Associate Director, Emerging Young Leaders Program in Washington, District of Columbia at The Aspen Institute

ABOUT US

Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Aspen Leadership Seminars
Aspen Leadership Seminars (Seminars) sits at the heart of The Aspen Institute’s founding mission: to foster values-based leadership that inspires individuals to think more deeply, act more courageously, and serve more selflessly. Since 1950, the Seminars have brought together leaders from every sector and region of the world to explore the moral and ethical dimensions of leadership through moderated text-based dialogue. Guided by the belief that the greatest challenges facing society are moral, not technical, these seminars create space for leaders to reflect on the values that guide their choices and shape their organizations.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

The Associate Director, Emerging Young Leaders Program will serve as the founding operational leader for a new endowed initiative within Aspen Leadership Seminars designed to deliver Aspen's distinctive humanities-based seminar experience to emerging leaders ages 22-30. This role is responsible for leading the design, build, pilot, and launch of the Emerging Young Leaders program, establishing the operational, organizational, and programmatic foundations necessary for its long-term success.

Structured as a three-year term appointment through the end of calendar year 2029, this role is intentionally focused on building and launching the Emerging Young Leaders program within Seminars, part of the Aspen Institute's Center for Leadership. The first phase of the appointment will focus on designing, building, and piloting the program in preparation for its inaugural launch in 2028, followed by leading its implementation, evaluation, and continuous refinement during its first years of operation. Working in close partnership with the leadership of Seminars and the Center for Leadership, while coordinating closely with the Center for Rising Generations, the Associate Director will translate program vision into operational reality. Over the course of the appointment, they will lead the development of the program's operating model, participant experience, partnerships, systems, evaluation framework, and launch strategy.

The ideal candidate will have experience building and launching a new program, initiative, or organizational function from concept through implementation, bringing together strategic thinking, operational excellence, and collaborative leadership to create something that does not yet exist. They will be equally comfortable shaping long-term direction and managing the details of implementation, working across teams and functions to translate program vision into an exceptional participant experience. The appointment may be extended beyond 2029 based on the long-term needs of the program following its successful launch and evaluation.

This is a three-year position based in the Aspen Institute’s Washington, DC, office with a minimum of 40% in-person work (two days per week). The salary range for this position is $112,500-$125,000. The Associate Director, EYL, reports to the Executive Director of Aspen Leadership Seminars.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Program Development & Launch

• Lead end-to-end program lifecycle: Design, pilot, launch, and scale the Emerging Young Leaders program, building a sustainable operational foundation from the ground up.
• Turn vision into strategy: Build the workflows, systems, and implementation plans needed to bring the program's strategic goals to life.
• Oversee the design of the seminar experience: Oversee curriculum alignment, moderator preparation, participant onboarding, and logistics for a seamless seminar experience.
• Collaborate across leadership: Partner with leadership across Aspen Leadership Seminars, the Center for Leadership, and the Center for Rising Generations to align on strategic growth and program evolution.
• Drive iteration & impact: Design an evaluation framework to measure participant outcomes and apply pilot feedback for continuous program improvement.
• Build alumni engagement: Create a long-term engagement strategy that connects program alumni to broader leadership opportunities across the Institute.

Operations & Administration

• Manage daily operations: Lead day-to-day execution, project management, and annual planning cycles to ensure high-quality, efficient delivery.
• Oversee the participant journey: Direct all aspects of the participant life cycle, including recruitment, applications, selection, event logistics, and post-program follow-up.
• Ensure seamless event delivery: Work closely with the Seminars Design & Delivery team to manage on-the-ground seminar execution and resolve real-time operational issues.
• Improve team workflows: Implement project management tools and systems to keep cross-functional work organized and on track.

Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as central liaison: Act as the main point of contact for internal teams, moderators, vendors, and external partners involved in the program.
• Cross-functional alignment: Lead collaborative planning across Institute departments to keep shared goals moving forward smoothly.
• Funder relations: Support funder stewardship in partnership with leadership through regular reporting, updates, and clear communication.

Financial Stewardship

• Budget & financial management: Manage annual program budgets, forecasting, vendor contracts, and expenses for endowed and current-use funds.
• Reporting & compliance: Partner with the Director of Seminars and financial staff to prepare accurate grant and financial reports for funders and Institute leadership.
• Strategic resource allocation: Ensure financial planning directly aligns with program priorities and long-term sustainability while maintaining clear internal controls.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in program management, education, leadership development, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience building, launching, or significantly expanding a new program, initiative, or organizational function.
• Experience leading cross-functional work involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Strong financial and operational management experience, including budgeting, reporting, and resource stewardship.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and relationship management skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience working in mission-driven educational environments, including but not limited to leadership development, higher education, K-12 education, nonprofit education, civic education, museums, or other organizations dedicated to learning and human development.
• Appreciation for dialogue-based learning, the humanities, and the role of education in cultivating judgment, leadership, and lifelong learning.
• Experience partnering with educators, moderators, faculty, or subject matter experts to develop and deliver high-quality educational experiences.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

The Aspen Institute welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs, including the interview process. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about accessibility, please email hrsupport@aspeninstitute.org or call 202-736-2127 in advance of your visit. Requests for ASL or CART services should be made at least two weeks in advance when possible. We will make every effort to fulfill requests, subject to availability.