Executive Director - Center for Democracy & Free Enterprise

At Marymount University, we believe meaningful work happens when talented people come together with shared purpose. We serve not only our students—but one another—creating a culture where teamwork, adaptability, and resilience are part of everyday practice,

Located in Arlington, Virginia, just minutes from Washington, D.C., Marymount offers a dynamic and forward-looking environment where innovation is encouraged and flexibility is valued. We understand that higher education is evolving, and we embrace change with creativity, responsiveness, and a solutions-oriented mindset.

Our faculty and staff thrive in a community that prioritizes communication, cross-functional collaboration, and service-driven leadership. Whether working directly with students or supporting them behind the scenes, every role contributes to a shared mission: helping students grow, succeed, and lead with purpose and confidence.

Position Summary

Marymount University seeks a founding Executive Director to shape and lead the Center for Democracy and Free Enterprise as a national platform for leadership development, entrepreneurial capacity, and expanded participation in capital and ownership systems.

This role is for a builder. The Executive Director will translate the University's vision for the center into an operational, financially sustainable, and nationally recognized model that connects talent with enterprise, capital, and opportunities in institutional leadership.

The Executive Director will serve as the chief architect, operator, and external ambassador responsible for strategy, partnerships, fundraising, and execution.

About the Center
The Center for Democracy and Free Enterprise forms ethical leaders and renews the nation's founding promise that opportunity, enterprise, and self-government belong to all. Grounded in Marymount's Catholic tradition and its commitment to educating the whole person, the Center treats enterprise and economic participation not as ends in themselves but as pathways to opportunity, service, and human flourishing.

The Center prepares students to lead with both competence and conscience: to build and steward enterprises, to widen access to capital and ownership and to participate in democracy as responsible citizens. It creates direct pipelines from the classroom to the marketplace, equipping students to launch startups and new ventures that make meaningful contributions to society and open avenues of growth for America. It is private enterprise, innovation, and entrepreneurship that will increasingly shape the country's future. Marymount intends for its graduates to help build it. In doing so, the center advances Marymount's vision of becoming a leading Catholic university recognized for innovation and student success.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Center Development

• Design and implement the Center’s multi-year strategy aligned with the University’s mission

• Build a scalable model integrating leadership development, entrepreneurship, and market access

• Establish the Center as a national exemplar of applied, nontraditional academic programming

• Define success metrics tied to leadership outcomes, enterprise creation, and economic participation

2. Program Design & Execution

• Launch integrated programs focused on:

  • Leadership development

  • Entrepreneurial capability

  • Capital and market fluency

  • Ownership pathways

• Ensure programming is practical, experience-based, and connected to real economic systems

• Oversee curriculum partnerships, external engagement, and applied learning experiences

3. Partnerships & Ecosystem Building

• Build strategic relationships with:

  • Corporations and industry leaders

  • Investment firms and capital networks

  • Entrepreneurs and founders

  • Policy and institutional leaders

• Create pipelines connecting students to internships, mentorship, funding, and enterprise opportunities

4. Fundraising & Resource Development

• Lead all fundraising efforts, including:

  • Major gifts and naming opportunities

  • Corporate partnerships

  • Foundation grants

• Translate the Center’s mission into a compelling investment case for donors

• Partner with university advancement to secure long-term financial sustainability

5. Institutional Leadership & Visibility

• Position the Center as a national voice on economic participation and enterprise development

• Represent the Center in public forums, media, and thought leadership platforms

• Work closely with university leadership to align the Center with Marymount’s broader strategy

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6. Team Building & Operations

• Recruit and lead a high-performing team

• Manage budget, operations, and program outcomes

• Establish efficient processes and strong governance practices

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of leadership experience in one or more of the following:

  • Entrepreneurship / venture building

  • Finance / investment / capital markets

  • Corporate leadership

  • Public-private partnerships

• Demonstrated experience building organizations, initiatives, or platforms from concept to scale

• Proven fundraising and relationship development success

• Strong understanding of how capital, markets, and institutions function

• Exceptional communication and external-facing leadership skills

Key Success Metrics

• Funds raised and long-term financial sustainability

• Number and strength of strategic relationships with corporations, investors, financial institutions, venture capital firms, angel networks, philanthropic funds, community development finance organizations, or corporate investment groups that provides students and entrepreneurs access to funding, investment expertise, and pathways to business formation and growth.

• Student outcomes (placements, ventures launched, leadership trajectories)

• National visibility and influence of the Center

• Scalable program model with replicable impact

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Provost

• Works closely with: Advancement, academic leadership, and external advisory board

Please note that this role is a hybrid position, with the onsite portion being on the main campus. The position will be open until filled.

Compensation
The Executive Director’s compensation will include the base salary, performance bonus, and the health insurance, retirement benefits, and tuition remission offered to other employees. The base salary for the position will be $130,000 per year. The size of the performance bonus will be based on the success of the Executive Director’s work, including fundraising, community outreach, strategic partnerships, and overall program performance. As a valued member of our team, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, financial security, and work-life balance. This includes medical, dental, and vision coverage; FSA or HSA; employee assistance program; life insurance; short- and long-term disability; contributions to the University’s 403(b) retirement plan; financial planning; identity theft protection; pet insurance; credit union and more. Interested in continuing your education? Our tuition remission program supports your professional growth and lifelong learning, and is also open to covered dependents.  On top of that, our generous paid time off plan gives you the flexibility to recharge and maintain balance in your personal and professional life.  

Qualified candidates are invited to apply via our career portal by submitting a cover letter addressing their qualifications related to the information listed above, along with a resume.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check and employment verification, and other role related requirements such as motor vehicle and/or drug screening.

Marymount University is an equal opportunity employer. Marymount University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected bases under applicable federal and local laws and regulations in any of its programs or its activities, including employment and admission.  The university also expressly prohibits any form of sex discrimination and sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, dating and domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and stalking in any of its programs or activities, including employment and admission.  For more information, please visit:  https://marymount.edu/student-life/health-wellness/title-ix-2/

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