Director, ULI Washington

URBAN LAND INSTITUTE•Washington, DC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is a global nonprofit research and education organization focused on shaping the future of the built environment. ULI Washington is a large district council serving approximately 1,800 members in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The district council is undergoing a rebuild to foster a more member-driven model and clearer priorities, with this Director role being central to that effort. The Director will act as the primary operational partner to the Executive Director, managing flagship programs, external communications, and team coordination. This role requires significant experience in signature events, managing senior volunteers and contractors, and adapting to a member-led engagement model.

Requirements

7 to 10 years of relevant experience in program management, events, stakeholder engagement, or a related field, with meaningful experience running signature or high-profile events.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex programs with real financial accountability, not just logistics support.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the credibility to engage senior member volunteers, sponsors, and external partners.
Comfort operating without close supervision on a small team where priorities shift and judgment matters.
Located in or willing to relocate to the DC metro region; availability for early morning and evening events is required.
Bachelor's degree required.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a membership-based, association management, or mission-driven nonprofit context.
Familiarity with land use, real estate, urban planning, or civic engagement in the DC region.
Experience with communications tools including Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or social media scheduling platforms.

Responsibilities

Own Future Forum and the annual Awards for Excellence gala from strategy through execution, with direct accountability for revenue targets on both.
Lead two Local Product Councils and organize the annual joint Local Product Councils Summit.
Support additional programming as needed, including some combination of the Women's Leadership Initiative, Pathways to Inclusion, and Leadership Institute.
Manage contractors and coordinate staff and volunteers in support of event execution.
Set messaging strategy and own ULI Washington's external voice across email, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Manage the communications contractor relationship and determine the right balance of in-house and outsourced content production.
Manage the internal communications calendar and oversee review and approval of outgoing content.
Develop program marketing assets using Canva and other available tools.
Act as a trusted operational partner to the Executive Director: keep work moving, make day-to-day decisions, and serve as a reliable point of contact for staff when the ED is engaged externally.
Support member committee co-chairs to set agendas, maintain planning schedules, and follow through on deliverables.
Help reset member expectations as ULI Washington transitions to a model where members lead and staff supports, rather than the other way around.
Partner with the Program and Operations Coordinator on membership engagement and new open programming development.