Director, Talent Cultivation & Engagement

NobleReach Foundation•Tysons Corner, VA

14d

About The Position

NobleReach Foundation is a civic leadership platform committed to rekindling a spirit of national service across all career stages. We believe the greatest challenges facing America demand technology, science, and business leaders fluent in government, industry, and academia—leaders who belong across sectors, not confined to one. We’re a hub where current and aspiring leaders can connect to opportunities that can meet their ambition for personal success and their passion to impact the world through public service. The Director will design and lead a national talent strategy to identify, cultivate, match, and engage talent within the regional ecosystems where NobleReach’s Science to Venture (S2V) platform operates. S2V partners with universities and regional innovation hubs to translate federally funded research into startups, and this role is the connective tissue between that ecosystem and the people who can drive it forward. This person will build relationships with entrepreneurs, technical talent, and the ecosystem intermediaries who can surface them, at both a national and local level. The goal is to match that talent with mentoring, advisory, fractional, and leadership opportunities across the portfolio, and keep them engaged over time as the ecosystem evolves. The ideal candidate understanding deep tech and science-centric companies and talent needs, has a knack for spotting talent, building trust quickly, and staying organized across a high volume of relationships in a fast-moving environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, communications, or a related field
7–10 years of experience in talent acquisition, talent management, or community-based talent engagement, with a track record of designing and leading relationship-driven talent strategies
Strong relationship building skills, with experience working in a mixed internal/external stakeholder environment and engaging at a senior leadership level.
Deep expertise in sourcing strategies and relationship management, including experience working through third-party networks, to surface talent that isn’t actively looking for opportunities
Experience working within or alongside innovation ecosystems, technology commercialization, startup communities, or university research environments is beneficial
Demonstrated ability to design and implement talent engagement programs or community-building initiatives that drive sustained participation over time
Experience managing CRM platforms (Salesforce preferred) to track talent relationships and pipeline activity; comfort learning and adapting to new tools quickly
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present to varied audiences and facilitate productive conversations with stakeholders
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, entrepreneurial environment; ability to exercise flexibility and good judgment in complex situations
Appetite for curiosity and desire to learn
Must have an entrepreneurial mindset with a strong desire to have an impact on society

Responsibilities

Design and implement the talent cultivation and engagement strategy for S2V ecosystems, setting standards for how NobleReach identifies, matches, and retains talent across regions
Source and identify talent nationally and within S2V regional ecosystems, including researchers, entrepreneurs, and technical professionals
Build and maintain relationships with ecosystem influencers (KOLs, regional connectors, community organizers, etc.) who can surface qualified candidates within their networks when opportunities arise
Partner with Fellows to identify active talent gaps across the venture portfolio, active the right relationships with targeted asks
Match identified talent with opportunities across the S2V portfolio, working closely with the Innovation team to understand venture needs and connect the right people at the right time
Design and manage a structured talent engagement model that defines the lifecycle from first touchpoint through ongoing involvement, ensuring talent stays connected and activated within the ecosystem
Manage and maintain Salesforce as the system of record for talent relationships, ensuring data integrity and using pipeline data to inform outreach and engagement decisions
Track talent engagement metrics and pipeline health, providing regular updates to Innovation leadership and surfacing trends that could shape program strategy
Collaborate with marketing and communications to develop materials that attract talent to S2V opportunities and strengthen NobleReach’s presence in regional ecosystems