Executive Director of the Maryland Stadium Authority

POSITION SPECIFICATION

Position: Executive Director
Organization: Maryland Stadium Authority
Location: Baltimore, Maryland 
Reporting Relationship: Maryland Stadium Authority Board of Directors 
Website: (click here) https://www.mdstad.com/

ABOUT THE MARYLAND STADIUM AUTHORITY

The Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) stands as a premier engine of economic vitality and civic pride, dedicated to the mission of "Moving Maryland Forward." Its work transcends the steel and concrete of world-class infrastructure; the MSA serves as a curator of cultural and community hubs that define the Maryland experience. From the historic charm of Oriole Park at Camden Yards – still cited as a masterpiece of design that redefined modern stadiums – to the 1998 return of NFL football with the Super Bowl winning Ravens residing at M&T Bank Stadium, the MSA acts as the bridge between visionary planning and the vibrant reality of professional sports. Today, the MSA continues this legacy by stewarding long-term lease extensions and multi-year renovation plans to ensure these landmarks remain best-in-class for decades to come.

The MSA’s priorities are rooted to being a vital partner to the citizens of Maryland, with a reach that extends far beyond sports. The MSA manages a diverse portfolio of critical infrastructure, including major expansions of the Baltimore and Ocean City Convention Centers, the redevelopment of the historic Pimlico Race Course, and the construction of the new Department of Legislative Services building in Annapolis. Most notably, the MSA is transforming the state’s educational landscape through the 21st Century School Buildings Program and the Built to Learn Act, delivering dozens of modernized, high-quality schools that inspire students and revitalize communities across the state.

This expansive portfolio serves as a powerful catalyst for the state's economy, with the Camden Yards Sports Complex alone generating approximately $15.9 billion in total spending and supporting 4,000 jobs annually since its inception. By fostering a culture of transparency and professional integrity, the MSA ensures that every investment generates lasting social and economic value. The organization is driven by a commitment to operational excellence, consistently delivering complex, high-stakes projects "on time and on budget". The MSA’s mission is in setting the standard for public authorities, demonstrating that through disciplined management, a service-focused mindset, and fiduciary stewardship, it can responsibly create spaces that enrich the lives of all Marylanders for generations to come.

THE CURRENT SITUATION

The Maryland Stadium Authority, led by its 11-member Board of Directors (including current Chair Craig Thompson), prepares for a leadership transition following the 18-year stewardship of Executive Director, Michael Frenz. The new incoming leader will inherit a robust organization of approximately 128 employees and a $70 million operating budget, plus significant capital funds for statewide projects. Because the MSA has built a sterling reputation, it has become the State’s “Swiss Army Knife” for assessing, developing, and executing on major complex infrastructure projects. It is the expectation that the Executive Director will help to define a future-forward vision of the MSA, its opportunities, and where its priorities lie across a rapidly changing landscape.

Beyond managing the existing asset portfolio, they will require strong leadership and operational experience to strategically enact this vision not just externally across the MSA’s many stakeholders but also with its staff and internal systems and processes to develop a holistically nimble and efficient organization that exceeds the high expectations demanded of them.

With the MSA’s foundational sports mission, the new Executive Director will need to build trust and enduring connective tissue with their marquee tenants, the Orioles (owner David Rubenstein and President Catie Griggs) and the Ravens (owner Steve Bisciotti and President Sashi Brown). In the coming years, there will be a principle focus on Baltimore’s harborfront development and the transformation of the Camden Yards Sports Complex and M&T Bank Stadium into vibrant, year-round mixed-use districts. Still in early pre-assessment stages, the new leader must, nevertheless, be at the forefront of building strong, collaborative relationships to ensure that as these partnerships evolve, the State’s priorities and long-term needs are favorably met.

Beyond the stadium gates, the MSA acts as a strategic catalyst for Maryland’s growth, from the redevelopment of the historic Pimlico Race Course to the need for a modernized new convention center. There is also discussion on the potential for a professional soccer stadium and continued projects assessing state-wide community hubs such as schools, entertainment facilities, and mixed-use projects. The MSA also acts as lessor on a number of properties across the state, requiring foresight and financial acumen to maximize long-term return. Overall, the Executive Director must proactively collaborate with the MSA Board and state policy makers to determine the optimal balance between going "broad" as a statewide builder and "deep" as a specialist on defined scopes of work. Success in this role requires an engaging and consensus-focused personality and a willing public face for the MSA, one who is eager to engage with the community, the Governor’s Office, and the General Assembly to facilitate a shared vision for the state’s most ambitious capital project investments.

Internally, the Executive Director must provide nuanced and strategic top-down leadership to effectively facilitate communication and accountability across a matrixed organization. There will be a period of assessment and reorganization where core leadership skills will be required to provide direction, stability, and cohesion. A priority will be the modernization of internal structures and processes, making highly vertical silos more transparent and implementing systems that mitigate internal and external risks and minimize critical areas falling through the cracks. By fostering a people-and-service focused culture defined by proactive communication and continuous improvement, the Executive Director will bridge organizational gaps and ensure that the MSA’s internal engine not only reduces friction but creates additive value to the projects it manages.

Central to this evolution for MSA is the responsibility for assessing, mentoring, and developing talent across all levels of the organization. The MSA of today employs high-functioning teams of functional experts and the Executive Director is responsible for ensuring that continuity continues as workplace mores and professional / personal expectations evolve. They will be tasked with cultivating an inclusive and culturally diverse environment – one that authentically reflects the vibrant communities of Baltimore and Maryland. By encouraging innovation, diverse thinking, and a flexibility to take on complex issues, the Executive Director will ensure a resilient and top-tier workforce engaging with pride and enthusiasm to grow the MSA’s unique mission.

Finally, the Executive Director holds ultimate accountability for the MSA’s fiscal integrity and legal compliance, overseeing the financial engineering of public bonds and ensuring that all operations adhere to the highest standards of state and regulatory oversight. They must, above all else, remain steadfast to the utmost levels of integrity and commitment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Governance and Identity: Acts as the chief strategist and steward of the MSA’s near-term roadmap and long-term vision, partnering with the Board to define a clear organizational identity that balances specialized stewardship with large-scale statewide infrastructure mandates.
• Comprehensive Capital Management: Provides executive direction and oversight for both a robust asset portfolio as well as the planning, development, and delivery of complex, multi-billion-dollar construction initiatives, ensuring all projects consistently meet rigorous quality, budgetary, and schedule targets.
• Procurement and Leasing Partnerships: Centralized leadership in the selection of third-party vendors and critical negotiations to secure agreements that protect the public’s investment and maximizes economic impact.
• Creative Flexible Problem-Solving: Applies a continuous learning and nimble mindset to evaluate complex public-sector challenges, identifying new opportunities, methodologies, and efficiencies that enhance the MSA’s long-term value proposition to Maryland.
• Financial Integrity and Risk Mitigation: Exercises total oversight of the operating budget and diverse capital funding streams, implementing sophisticated systems to manage enterprise-level risks and ensure absolute fiscal transparency.
• Diplomatic and Public Liaison: Serves as the principal executive representative to the Governor’s Office and General Assembly, utilizing presence and political acuteness to navigate complex state priorities while safeguarding the MSA’s mission and public integrity.
• Internal Organizational Modernization: Transforms the MSA into a nimble, holistically structured environment by integrating cross-functional systems that enhance transparency and prevent operational oversights in a rapidly expanding project portfolio.
• Cultural Stewardship and Talent Development: Cultivates an inclusive workplace that reflects the state’s vibrant communities by mentoring high-performing staff and fostering a diverse environment where innovative ideas flow freely across the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS AND HIGHER EDUCATION

• Executive Leadership: A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible executive or senior leadership experience overseeing complex organizations, programs, or portfolios, preferably within a public, quasi-public, or similarly regulated environment.
• Fiscal Management: Demonstrated experience managing large operating and capital budgets, including fiscal oversight, internal controls, and accountability for public or institutional funds.
• Industry Expertise: Experience in one or more of the following areas, relevant to large-scale facilities or public infrastructure:
  • Capital planning, construction, or major project management.
  • Real estate development, asset management, or portfolio oversight.
  • Property, venue, or facility operations and management.
  • Public- or private-sector finance involving complex funding structures.
• Enterprise Oversight: Experience overseeing complex organizations with enterprise-wide responsibility.

A Master’s degree or higher in public administration, business administration, finance, law, engineering, or a closely related field (or demonstrated expertise to an equivalent level) is valued.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

As an equal opportunity employer, The Maryland Stadium Authority is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees, at all job levels, who are reflective of the State’s diversity. All aspects of employment are decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need. The Authority values a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcomes interest from all qualified individuals, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, persons with disabilities, and veterans.