Executive Director

ABOUT THE SOUL OF THE CITY BID

The Soul of the City Business Improvement District (BID) is not a typical BID.

Born from more than a decade of grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, and community-led visioning, this BID is the first of its kind East of the River—designed to channel economic power, cultural identity, and community voice into the transformation of some of Washington, D.C.’s most historically disinvested corridors.

Our mission is simple but ambitious:

To build power, place, and possibility for the residents and businesses that define the soul of Ward 8.

We will deliver top-tier clean, safe, and vibrant commercial corridors.

We will catalyze small business growth and attract new investment.

And we will ensure that the transformation of this community is done with residents, not to them.

This is a BID with a pulse.

A BID with a purpose.

A BID that will stand as a national model for how economic development and social impact can—and must—work together.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Soul of the City BID seeks a visionary, politically savvy, culturally fluent Executive Director to lead one of the most consequential urban revitalization initiatives in the nation.

This is not a maintenance job.

This is a movement job.

The Executive Director will be the architect of a new era in Congress Heights—where commercial corridors become engines of opportunity, public space becomes a platform for belonging, and small businesses grow because the ecosystem is intentionally designed for them to thrive.

We are looking for a leader who is part strategist, part builder, part diplomat, and part disrupter of the status quo. A leader who sees what’s possible long before others do—and has the operational excellence to bring ideas from concept to execution with precision, urgency, and heart.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Vision

· Serve as the chief strategist, spokesperson, and coalition builder for the BID.

· Translate the BID’s mission—Building Power, Place & Possibility—into a bold multi-year work plan that lifts both commercial vitality and community well-being.

· Champion a narrative of equitable development that centers residents, small business owners, and culture bearers.

Operations, Clean & Safe, and Urban Maintenance

· Design, manage, and evaluate high-quality clean and maintenance programs to ensure impeccably maintained corridors.

· Implement public safety initiatives and collaborative partnerships that improve perceptions of safety and actual crime prevention.

· Use data to drive operational decisions and continuous improvement.

Economic Vitality & Business Support

· Lead programs that grow, retain, and attract businesses—particularly Black-owned and locally owned enterprises.

· Provide technical assistance, capital connections, and market exposure to small businesses across the BID.

· Develop innovative approaches to filling vacant storefronts, activating underutilized spaces, and reducing commercial displacement.

Placemaking, Arts, and Cultural Activation

· Activate public spaces with culturally rooted programming that reflects the Soul of the City—music, art, markets, festivals, storytelling, and wellness.

· Create experiences that draw visitors, increase dwell time, and highlight the creative economy of Ward 8.

· Champion design excellence that reflects the heritage and future of the corridor.

Partnership Development & Government Relations

· Build and sustain relationships with District agencies, developers, anchor institutions, philanthropic partners, and civic organizations.

· Advance policy and planning strategies that improve the economic and social conditions of communities surrounding the BID.

· Represent the BID at public meetings, hearings, and stakeholder convenings.

Financial Stewardship & BID Administration

· Manage a multi-million-dollar annual budget with transparency and rigor.

· Oversee assessment collections, contracts, procurement, and compliance.

· Build and lead a high-performing team and ensure an inclusive, mission-driven organizational culture.

THE SOCIAL IMPACT MANDATE

This role is uniquely charged with advancing a social impact agenda that reaches beyond commercial corridors.

The Executive Director will:

· Establish programs that connect residents to contracting opportunities, job pipelines, and entrepreneurship pathways.

· Ensure BID-led improvements directly benefit the surrounding community—reducing inequities, not reinforcing them.

· Work with housing, workforce, and health partners to address systemic challenges that impact neighborhood vitality.

· Position the BID as a trusted messenger and anchor institution contributing to community wellness, safety, and upward mobility.

· Drive a new model of community-centered economic development—where prosperity is shared, not gated.

This is a chance to redefine what a BID can be.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

You are a builder with receipts.

A leader who sees neighborhoods as ecosystems.

Someone who understands that economic development without community power is exploitation—and community power without economic strategy is stagnation.

The strongest candidates will have:

· 7–10+ years of executive experience in economic development, urban planning, community development, public administration, or related fields.

· A record of delivering results in complex urban environments and building multi-sector coalitions.

· Deep cultural competency and a demonstrated commitment to racial equity and inclusive growth.

· Experience working with or within BIDs, Main Streets, CDCs, or similar place-based organizations.

· The political and interpersonal savvy to navigate government, philanthropy, developers, and community stakeholders with ease.

· A builder’s mindset: innovative, entrepreneurial, operationally disciplined.

· A love for cities, a passion for community, and the belief that Congress Heights is not a project—it is a promise.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

The Executive Director will shape the future of Ward 8’s commercial spine—and influence the trajectory of the neighborhoods surrounding it.

You will have the rare opportunity to:

· Lead a BID from its inception.

· Build an organization designed for impact, not bureaucracy.

· Deliver equitable economic growth in a community that has spent decades waiting for meaningful investment.

· Prove that when a neighborhood organizes and builds its own tools, transformation follows.

This is not a job you apply for.

This is a mission you accept.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, please submit:

· A resume

· A cover letter (or short video) highlighting why you are uniquely positioned to lead this transformational BID

· Three examples of projects or initiatives that reflect your ability to deliver economic, social, or neighborhood-level impact

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Pay: $90,000.00 - $140,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Paid time off

Work Location: In person