Director of Founder Development

Nexus Louisiana - Director of Founder Development

Location: Baton Rouge, LA (Onsite with up to 30% travel)

Reports to: Executive Leadership

Type: Full-Time

Position Summary

Nexus Louisiana is searching for a dynamic Director of Founder Development to design, lead, and scale a resilient, founder-focused membership program for early-stage technology startups in energy transition, health tech, education, environmental innovation, and agriculture. This position is responsible for building and supporting a best-in-class startup pipeline, delivering innovative programming and resources, and cultivating powerful partnerships that drive founder success and ecosystem expansion.

Core Responsibilities

• Recruit, evaluate, and onboard a diverse pipeline of high-potential, early-stage startup founders, with a focus on developing defensible intellectual property aligned to Nexus Louisiana priority sectors.
• Design, execute, and refine founder-facing programming, coaching, and mentorship systems that drive measurable startup growth, funding, and success.
• Build and nurture relationships among members, external partners (investors, universities, corporations), and the broader innovation ecosystem to amplify the impact for all stakeholders.
• Attend and leverage internal and external events regionally and nationally, proactively sourcing promising talent and fostering community connections.
• Evaluate and support founders through key milestones, offering mentorship on scaling, fundraising, and go-to-market strategies, leveraging both personal knowledge and Nexus resources.
• Analyze and address pipeline bottlenecks, utilizing a data-driven, feedback-informed mindset to ensure robust, ongoing recruitment and engagement.
• Develop and maintain transparent systems for tracking member progress from first contact through successful program exit, ensuring clarity and accountability for all.
• Regularly benchmark against national best practices (e.g., Ion Houston, mHub Chicago, AlphaLab Pittsburgh), continuously adapting approaches to fit Louisiana’s unique ecosystem needs.

Key Priorities

• Achieve full, mission-aligned membership capacity within 12–18 months.
• Map and communicate clear pathways for every founder/member, from onboarding through graduation.
• Expand reach and scope by leveraging internal marketing, communications, and operational resources to multiply the Director’s impact.

Qualifications

• 10 years of relevant professional experience, including at least 3 years recruiting, mentoring, or supporting early-stage technology founders or startups.
• Bachelor’s degree required in a related field (STEM, business, etc.), with advanced degree (MBA or technical Master’s) preferred.
• Demonstrated success in ecosystem-building, partnership development, and stakeholder engagement, ideally in high-growth or innovation settings.
• Deep understanding of startup coaching, mentorship, and founder pathways from ideation to exit; comfort handling ambiguity and driving results in evolving environments.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills; passion for networking and community-building.
• Tech-savvy and adaptable, with willingness to learn and champion new systems, tools, and ideas.

Competencies

• Results-oriented and relentless in pursuing ambitious membership growth goals.
• Highly productive, organized, and adept at time management.
• Advanced judgment, creative problem-solving, and a learning mindset.
• Effective collaborator who leverages the strengths of partners and colleagues.

Compensation and Benefits

Nexus Louisiana offers a competitive salary, benefits, flexible work arrangements where possible, and a unique opportunity to help shape the future of Louisiana’s tech ecosystem.

How to Apply

Submit a resume and targeted cover letter describing your interest and fit for this role. Finalists will be invited to participate in a scenario-based hiring exercise modeled on real Nexus challenges.

This role is designed to drive measurable growth and impact for Nexus Louisiana and Louisiana’s innovative founders, leveraging national best practice and localized, founder-first approaches.

Pay: $85,000.00 - $125,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Dependent health insurance coverage
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Relocation assistance
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $85,000 - $125,000