Director, Catalyze479 Fund

About the role

Renaissance Philanthropy is seeking a founding Director for Catalyze479 — someone who is equal parts investor, community builder, and operator. This is a rare opportunity to build something new: to design the investment thesis, assemble an investment committee, deploy capital across two distinct strategies, and become a central node in Northwest Arkansas’ innovation ecosystem.

Core Responsibilities

• Finalize the fund’s investment thesis, criteria, and operational infrastructure in partnership with Renaissance Philanthropy leadership and stakeholders
• Define and track the fund’s theory of impact — how equity investment translates to regional economic development, job creation, and founder success
• Ensure all fund activities comply with Renaissance Philanthropy's Investment Policy, Conflict of Interest Policy, and applicable IRS requirements governing mission-related investments by 501(c)(3) organizations, including documentation standards for mission nexus at the time of each investment
• Sourcing, Due Diligence & Portfolio Management
• Build and manage an active deal pipeline across both fund strategies — Venture Validation and Main Street
• Lead end-to-end investment processes: sourcing, founder assessment, due diligence, term sheet negotiation, investment memo creation, and Investment Committee coordination
• Work closely with portfolio founders post-investment as a thought partner, advisor, and connector — helping them access follow-on capital, key hires, and customers
• Track and report on both financial performance and community impact metrics, including jobs created, capital leverage, and founder outcomes
• Ecosystem Building & External Relations
• Serve as the public face of Catalyze479 at regional events, national convenings, and in the press
• Cultivate deep relationships with regional anchors (Walmart, Tyson, JB Hunt, and others), universities, economic development organizations, and civic leaders
• Build co-investment pipelines with national and regional VC firms, angel networks, and philanthropic partners
• Identify and engage complementary ecosystem players — understanding where to partner, where to lead, and how to build collective momentum toward a more inclusive and dynamic startup community in NWAF
• Fundraising & Stakeholder Reporting
• Report regularly on fund performance, portfolio developments, and strategic direction
• Identify and cultivate additional philanthropic and impact investors to invest in the companies in the portfolio to grow the portfolio’s investor base over time
• Develop compelling, data-driven impact narratives that demonstrate the fund’s value to the region
• Team & Operations
• Hire, onboard, and manage one full-time staff member as the fund’s second local hire
• Build internal systems and operational processes that allow the fund to scale, with support from Renaissance Philanthropy’s shared services
• Leverage AI tools in day-to-day operations — from deal sourcing and due diligence to communications and reporting

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in venture capital, early-stage investing, startup operations, or entrepreneurship
• Track record of making or supporting equity investments, including sourcing, diligence, and portfolio management
• Familiarity with pre-seed and seed-stage investment structures: cap table math, term sheets, and early-stage KPIs
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and advise founders, both pre- and post-investment
• Experience building or launching new organizations, funds, or programs from scratch
• Strong relationships in the startup and investor community, with the ability to attract co-investors and credible deal flow
• Deep commitment to Northwest Arkansas — through existing roots in the region or a genuine, specific enthusiasm for relocating and embedding in the community
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex investment themes for diverse audiences

Preferred

• Experience at the intersection of philanthropy and investing: impact investing, program-related investments, or catalytic capital
• Existing networks in NWA or the broader Arkansas and Midwest startup ecosystem
• Experience hiring and managing early-career investment professionals
• Comfort with quantitative analytics, including Excel modeling and financial analysis

Values

• You believe in the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to create economic opportunity — and you see NWA as one of the most exciting places in America to prove it.
• You can build from scratch, make decisions with incomplete information, and move mountains when you need to.
• You exhibit high agency.
• You can recruit co-investors, win over founders, and bring skeptics along — because you are genuinely compelling and you care about the people around you.
• You inspire others and are highly collaborative.
• You know that the best investments often come from the deepest relationships. You are a hyper-connector who gets to know everybody and understands who should meet whom.
• You value exceptional talent and the power of networks.
• You are not afraid of ambiguity. You ask tons of questions. Intellectual curiosity is your default operating mode.
• You are comfortable working in fast-moving and ambitious environments.
• You are as excited about being part of building Northwest Arkansas into a destination for entrepreneurs and young professionals as you are about deploying capital.
• You love building community.

Diversity

Renaissance Philanthropy encourages anyone who is interested in this role to apply, regardless of whether you feel you meet 100% of the qualifications. The top candidates will bring their own unique perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds from a variety of industries along with many but not necessarily all the skills listed above.

Renaissance Philanthropy is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.