Capital Factory

Executive Director- STATION DC

Capital Factory • $150K — $180K *
Washington, DC 20011In-Person
Education, Government & Non-Profit
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Executive-level leadership experience (MD, ED, or VP), preferably in non-profit or mission-driven organizations.
  • Proven track record in fundraising with experience in closing seven-figure commitments.
  • Ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments, particularly within the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and Silicon Valley.
  • Strong organizational skills with a knack for using AI and structured systems to manage tasks.
  • Ability to remain calm under pressure, especially in dynamic environments.
  • Excellent storytelling and influencing skills to attract investment and engage stakeholders.
  • Availability for evening and weekend events as required by mission.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the execution of a high-stakes strategic plan to promote frontier technologies across various sectors.
  • Cultivate executive-level partnerships with key players in government and tech to bridge policy and innovation.
  • Drive revenue strategies to secure significant annual funding, exceeding $1.5M.
  • Recruit high-growth startups, investors, and mentors to enhance STATION's innovation ecosystem.
  • Advocate for favorable tech legislation that supports national competitiveness in urgent sectors.
  • Oversee programming initiatives and signature events to facilitate high-profile engagements.
  • Foster a high-performance team culture to minimize turnover and enhance engagement.

Benefits

  • 128 hours of paid time off annually plus additional holidays and generous parental leave policies.
  • Comprehensive employee-only health benefits fully covered by the employer.
  • Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
  • 401(k) plan with a 50% employer match up to 3% of salary.
  • Eligibility for a technology stipend starting from the first anniversary.
  • Opportunities to connect within a valuable network.
Full Job Description
What you will do...
  • Lead Strategic Vision: Oversee and execute a high-stakes strategic plan to advance frontier technologies across defense, reindustrialization, and health, positioning STATION DC as a national leader.
  • Build Elite Partnerships: Steward executive-level relationships across the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and Silicon Valley to bridge the gap between builders and policymakers.
  • Drive Revenue & Sustainability: Lead the revenue strategy to secure over $1.5M in annual funding through unrestricted grants and multi-year strategic partnership commitments.
  • Recruit Top Talent & Startups: Aggressively recruit high-growth startups, Tier 1 investors, and elite mentors into the STATION community to create a critical mass of innovation.
  • Advocate for Innovation: Engage directly with policymakers to influence tech-friendly legislation that ensures national competitiveness in critical frontier sectors.
  • Curate High-Value Programming: Oversee signature events and "Meeting Ground" initiatives that facilitate high-profile visits and high-leverage introductions.
  • Cultivate Mission-Driven Culture: Establish a high-performance, "badass" team culture with minimal undesired turnover, serving as the face of the organization.
You'll know you're successful if....
  • You secure at least $1,500,000 in additional annual funding from at least three strategic funders beyond the city of DC.
  • You facilitate at least three U.S. Cabinet or Congressional visits, three international head-of-state/royalty visits, and five Tier 1 frontier-tech VC visits annually.
  • STATION DC grows to 100 total startup members (including 50 new DC-based startups) and recruits 10 prominent local founders to the advisory board.
  • You maintain a high-performing team with minimal undesired turnover and high internal engagement scores.
  • Your leadership results in measurable growth in policy influence and media mentions, cementing STATION DC as a national authority.
About our team...
  • We have a passion for startups and technology.
  • We are transparent and we over-communicate.
  • We have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • We communicate when we are not able to meet a deadline and suggest a solution.
  • We are professional and presentable and greet everyone cheerfully. We're ready to deal with an immature student, a pushy salesperson, top VC's, a fortune 500 CEO, and even the President of the United States.
  • We are excited to work in the office five days a week and have reliable transportation.
  • We have a quiet place where we can work remotely with fast internet.
  • We are security aware. We have a passcode on our computers and phones and use a password manager.
  • We are able to efficiently use the Google suite of productivity tools (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides).
  • You embrace and actively use AI tools to work smarter and move faster.
  • You are available to attend DREAMCON, a week-long staff summit, in January each year.
  • We get to Inbox Zero every day


Requirements
  • You have executive-level leadership experience (MD, ED, or VP), ideally within a non-profit or mission-driven organization, leading cross-functional teams and managing multi-million dollar budgets.
  • You are an experienced fundraiser and relationship-builder, comfortable asking for and closing seven-figure commitments.
  • You can navigate complex stakeholder environments across the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and Silicon Valley.
  • You are a documentor who uses AI tools and organized systems to turn chaos into scalable processes.
  • You are organized and plan ahead, but you don't get stressed out when things change at the last minute-because in DC, they always do.
  • You are a storyteller with influence, able to inspire stakeholders and attract investment across the country.
  • You are available to work during evening events and weekends when the mission demands it.

Benefits
  • 128 hours of paid time off annually, plus company-observed holidays, Winter Break, and parental leave (10 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non-birthing parents)
  • 100% employer-paid employee-only benefits, including medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, long-term disability, and basic life insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • 401(k) with a 50% company match, up to a maximum employer contribution of 3% of salary
  • Additional workplace and facility benefits, where applicable
  • Technology stipend beginning on the first-year anniversary
  • A priceless network

About Capital Factory

Capital Factory is a technology incubator and co-working space in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 2009 by Joshua Baer and is located in the heart of downtown Austin. Capital Factory provides entrepreneurs with a variety of resources, including mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to funding. The company has a strong focus on technology startups, and has helped launch a number of successful companies in the Austin area. Capital Factory also hosts a number of events and conferences throughout the year, including the annual Texas Startup Week.
Learn more about Capital Factory
Size
100 employees
Industry
Enterprise Technology
Founded
2009
* Ladders Estimates

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