Job Posting - Executive Director

Executive Director

Organization: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Salary: A competitive salary and excellent benefits will be provided.
Close Date: The position will remain open until October 3, 2022.

Job Description:

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is an independent, nonprofit association where area leaders address regional issues affecting the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments comprises 24 local governments in the Washington metropolitan area, as well as area members of the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. About 300 local, state, and federal elected officials make up its membership. It was founded in 1957 and formally incorporated on May 28, 1965.

For 65 years, COG has helped develop regional action and solutions to such issues as the environment, affordable housing, growth and development, public health, child welfare, public safety, homeland security, and transportation. COG's Region Forward vision is a commitment by COG to create a more accessible, sustainable, prosperous, and livable National Capital Region (NCR). COG is supported by financial contributions from its participating local governments, federal and state grants and contracts, fee-for-service contributions, and donations from foundations and the private sector.

The Board of Directors (Board) is COG’s governing body and is responsible for its overall policies, operations, and funds. The Board acts on committee recommendations, discusses current and emerging regional problems, and receives briefings on issues facing the National Capital Region. Board Members are appointed each year by the participating local governments and by caucuses of state legislative delegations from the region. The current Board consists of thirty-four members, four selected from the District of Columbia, three each from Fairfax, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties, two each from Loudoun and Prince William Counties, and one each from the remaining member jurisdictions. In addition, Board membership includes one representative from both the Maryland and Virginia General Assemblies. The Board appoints an Executive Committee which routinely works with COG management. The Executive Committee is composed of three members: one each from the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

For more details about this unique professional opportunity please visit the COG at www.mwcog.org.

The COG Executive Director is one of the most important, valued, influential and visible leaders in the National Capital Region. The job requires a seasoned professional with a strong command of local, state, and national public policy who is skilled in the art of advocacy, diplomacy and building effective collaborations.

The Executive Director is responsible for overall management of COG’s complex 125-person, $41 million dollar, multi-faceted and multi-funded organization, which includes personnel, financial and programmatic activities, as well as the implementation of the policies and programs of COG. The Executive Director is also responsible for identifying and proposing to the Board new program initiatives and securing funding to underwrite COG programs. He or she provides staff support to the Board of Directors and its policy committees and represents COG before a variety of government, business, and stakeholder organizations in the nation’s capital and across the entire Washington D.C. metropolitan region. The Executive Director must be adept at juggling critical internally focused responsibilities for policy, program, and administrative functions, with the equally critical external roles as COG’s principal liaison to member elected and appointed officials and other stakeholders. COG is a non-partisan organization that operates in a political environment. Therefore, the Executive Director must be cognizant of the political sensitivities regularly in play in the complex, diverse National Capital Region.

Requires a bachelor’s degree. A graduate degree in Public Administration, Urban Planning, or a related field and substantial experience in public/private sector policy development are preferable. Experience working at an executive level with a board of directors, or body of elected officials, and with a formal committee system or equivalent is important. Certified Association Executive (CAE) certification is a plus. The ability to understand the unique characteristics of the National Capital Region and grasp its wide range of issues is very important. Also, understanding the need for various partnerships, diversity, and an understanding of the differences between sectors is critical. Any equivalent combination of education, experience and training that provides the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to succeed in this position will be considered.

Must be a strong leader who knows when to be in the limelight and when not to be, a good manager and leader of staff, a person who can be successful balancing a wide variety of issues simultaneously, someone who will successfully engage the Board and reach out to members, and an effective public speaker. Residency in the metropolitan Washington region is required.

Compensation for the Executive Director will be highly competitive and will include a highly attractive benefit package. COG will pay reasonable and customary moving expenses.

To apply: The position will remain open until October 3, 2022. If interested, please email your resume and cover letter with current salary to Slavin Management Consultants at slavin@bellsouth.net. For additional information about this position, contact Robert E. Slavin at slavin@bellsouth.net; Phone: (770) 449-4656 or Randi Frank at randi@randifrank.com ; Phone (203) 213-3722.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, genetic disposition, carrier status, marital status, or any other protected class in employment or the provision of services.

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