Chief of Staff / Founder's Associate
5 days ago
New York
Employee #1 | Investment-Backed Startup Executive Summary: Conexus Conexus is a world-class events and membership organisation that forges meaningful connections through live experiences, actionable intelligence, and a proprietary insights platform. Founded by Sarah Murphy, a veteran of Irish business media with 20 years of deep experience in executive convening, Conexus solves a critical challenge: in a fragmented and noisy world, genuine connection amongst leaders and decision makers is increasingly rare. We put executives in the right room, at the right time, with the right people, delivering actionable insights and opportunities that drive measurable ROI. Our core philosophy is simple: human connection is our most valuable business asset. An insights platform powered by advanced technology underpins every experience, enabling us to deliver personalized intelligence, predictive networking, and data-driven ROI tracking that legacy networks and event producers cannot match. Conexus operates across multiple high-value verticals including Technology, Finance, The Built Environment, Life Sciences, the Business of Sport, Energy & Climate, and Media, serving C-suite executives and decision makers throughout the United States and Canada. As an early go to market strategy, Conexus will target the Irish-American business corridor, leveraging one of the world's most influential diasporas to drive transatlantic investment, partnerships, and executive mobility between Ireland and key US markets. Our initial market focus includes major US cities such as New York, Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto with future plans for international expansion into UAE, South America, Europe, the UK and Asia. Our product portfolio spans an executive membership network, a premium events calendar (curated C-suite dinners, industry conferences, awards programs, sector-specific roundtables), and a flagship annual summit. Unlike traditional networks that operate as a "black box" with no ability to evaluate ROI, Conexus delivers data-driven insights that quantify the return on every relationship, tracking meetings, connections, engagement, and opportunities to deliver 10x the return on every hour invested. We're targeting a $183.5B total addressable market (US & Canada) across conferences, meetings, and executive development. With projected Year 5 revenue of $25M ARR and a clear path to scale, Conexus represents the next generation of executive networking; high touch, high tech, with global reach and impact. About the Role We're seeking an exceptional all-rounder to serve as the Founder's right hand in building Conexus from the ground up. This is a rare opportunity to be employee #1 at an investment-backed startup led by an experienced founder with 20 years of proven track record in creating world-class executive experiences and transforming media and events organizations. You'll wear multiple hats daily, shifting seamlessly between product development, commercial growth, operations, and member experience. If you thrive in ambiguity, love the 0-to-1 journey, and want genuine ownership over building something significant at the intersection of human connection and technology, this role is for you. What You'll Do Event Production & Execution: • Produce world-class executive networking events and summits from concept to completion., • Manage curated C-suite dinners, industry conferences, awards programs, and sector-specific roundtables., • Oversee venue sourcing, vendor relationships, logistics, and on-site coordination., • Create exceptional attendee experiences that reflect our ultra-premium positioning., • Build and refine event playbooks as we scale across multiple verticals., • Support the launch of our flagship annual summit in Year 2. Guest List Curation & Member Management: • Curate highly selective guest lists ensuring optimal network chemistry across verticals., • Build and manage relationships with C-suite executives from the portfolio of Conexus sectors e.g. Technology, Finance, Built Environment, Life Sciences, Energy, Climate, Media., • Oversee member onboarding, engagement, and retention for founding cohort., • Develop delegate management processes, communications, and white-glove service standards., • Leverage insights platform data to match members with relevant opportunities and connections., • Ensure consistent premium experience across all member touchpoints. Commercial & Sponsorship Development: • Identify and pursue sponsorship opportunities for events and platform partnerships., • Develop enterprise conference partnerships and corporate partnership proposals., • Build sponsor and partner relationships ensuring value delivery and ROI., • Support premium intelligence solutions sales to corporate buyers., • Negotiate commercial terms and manage partnership agreements., • Track and report on commercial pipeline and revenue metrics. Marketing & Social Media: • Manage Conexus's brand presence across digital channels targeting C-suite audience., • Create content that positions us as the modern convening force for executives., • Develop marketing campaigns for events, membership acquisition, and platform launches., • Execute launch campaigns for new verticals and market expansion., • Build thought leadership content showcasing member success stories and network value., • Track marketing performance, engagement metrics, and member acquisition costs. Operations & Business Management • Build operational systems, processes, and workflows for scalable growth., • Manage budgets, vendor relationships, and contracts., • Support fundraising activities, investor relations, and reporting., • Coordinate with technology development for insights platform integration., • Handle administrative priorities and special projects., • Develop and track key operational KPIs and business metrics. Who You Are Essential Qualities: • Entrepreneurial mindset: You think like an owner, not an employee. You see problems as opportunities and take initiative without being asked., • Exceptional judgment: You make smart decisions with limited information and understand when to elevate versus execute., • Meticulous execution: You obsess over details while keeping sight of the big picture. Excellence and premium quality are non-negotiable in your work., • Relationship builder: You naturally connect with people across all levels, from junior staff to C-suite executives, creating genuine rapport and trust., • Resilient self-starter: You thrive in uncertainty, adapt quickly to changing priorities, and maintain momentum through challenges., • Business savvy: You understand revenue models, unit economics, market dynamics, and what drives business value., • Cultural fit: You appreciate the power of human connection and understand the nuances of creating premium experiences. Required Experience: • 2 years+ of diverse professional experience (event management, business development, operations, marketing, consulting, or hospitality)., • Proven track record in high-touch client/guest management, preferably at executive or luxury level., • Experience working with senior executives, C-suite, or in premium service environments., • Strong commercial acumen with demonstrated sales, partnership development, or revenue generation experience., • Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously while maintaining quality standards., • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Bonus Points: • Startup or early-stage company experience, particularly in marketplace or platform businesses., • Background in professional services, consulting, or corporate development., • Experience in any of our target verticals: Technology, Finance, Built Environment, Life Sciences, Energy, Media or the Irish American corridor., • Familiar with CRM systems, marketing automation tools, and event management platforms., • Network within executive communities or professional associations., • Design, content creation, or brand development capabilities., • Experience with data analytics or insights-driven decision making. Note: This role requires flexibility, travel, and occasional evening/weekend work around events. In return, you'll gain unparalleled experience building a high potential startup at the forefront of executive networking, establish yourself as a key operator in the space, and build relationships with some of the most influential business leaders across multiple industries.
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