, and keep the team strong as people move on to bigger roles.
• Oversee the delivery of signature annual events, monthly programs and networking initiatives.

Partner Across ULI

• Work closely with ULI Americas leadership and peer District Councils, bringing global best practice to Washington and sharing Washington’s successes across the network.
• Communicate openly with the Chair and ULI leadership on performance, risks and where support is needed.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a seasoned leader who has run an organization, chapter, business unit or major program with real accountability for people, budget and revenue. They will combine the presence to hold a room of senior real estate and public sector leaders with the practical, hands-on instincts of someone who has run a small nonprofit or governmental agency or unit, understanding that the Executive Director is the face of the organization one day and its operator the next.

They will be fluent in the languages of the region’s different communities: able to speak with developers about deals, with public officials about policy, and with designers and planners about place. Leaders with experience in public-private partnerships, economic development or quasi-public organizations often bring exactly this fluency.

Above all, the successful candidate will work collaboratively with member leaders and build consensus before they act, communicate openly, including when things are not going to plan, and be motivated by the chance to build something lasting in the national capital region over many years.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Leadership Experience: At least 10 years of senior leadership experience in a real estate, land use, community relations, or nonprofit administration capacity.
• Organizational Management: Experience running an organization, chapter or business unit with responsibility for strategy, operations, budget and outcomes.
• Revenue Generation: Proven success cultivating and securing sponsorship, partnership or other funding from corporate and institutional partners.
• Team Leadership: A track record of managing and developing teams, including early-career staff, and building a positive, high-performing culture.
• Regional Relationships: Strong relationships across the private and public sectors, ideally in the Metropolitan Washington region, or a demonstrated ability to build them quickly.
• Public-Private Fluency: Experience working across sectors, for example in public-private partnerships, economic development, business improvement districts or civic organizations, is highly valued.
• Communication and Public Profile: Excellent public speaking and media skills, and comfort as a spokesperson in front of large audiences and the press.
• Financial Acumen: Expertise in budget management and financial planning for a small organization.
• Data and Impact: Experience measuring impact and using data to make informed decisions.
• Sector Knowledge Preferred: Real estate, planning, land use or event experience is a plus.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in real estate, urban planning, business or public administration, or a related field; an advanced degree in business, law, planning or real estate is preferred.

What success looks like

In the first year, the new Executive Director will have built trusted relationships with member leaders, sponsors and the team, and will have agreed clear priorities with the Chair and Governance Committee. Sponsorship will be renewed and growing, with major firms re-engaged, and ULI Washington’s programs and voice will be focused on the issues that matter most to the region. Over time, success means a stable, growing team, a stronger financial base, and ULI Washington recognized as the region’s leading forum for real estate and land use leaders.

Compensation and Benefits

The base salary range for this position is $195,000 to $225,000 annually. The role is also eligible for a performance-based incentive, with a target of 10% of base salary, for a total target compensation range of $215,000 to $248,000. Compensation is determined by experience, education, skills, and other job-related factors.

ULI offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and life insurance; generous vacation leave; and retirement plan with employer match.

Working Conditions

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is committed to shaping the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide, and we embrace our core values of integrity, collaboration, inclusion, and excellence in service to our members. In alignment with the Board of Directors’ strong commitment to in-person collaboration, our roles require regular on-site presence to foster teamwork, innovation, and organizational effectiveness. ULI’s primary workplace remains its offices, where in-person collaboration supports our mission and service to members.

ULI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion/creed, sex, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran or active military status, non-citizenship or citizenship status, arrest or conviction record, credit history, caregiver status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or partnership status, familial status, unemployment status, or any other status protected by applicable law.