A Decade in the Making: Soul of the City BID Is Official and Executive Director Search Underway

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A Decade in the Making: Soul of the City BID Is Official and Executive Director Search Underway

The Mayor of the District of Columbia has officially certified the Soul of the City Business Improvement District, effective January 22, 2026, marking the culmination of more than a decade of sustained community engagement across Congress Heights, Bellevue, and Washington Highlands.


With certification now in effect, the Soul of the City BID is entering its implementation phase and has launched the search for its Executive Director.

The BID will focus on:

  • Clean, safe, and vibrant commercial corridors
  • Small business support and economic vitality
  • Placemaking, arts, and cultural activation
  • Community-centered economic development



Position Overview

The Executive Director (ED) serves as the founding chief executive of the Soul of the City Business Improvement District, providing visionary leadership, operational discipline, and relationship stewardship during the BID’s launch and growth phases.


The Executive Director is responsible for translating the BID’s authorizing legislation, community mandate, and Board-adopted strategy into visible, high-quality outcomes across the BID’s commercial corridors and surrounding neighborhoods. This includes establishing core systems, standing up Clean, Safe & Activate services, managing contracts and budgets, and serving as the BID’s principal ambassador to property owners, businesses, residents, public agencies, and philanthropic partners.


This role requires a place-based leader who can operate comfortably at the intersection of community trust, public-private partnership, urban operations, and board governance.


The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and works in close partnership with the Board Chair and standing committees and the Congress Heights Partnership.


Organizational Context

The Soul of the City BID serves historically disinvested and interconnected neighborhoods, with a mission grounded in:


  • Improving quality-of-life outcomes along commercial corridors
  • Leveraging dedicated BID resources to deliver Clean, Safe & Activate services equitably
  • Strengthening local businesses while supporting inclusive economic growth
  • Reconnecting neighborhoods long treated as disconnected or peripheral
  • Operating with accountability, transparency, and community credibility


The BID is newly authorized and entering its stand-up phase, requiring both entrepreneurial leadership and operational rigor.


Core Responsibilities


1. Organizational Leadership & BID Launch

Lead the stand-up of the BID organization, including policies, systems, staffing, vendors, and operating cadence

  • Translate the BID Management Plan and Board directives into executable annual work plans
  • Establish internal controls, reporting systems, and performance dashboards
  • Build a strong organizational culture aligned with the BID’s values and public mission


2. Clean, Safe & Activate Service Delivery

  • Oversee implementation of the BID’s node-based operations model, ensuring services are predictable, visible, and equitable
  • Manage Clean & Safe vendors and internal staff, including contract compliance and service quality
  • Ensure strong coordination between cleanliness, public safety ambassadors, and activation efforts
  • Use data and field intelligence to adjust service levels and address hotspots proactively


3. Financial Management & Stewardship

  • Prepare and manage the BID’s annual operating budget
  • Oversee assessments revenue, invoicing coordination, and cash-flow management
  • Ensure compliance with District requirements and best practices for nonprofit financial management
  • Work with the Treasurer, Finance Committee, and external accountants to ensure transparency and accountability


4. Board Governance & Strategic Partnership

  • Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors
    • Prepare Board agendas, briefing materials, and decision memos
    • Support Board committees (Finance, Governance, Services, Partnerships, etc.)
    • Provide the Board with timely, accurate information for oversight and strategic decision-making


5. External Relations & Public Leadership

Act as the BID’s chief spokesperson and relationship builder

  • Cultivate strong working relationships with:
    • Property owners and commercial tenants
    • Community organizations and residents
    • District agencies and elected officials
    • Developers, institutions, and anchor partners
  • Represent the BID at public meetings, events, and inter-BID collaborations


6. Economic Development & Corridor Activation

  • Support business retention, attraction, and corridor vitality initiatives
  • Partner with local organizations and agencies on placemaking, arts, and activation strategies
  • Align BID investments with broader neighborhood development efforts
  • Ensure activation reflects local culture, history, and community identity


Qualifications & Experience

Required Qualifications

Minimum 5–10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in one or more of the following:

  • Business Improvement Districts or place-based management organizations
  • Urban economic development or corridor revitalization
  • Nonprofit or public-private partnership leadership
  • Community development or municipal services management
  • Demonstrated experience managing budgets, contracts, and external vendors
  • Proven ability to work effectively with a governing board
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience operating in politically and culturally complex environments


Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience launching or scaling a new organization or initiative

  • Familiarity with District of Columbia agencies, procurement, and compliance environment
  • Experience working in historically disinvested or community-sensitive contexts
  • Background in Clean & Safe operations, public space management, or urban services
  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred


Core Competencies

Place-Based Leadership – Understands how physical space, services, culture, and relationships intersect

  • Operational Discipline – Builds systems that work consistently, not just aspirationally
  • Political & Community Acumen – Navigates multiple stakeholders with credibility and care
  • Strategic Execution – Converts plans into measurable outcomes
  • Financial Stewardship – Treats public-benefit dollars with rigor and transparency
  • Collaborative Leadership – Builds trust across sectors and perspectives


Compensation & Benefits

Competitive salary commensurate with experience

  • Benefits package to be established during organizational stand-up
  • This position is full-time and based in Washington, DC

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Soul of the City Business Improvement District is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team reflective of the communities it serves.

Executive Director applications and nominations:

Monica@SouloftheCity.org


A Decade in the Making: Soul of the City BID Is Official and Executive Director Search Underway

The Mayor of the District of Columbia has officially certified the Soul of the City Business Improvement District, effective January 22, 2026, marking the culmination of more than a decade of sustained community engagement across Congress Heights, Bellevue, and Washington Highlands.


With certification now in effect, the Soul of the City BID is entering its implementation phase and has launched the search for its Executive Director.

The BID will focus on:

  • Clean, safe, and vibrant commercial corridors
  • Small business support and economic vitality
  • Placemaking, arts, and cultural activation
  • Community-centered economic development



Position Overview

The Executive Director (ED) serves as the founding chief executive of the Soul of the City Business Improvement District, providing visionary leadership, operational discipline, and relationship stewardship during the BID’s launch and growth phases.


The Executive Director is responsible for translating the BID’s authorizing legislation, community mandate, and Board-adopted strategy into visible, high-quality outcomes across the BID’s commercial corridors and surrounding neighborhoods. This includes establishing core systems, standing up Clean, Safe & Activate services, managing contracts and budgets, and serving as the BID’s principal ambassador to property owners, businesses, residents, public agencies, and philanthropic partners.


This role requires a place-based leader who can operate comfortably at the intersection of community trust, public-private partnership, urban operations, and board governance.


The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and works in close partnership with the Board Chair and standing committees and the Congress Heights Partnership.


Organizational Context

The Soul of the City BID serves historically disinvested and interconnected neighborhoods, with a mission grounded in:


  • Improving quality-of-life outcomes along commercial corridors
  • Leveraging dedicated BID resources to deliver Clean, Safe & Activate services equitably
  • Strengthening local businesses while supporting inclusive economic growth
  • Reconnecting neighborhoods long treated as disconnected or peripheral
  • Operating with accountability, transparency, and community credibility


The BID is newly authorized and entering its stand-up phase, requiring both entrepreneurial leadership and operational rigor.


Core Responsibilities


1. Organizational Leadership & BID Launch

Lead the stand-up of the BID organization, including policies, systems, staffing, vendors, and operating cadence

  • Translate the BID Management Plan and Board directives into executable annual work plans
  • Establish internal controls, reporting systems, and performance dashboards
  • Build a strong organizational culture aligned with the BID’s values and public mission


2. Clean, Safe & Activate Service Delivery

  • Oversee implementation of the BID’s node-based operations model, ensuring services are predictable, visible, and equitable
  • Manage Clean & Safe vendors and internal staff, including contract compliance and service quality
  • Ensure strong coordination between cleanliness, public safety ambassadors, and activation efforts
  • Use data and field intelligence to adjust service levels and address hotspots proactively


3. Financial Management & Stewardship

  • Prepare and manage the BID’s annual operating budget
  • Oversee assessments revenue, invoicing coordination, and cash-flow management
  • Ensure compliance with District requirements and best practices for nonprofit financial management
  • Work with the Treasurer, Finance Committee, and external accountants to ensure transparency and accountability


4. Board Governance & Strategic Partnership

  • Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors
    • Prepare Board agendas, briefing materials, and decision memos
    • Support Board committees (Finance, Governance, Services, Partnerships, etc.)
    • Provide the Board with timely, accurate information for oversight and strategic decision-making


5. External Relations & Public Leadership

Act as the BID’s chief spokesperson and relationship builder

  • Cultivate strong working relationships with:
    • Property owners and commercial tenants
    • Community organizations and residents
    • District agencies and elected officials
    • Developers, institutions, and anchor partners
  • Represent the BID at public meetings, events, and inter-BID collaborations


6. Economic Development & Corridor Activation

  • Support business retention, attraction, and corridor vitality initiatives
  • Partner with local organizations and agencies on placemaking, arts, and activation strategies
  • Align BID investments with broader neighborhood development efforts
  • Ensure activation reflects local culture, history, and community identity


Qualifications & Experience

Required Qualifications

Minimum 5–10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in one or more of the following:

  • Business Improvement Districts or place-based management organizations
  • Urban economic development or corridor revitalization
  • Nonprofit or public-private partnership leadership
  • Community development or municipal services management
  • Demonstrated experience managing budgets, contracts, and external vendors
  • Proven ability to work effectively with a governing board
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Experience operating in politically and culturally complex environments


Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience launching or scaling a new organization or initiative

  • Familiarity with District of Columbia agencies, procurement, and compliance environment
  • Experience working in historically disinvested or community-sensitive contexts
  • Background in Clean & Safe operations, public space management, or urban services
  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred


Core Competencies

Place-Based Leadership – Understands how physical space, services, culture, and relationships intersect

  • Operational Discipline – Builds systems that work consistently, not just aspirationally
  • Political & Community Acumen – Navigates multiple stakeholders with credibility and care
  • Strategic Execution – Converts plans into measurable outcomes
  • Financial Stewardship – Treats public-benefit dollars with rigor and transparency
  • Collaborative Leadership – Builds trust across sectors and perspectives


Compensation & Benefits

Competitive salary commensurate with experience

  • Benefits package to be established during organizational stand-up
  • This position is full-time and based in Washington, DC

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Soul of the City Business Improvement District is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team reflective of the communities it serves.

Executive Director applications and nominations:

Monica@SouloftheCity.org

Page last updated: 23 Jan 2026, 07:18 AM