CAREERS
Connected DMV
President &
Chief Executive Officer
Lead Greater Washington’s premier cross-sector economic development coalition at a moment of significant organizational strength and regional opportunity.
The Opportunity
Build the next chapter of Greater Washington’s innovation economy.
Connected DMV invites accomplished cross-sector leaders to consider a rare opportunity: to lead the region’s premier economic development coalition at a moment of significant organizational strength.
Since 2019, Connected DMV has grown from a volunteer network of more than 400 leaders into a professional organization uniting government, business, academia, capital, and community leadership across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.
The next President and Chief Executive Officer will inherit an established platform that includes the Potomac Quantum Innovation Center, the Potomac Center for New Space Economy, and the Greater Washington Regional Innovation Strategy Engine, known as RISE.
Connected DMV also operates two premier international conferences: Quantum World Congress and spaceNEXT. The CEO will build on this foundation to sustain the region’s established economic strengths while accelerating the next-generation industry clusters that will define its competitiveness for the coming decade.
Potomac Quantum Innovation Center
Potomac Center for New Space Economy
Regional Innovation Strategy Engine
Quantum World Congress + spaceNEXT
Key Priorities
What the next CEO will be positioned to accomplish.
Advance and execute a cross-jurisdictional economic development strategy that strengthens Greater Washington’s position as a global hub for innovation, talent, and investment.
Sustain and grow Connected DMV’s flagship platforms, including the Potomac Quantum Innovation Center and the RISE regional coalition, while identifying the next wave of high-growth sectors.
Deliver Quantum World Congress, spaceNEXT, and their supporting programs and events.
Cultivate strong, trust-based partnerships with the Board of Trustees, federal and local elected officials, industry leaders, academic institutions, and philanthropic partners across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Lead and develop a high-performing professional staff while fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Serve as the region’s trusted ambassador and spokesperson, representing Connected DMV’s mission with credibility across government, industry, and international audiences.
Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement
Regional vision. Political fluency. Trusted execution.
Reporting directly to the Board of Trustees, the CEO leads all facets of Connected DMV’s mission and operations through a collaborative, cross-sector leadership approach.
The CEO serves as the organization’s chief executive, strategist, and external representative, balancing regional vision with disciplined program execution.
- Build a strong, collegial partnership with an engaged Board of Trustees and program steering committees to set strategic priorities and ensure alignment.
- Work constructively with elected officials and public-sector leaders across three jurisdictions, demonstrating sound judgment and political fluency in a multi-government environment.
- Develop and maintain trusted relationships with regional business leaders, economic development organizations, research universities, and international partners.
- Lead, mentor, and retain a diverse team of senior professionals, emphasizing collaboration, mutual respect, and professional growth.
Organizational Leadership & Operations
Steward a growing platform built through partnership.
The President and CEO is responsible for the effective stewardship of an organization funded through sponsorships, government grants, industry partnerships, and capital investment.
- Provide oversight of planning, budgeting, and investment decisions to support Connected DMV’s mission and long-term financial sustainability.
- Lead resource-development efforts, including sponsorships, grants, and public-private funding partnerships, to sustain and grow the organization’s program portfolio.
- Enhance internal reporting, data collection, and performance measurement systems to support accountability to the Board and funding partners.
- Oversee delivery of the organization’s signature convenings, including Quantum World Congress and spaceNEXT, and its regional workforce and talent programs.
The Ideal Candidate
A coalition builder ready to operate at regional scale.
The successful candidate will be a collaborative, respected executive leader with substantial experience in economic development, cross-sector coalition building, or a closely related field, and a strong understanding of Greater Washington’s economic and institutional landscape.
Career paths may vary. The strongest candidates will bring many of the following attributes:
Executive Leadership
Experience in economic development, nonprofit management, regional coalition building, or a related public, private, or quasi-public organization of similar scale and complexity. Corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and other business experience are also desirable.
Future-Sector Vision
The ability to identify and develop next-generation industries such as quantum, artificial intelligence, space, and new energy while sustaining the region’s established strengths in GovCon, defense technology, and professional services.
Revenue Development
Demonstrated success building and diversifying sponsorship, grant, and public-private funding sufficient to sustain a multimillion-dollar operating budget.
Regional Fluency
Success working with boards, elected officials, local governments, business leaders, and education or workforce partners across a multi-jurisdictional environment.
Disciplined Execution
A strategic yet pragmatic mindset, with a strong focus on execution, measurable outcomes, and continuous improvement.
Talent Champion
The ability to serve as a visible champion for regional talent and workforce initiatives that support cluster development and investment attraction.
Credible Communication
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to represent the organization professionally across government, industry, and international audiences.
Collaborative Leadership
A leadership style grounded in teamwork, integrity, respect, inclusion, ethical leadership, and high standards of professionalism.
Compensation
Competitive executive compensation.
A competitive compensation package will be offered, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
About Connected DMV
One region.
Built to compete.
Founded in 2019, Connected DMV is a 501(c)(3) cross-sector nonprofit uniting local jurisdictions, federal agencies, industry, community, philanthropy, and academia to advance Greater Washington’s top economic opportunities and generate responsible economic growth for the region’s 6.5 million residents.
Innovation Platforms
Connected DMV’s platforms include the Potomac Quantum Innovation Center, which established Greater Washington as a recognized global hub for quantum and AI, and the Potomac Center for New Space Economy, which established the region as a leader in space commercialization.
Regional Alignment
Through the Greater Washington Regional Innovation Strategy Engine, Connected DMV aligns economic development organizations across DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia through the REDS regional leadership coalition, the DMV Regional Congress, and oneDMV.org.
Global Convenings
Connected DMV operates two premier global conferences: Quantum World Congress and spaceNEXT.
Talent & Workforce
Regional programs include Pathways to Quantum, the K–14 Innovation Council spanning regional school systems, and the Global Industry Challenge—the largest industry-led program of its kind globally.
About the Greater Washington Region
A globally significant economy with uncommon regional assets.
Greater Washington anchors one of the strongest and most diverse economies in the world, combining the nation’s largest concentration of federal government activity with globally significant clusters in government consulting, defense technology, cybersecurity, financial services, and information and communications technology.
The region’s proximity to federal research institutions, national laboratories, and a deep bench of technology and professional-services firms positions it as a leading hub for emerging industries including quantum computing, artificial intelligence, space commercialization, and life sciences.
Connected DMV’s cross-jurisdictional model gives the next CEO a platform to advance the region’s competitiveness across DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia in a way no single jurisdiction can achieve alone.
How to Apply
Lead the region’s next era of economic growth.
Submit a cover letter and résumé to the Connected DMV Board of Trustees Search Committee no later than October 1, 2026.