Program and Operations Coordinator, ULI Washington
Urban Land Institute
Operations
Washington, DC, USA
USD 55,781-60,662 / year
The Urban Land Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and education organization supported by its members. Founded in 1936, the Institute has more than 48,000 members worldwide representing the full spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines across private enterprise and public service. ULI's mission is to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.
ABOUT ULI WASHINGTON
ULI Washington is one of the largest district councils in the ULI network, serving approximately 1,800 members throughout Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Suburban Maryland. The district council organizes its work around three pillars: Knowledge, Influence, and Impact. Programs are delivered through a network of member-led product councils, affinity groups, and signature convenings, supported by a small professional staff working in close partnership with volunteer leaders.
The district council recently moved to new offices in the NoMa/Union Market neighborhood and is in the middle of a deliberate rebuild: a more member-driven model and clearer priorities. This is a real chance to join a growing team and help shape what comes next.
THE ROLE
This role is the operational foundation of ULI Washington. It sits at the intersection of program delivery, systems administration, and member engagement, and it requires someone equally comfortable managing a database and running an early-morning member event.
UrbanPlan is the centerpiece of this role. It's a project-based simulation in which participants: high school students, university students, public officials, or community members, learn the forces and risks that affect development in their communities. You'll own it end to end: logistics, volunteer coordination, materials, and committee liaison. Beyond UrbanPlan, you'll keep core systems running and support program delivery across the full annual calendar.
The role offers real ownership, a genuine mission, and access to one of the most active real estate and land use networks in the country.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
UrbanPlan program lead
- Run UrbanPlan as the primary staff lead: coordinate scheduling, logistics, volunteer engagement, and materials management (Lego sets, workbooks, boards) for each session
- Liaise with the member committee and support the Executive Director on program development and partnership pipeline with schools, municipalities, and community organizations.
- Track participation, session outcomes, and program impact
Systems and operations
- Maintain accurate data across ULI's core systems: NetForum, Navigator, Qualtrics, ThirdLight, and PowerBI
- Process vendor and contractor invoices through Sage Intacct and manage contract routing and approvals through Cobblestone
- Support reporting and data analysis for program performance and member engagement
- Manage the general inbox and respond to member and stakeholder inquiries promptly
Program and committee support
- Partner with volunteer committee co-chairs to coordinate agendas, logistics, and event delivery across the annual work plan
- Coordinate and execute programs and events including a new quarterly open programming series
- Support member engagement and retention through responsive communication and accurate tracking of member activity
- Provide cross-functional support to team members during peak periods
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR
Required
- 2 to 4 years of relevant experience in program coordination, nonprofit operations, events, or member engagement
- Strong organizational skills and genuine attention to detail: you track what needs tracking and notice when something is off
- Comfort with systems and data; you do not need to arrive knowing NetForum or Sage Intacct, but you need to be the type of person who learns them quickly and takes ownership of keeping them clean
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the professionalism to work effectively with senior member volunteers
- Located in or willing to relocate to the DC metro region; availability for early morning and evening events is required
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
Preferred
- Experience in a membership-based or nonprofit organization
- Interest in real estate, land use, or urban planning
- Familiarity with CRM systems, event platforms, or membership databases
- Experience supporting volunteer-led committees or member-driven programming
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
- In the first year, a successful coordinator will have taken full ownership of UrbanPlan run sessions with confidence and built a reliable logistics process for the program. They will have become the team's go-to resource for systems questions and data accuracy. They will have built solid working relationships with member volunteers and helped the team execute a full program year without the ball dropping.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The salary range for this position is $55,781to $60,662. Actual compensation will be based on experience, education, skills, and other job-related factors.
ULI offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and life insurance; generous vacation leave; and retirement plan with employer match.
WORKING CONDITIONS
The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is committed to shaping the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide, and we embrace our core values of integrity, collaboration, inclusion, and excellence in service to our members. In alignment with the Board of Directors’ strong commitment to in-person collaboration, our roles require regular on-site presence to foster teamwork, innovation, and organizational effectiveness. ULI’s primary workplace remains its offices, where in-person collaboration supports our mission and service to members.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
To apply, please follow the link. Please submit a résumé and a letter of interest/cover letter.
ULI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion/creed, sex, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran or active military status, non-citizenship or citizenship status, arrest or conviction record, credit history, salary history, caregiver status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or partnership status, familial status, unemployment status, status as a victim of domestic violence or sexual violence, or any other status protected by applicable law.
EOE/m/f/d/v. No relocation reimbursement is offered at this time.