Apply on Employer Site

University of Denver · 10 hours ago

Executive Director, Miller National Academy for Free Expression & Pluralism

Denver, CO

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

$225K/yr - $375K/yr

The University of Denver is seeking a founding Executive Director for the Miller National Academy for Free Expression and Pluralism, aimed at enhancing civil discourse and pluralism in American public life. The Executive Director will lead the Academy, focusing on strategy, fundraising, and public engagement while building partnerships across various sectors to foster a culture of free expression.

Corporate TrainingEducationUniversities

Responsibilities

Set and execute a clear strategic vision that establishes the Miller National Academy as a nationally recognized platform for advancing free expression and pluralism

Build organizational infrastructure, governance, and staffing to support long-term growth and impact

Work closely with the Provost, Chancellor, and Advisory Board with counsel from the Academic Director on strategic priorities and institutional direction

Provide leadership on campus by working with students, faculty, and administrators to advance a culture of free expression and pluralism

Ensure the Academy’s work is meaningfully integrated into university life while maintaining a clear outward-facing posture

Serve as a visible and trusted leader within the DU community and nationally

Lead a comprehensive fundraising effort to raise $75–100 million over 5–7 years

Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors, foundations, and institutional partners

Serve as the primary external representative of the Academy to donors, media, partners, and national audiences

Oversee the development of high-impact programs, convenings, and initiatives that translate ideas into practice

Engage prominent voices across sectors, including journalism, nonprofit leadership, business, philanthropy, and civic life

Design programs that are rooted at DU but built for national reach, ensuring the Academy contributes meaningfully to public discourse

Oversee an Academic Director, to be determined after the Executive Director has been named, who will help lead academic content, research integration, and faculty engagement

Ensure strong alignment between scholarly work and public-facing initiatives, with clear distinction of roles and responsibilities

Recruit, lead, and manage a high-performing, mission-driven team

Oversee budgeting, operations, reporting, and compliance in alignment with university policies

Foster a strong organizational culture aligned with the Academy’s mission and values

Qualification

Senior leadership experienceFundraising successPublic policy experiencePartnership developmentCivic discourse commitmentEntrepreneurial mindsetPublic presenceOrganizational leadershipMulti-stakeholder navigation

Required

Senior leadership experience in a mission-driven organization, company, university, or major initiative–with experience in public policy and media a major plus

Entrepreneurial mindset

Deep commitment to free expression, pluralism, and constructive civic (and civil) discourse

Demonstrated success in fundraising, partnership development, and/or revenue growth

Strong public presence and credibility with external stakeholders

Experience building and leading organizations, programs, or national initiatives

Demonstrated ability to build initiatives that achieve credibility and influence beyond a single institution or community

Understanding of the ecosystem and culture of a university—and ability to diplomatically navigate its corridors

Ability to operate effectively in complex, multi-stakeholder environments