Senior Associate, Member Experience

MaRS Discovery District•Toronto, ON

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

MaRS has developed a world-class community of +1000 startup founders with deep network effects that span Canada’s innovation ecosystem and global markets. The Senior Associate, Member Experience, plays a pivotal role in creating a high-value member experience ensuring that MaRS delights and goes above and beyond to service clients from their first point of interaction through to their last. The role will focus on delivering outstanding experiences, supported by MaRS, to foster growth among the portfolio companies through scalable approaches and will also lead recruitment efforts including but not limited to managing application processing, and building relationships within the innovation ecosystem including accelerators, incubators, capital providers and internal stakeholders to drive a high-quality pipeline to MaRS. This is a unique opportunity to connect with ventures, enrich the founder experience, and drive growth through tailored startup services at MaRS.

Requirements

4-year Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in STEM or Business
3+ years previous experience in client-engagement/ customer success role
Passion for supporting entrepreneurs
Strong capabilities in Salesforce, Gmail, Google Calendar, MS PowerPoint, and Excel
Ability to multi-task and comfortable working in a fast paced environment
Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills
Strong ability to work independently and collaboratively, and to learn quickly and problem solve
Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Canada, reside in Ontario and be willing to work out of our Toronto office (101 College Street) a minimum of 3 days per week.

Nice To Haves

Masters degree
Experience with data analysis and reporting
Experience supporting startups in an accelerator/ incubator
Experience with technology startup exposure and demonstrable knowledge of technology and innovation
Understanding of the startup ecosystem, stakeholders, key challenges of tech entrepreneurs and roles
Customer success/ community management skills with a strong track record of nurturing relationships
Strong connections in Canadian Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Well versed in Science/Tech startup challenges/ venture journey, entrepreneurial best practices and community needs
Familiarity with digital community platforms and CRM/email marketing tools
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with an ability to build rapport with founders and ecosystem partners.

Responsibilities

Lead and evolve recruitment strategy, managing the full application lifecycle to build and maintain a high-quality, diverse pipeline of ventures aligned with MaRS thesis and portfolio goals
Identify and source high-potential ventures through internal (Impact, Hubs, Cohorts, Corporate Teams) and external (accelerators, incubators, VCs, angel groups) channels to strengthen pipeline quality for the Momentum program
Conduct venture screening and evaluation to assess fit, quality, and readiness for the MaRS portfolio
Own and operationalize the Watchlist program, including defining criteria, tracking high-potential ventures, and providing targeted / white-glove engagement [advisory, events/conference/PR opportunities, MI services] to support conversion and growth of the ventures
Track and manage pipeline, watchlist, and portfolio metrics to inform recruitment strategy and portfolio decisions through the watchlist dashboard built on Salesforce
Manage and continuously improve venture lifecycle processes (intake, onboarding, offboarding), while identifying pipeline gaps and implementing targeted sourcing strategies
Own end-to-end founder journey experience for assigned portfolio, acting as a key point of contact and ensuring consistent, high-quality engagement
Design and implement engagement strategies (campaigns, touchpoints, programming) to increase participation and retention across the portfolio
Collaborate with program teams to amplify services, products, and events in a timely and relevant manner
Leverage entrepreneur relationships and portfolio insights to identify service gaps and co-develop new initiatives with internal teams
Perform account management duties for selected ventures, providing guidance, connections, and resource navigation
Act as a connector across the ecosystem, linking founders to advisors, capital, talent, and opportunities based on their evolving needs
Identify, organize, and deliver tailored resources to enhance the member experience and success with the MaRS ecosystem
Drive adoption and engagement of digital platforms (Circle and Dashboard) by moderating discussions, curating valuable content, and fostering a vibrant and supportive community
Collaborate with program teammates to amplify community services, products, and events in a timely fashion
Present startup services and facilitate founders joining our monthly onboarding calls
Support and contribute to community programming and engagement initiatives in collaboration with the Member Experience team
Consistently manage Salesforce and portfolio data, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and data hygiene across systems
Own and enhance reporting frameworks, including portfolio segmentation, engagement tracking, and performance metrics
Identify success stories and key milestones within the portfolio, sharing insights across internal and external channels
Support venture reporting and documentation to fulfill partner and funding requirements
Segment the portfolio to enable targeted communication, programming, and support strategies
Translate data into insights and recommendations to inform program improvements and strategic decisions
Streamline internal workflows and documentation, improving team efficiency and cross-functional collaboration