Director of Growth & Strategic Engagement

About Realist LabRealist Lab is a nonprofit accelerator and incubator expanding access to the resources entrepreneurs need to build sustainable, scalable businesses. We provide hands-on technical assistance, founder education, mentorship, capital-readiness support, community, and opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with investors, partners, and customers.As Realist Lab enters its next stage of growth, we are looking for a strategic, creative, and highly execution-oriented Director of Marketing & Strategic Engagement to strengthen our brand, grow and engage our audiences, deepen external relationships, and help translate our work into greater visibility, participation, partnerships, and support.The RoleThe Director of Marketing & Strategic Engagement will lead Realist Lab’s marketing, audience development, storytelling, and external engagement strategy.This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who understands how strong marketing can move people from awareness to engagement to action.Working closely with the Founder & President and broader Realist Lab team, this person will help attract and engage founders, alumni, donors, sponsors, partners, investors, and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem.We’re looking for a builder—someone equally comfortable developing strategy, writing compelling copy, launching campaigns, analyzing performance, improving a CRM, developing sponsorship opportunities, managing contractors, and building relationships.What You’ll Focus OnMarketing, Brand & StorytellingDevelop and execute integrated marketing campaigns across email, social media, website, digital channels, events, media, and partner networks.Build a consistent content strategy around founder stories, organizational impact, programs, opportunities, and ecosystem insights.Strengthen Realist Lab’s brand positioning and visibility.Grow Realist Lab’s digital audiences and improve engagement and conversion.Identify opportunities for media coverage, thought leadership, speaking engagements, and strategic visibility.Manage marketing contractors, designers, agencies, videographers, and other external resources.Ensure campaigns and communications are consistently delivered on time and at a high standard.Audience & Community EngagementDevelop strategies to attract and engage founders, alumni, donors, sponsors, investors, partners, and ecosystem participants.Increase qualified program applications, participation, event attendance, referrals, and alumni engagement.Build year-round audience engagement rather than starting over with every program or event.Strengthen the journey from initial awareness through participation, alumni engagement, referrals, and long-term involvement.Develop audience and engagement strategies for signature initiatives including CT Tech Week and Realist Venture Hub.Strategic Partnerships, Sponsorships & FundraisingWork with the Founder & President to cultivate corporate partners, sponsors, donors, foundations, and strategic relationships.Develop sponsorship opportunities around Realist Lab programs, CT Tech Week, events, pitch competitions, and other initiatives.Create compelling partnership proposals, sponsorship materials, fundraising communications, and cases for support.Support donor and sponsor acquisition, engagement, stewardship, and renewal.Help strengthen individual giving and identify opportunities to grow flexible organizational revenue.CRM, Analytics & PerformanceStrengthen Realist Lab’s CRM and engagement systems across key audiences.Develop dashboards connecting marketing activity to applications, participation, engagement, partnerships, sponsorships, donations, and revenue.Use segmentation, analytics, conversion data, and experimentation to improve campaigns.Establish measurable goals for major marketing and engagement initiatives.Help leadership understand what’s working, what isn’t, and where Realist Lab should invest.Who We’re Looking ForYou combine creativity with execution and understand that successful marketing is about more than content, followers, or impressions.You bring:5+ years of relevant experience across marketing, communications, audience development, partnerships, growth, fundraising, or related fields.Demonstrated success building audiences, campaigns, engagement, partnerships, or revenue.Experience with digital marketing, CRM, segmentation, analytics, conversion, and campaign strategy.Strong writing, storytelling, and communication skills.Experience with sponsorships, partnerships, fundraising, or business development.Strong project-management skills and experience managing contractors, agencies, vendors, or cross-functional initiatives.Comfort using data to evaluate performance and make decisions.The ability to move between strategy and hands-on execution.Initiative, accountability, curiosity, and strong follow-through.Experience in startups, accelerators, venture capital, entrepreneurship, economic development, technology, philanthropy, universities, community platforms, or other growth-oriented organizations is especially valuable.First-Year PrioritiesDuring the first year, the Director will work with leadership to:Build an integrated marketing and audience-engagement strategy.Strengthen Realist Lab’s brand and organizational storytelling.Establish a consistent content and communications calendar.Improve founder acquisition and alumni engagement.Strengthen CRM, audience segmentation, and measurement.Build stronger corporate partnership and sponsorship pipelines.Support individual giving and donor stewardship.Develop a year-round marketing and engagement strategy for CT Tech Week.Build acquisition and engagement strategies for Realist Venture Hub.Establish dashboards that connect marketing and engagement activities to measurable organizational outcomes.Work RequirementsHybrid position based in Stamford, Connecticut.Regular in-person participation for team meetings, programs, donor and partner meetings, and organizational events.Some evening and weekend work for major events and campaigns.Periodic travel throughout Connecticut and occasional domestic travel.Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Realist Lab cannot provide employment visa sponsorship for this position.How to ApplyPlease complete our application and upload your resume.We’re interested in understanding what you’ve built, what you personally contributed, and what changed because of your work.Realist Lab is an equal-opportunity employer.