About This Role
This is the first-ever Chief Executive Officer position for a non-profit organization that funds and supports early-stage startups to drive economic development in Saint Louis. The CEO will provide strategic leadership across operations, fund development, and organizational growth, leading a team of 8-10 employees and managing an annual operating budget of approximately $3.6 million, with an endowment and investment portfolio of approximately $23 million.
Responsibilities
- Drive executive leadership and organizational insight to inform strategic decision-making in partnership with the Board of Directors
- Translate strategy into actionable goals and lead focused and accountable execution
- Protect against mission creep, ensuring new programs align with organizational purpose, capabilities, and desired impact
- Facilitate Board engagement through timely, transparent communications on all strategic, financial, and fiduciary matters
- Lead and align key staff, Board members, and stakeholders around a comprehensive development strategy
- Expand and diversify the funding base, encompassing stewardship of major gifts, foundation and corporate relations, planned giving, strategic partners, and advancement operations to secure multi-year commitments and endowment growth
- Own full P&L responsibility, including budget, forecasting, cash flow, and financial controls
- Lead, develop, and align a talented internal team, ensuring a culture of collaboration, accountability, and recognition
- Own the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of programs, scaled to capacity and aligned with organizational mission
- Own internal operations, technology, data, systems, and all third-party partners to support execution, decision-making, and growth
- Elevate brand and visibility, positioning the organization as a national voice on entrepreneurship, economic development, and founder attraction
- Cultivate meaningful relationships with community and civic leaders, venture networks, corporate partners, and ecosystem colleagues
- Serve as the public face of the organization, representing it to increase awareness of its model, impact, and role in attracting entrepreneurs and early-stage business to Saint Louis
- Track economic and community impact through measurement of metrics
- Oversee annual reporting, multi-year cohort tracking, founder feedback, and periodic third-party economic impact analysis
Requirements
- Passion for the mission, including a fundamental belief in the power of an entrepreneurial ecosystem to foster economic growth
- Builder of process, products, and people and fundraising strategist who thrives on making the next chapter of an organization’s vision come to life
- 10-15+ years of progressive senior leadership experience spanning strategy, operations, and resource development, and management of people, processes, programs, and organizational resources
- No less than 5 years of direct team oversight, including an ability to inspire and motivate, manage conflict, and foster a healthy organizational culture
- Proven track record in leading transformational fund development initiatives, including an ability to secure multi-year gifts and the strategy to diversify fund sources
- Equivalent experience leading strategic growth initiatives in an entrepreneurial, venture, or economic-development context is welcome
- Prior experience managing high-level donors and prospects capable of six- and seven-figure gifts is required
- Development of strategic partnerships, foundation and corporate relations, and grant funding is desired
- Evidence of a data-driven approach to fundraising is a must-have
- Well-versed in proactively communicating with internal and external stakeholders
- Confidently interact with team at all levels and react with diplomacy and tact
- Experience communicating a vision and prospective road map to key stakeholders and community constituents
- Ability to build bridges between like-minded organizations to foster collaboration, drive open communication, and cooperative partnerships is desired
- Willingness to serve as a hands-on leader, with the ability and desire to flex between strategic and tactical priorities
- Superior project management skills, an ability to support organization-wide strategic planning efforts, and a bold, proactive mindset are required
- Committed to building an inclusive organizational culture and believe that attracting a wide range of talented entrepreneurs and organizational stakeholders will further success
- Solid business acumen, prior P&L responsibility, and strong technology skills
- Four-year college degree required or equivalent executive leadership experience
Nice to have:
Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life, accident, STD, LTD, paid time off, professional development, and retirement plan with match
Important Details
- Schedule: Ability and willingness to attend evening events and to travel as needed on a limited basis is required
- Travel: outside the local area is estimated at 10%
- Relocation: stipend available and immediate relocation will be desired
About the Company
Arch Grants has been disrupting the status quo in economic development with a mission to transform the Saint Louis economy – attracting and retaining extraordinary entrepreneurs, one cohort at a time. As a 501(c)(3), Arch Grants is passionate about accelerating place-based economic development via equity-free startup funding. It has funded 291 companies that have gone on to create 4,000+ jobs, commercialize 7,000+ products, land 300+ patents, attract $894M+ in capital raised, and generate $1.3B+ in revenue. Beyond its startup success stories, Arch Grants has proven that the maturation of an ecosystem where bold ideas take root, scale rapidly, and attract national attention is possible, and collaborates with key ecosystem partners to attract and retain high-growth startups, high-potential talent, and business opportunity to Saint Louis.
