VIP & Strategic Relationships Lead, US

Founders Forum Group•New York, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Founders Forum Group is seeking a high-agency, relationship-obsessed operator to lead and grow its presence across the US. This role is a pivotal member of the team, working as a trusted extension of the events team and embedded within the Founders Forum ecosystem. The individual will operate closely with the Group CEO and collaborate with various internal teams, including Head of Forums & Ecosystems, Content, and Event Production, as well as the Executive Chairman & Co-Founder. The role is newly created and based in the US at a critical time for Founders Forum in the region. The objective is to build on the existing US footprint, deepen roots in the US tech and investor ecosystem, and transform one-off US events into an always-on network. This role is also crucial for growing Founders Forum commercially in the US and shaping its future US events portfolio. Critically, the role is not US-only; it aims to connect the best of US tech, founders, operators, investors, and policymakers to Founders Forum's global stage, particularly FF Global in London, providing a global perspective to flagship events and engaging US principals beyond single US touchpoints. The position will drive speaker strategy for flagship events and engage in high-profile relationship-building, ensuring a gold standard for keynotes, speakers, and VIP engagement. This is a highly entrepreneurial role for someone passionate about tech, with exceptional hustle and a proven track record of building senior relationships in the US market. It requires combining creative outreach planning and dealmaking with white-glove stewardship and acting as a force multiplier across the Founders Forum ecosystem on both sides of the Atlantic.

Requirements

3–5 years in a relationship-driven role with senior stakeholder exposure in the US market (e.g., event/conference production, VIP relations, chief of staff, executive engagement, investor relations, strategic partnerships, head of comms, or government relations).
Demonstrable success securing senior speakers, talent, or strategic meetings within the US tech and investor ecosystem.
Strong references for judgment, discretion, and delivery under pressure.
A genuine love of tech and startups; close tracking of the US ecosystem and ability to speak credibly to frontier themes (e.g., AI, climate tech, biotech, fintech, defense tech, policy).
Elite relationship-building skills and an existing personal network within US tech, VC, and founder circles.
Ability to earn trust quickly with principals and gatekeepers; respectful, persistent, and outcome-oriented.
Creative dealmaking instinct: inventive hooks, tailored pitches, and smart sequencing of intros to unlock hard-to-reach people.
Operational excellence: meticulous logistics, clear comms, accurate reporting, fast follow-through, and on-site calm when stakes are highest, across time zones and geographies.
Outcome-driven and comfortable working to ambitious KPIs.
Excellent written communication: concise, senior, and on-brand.
Low-ego: a 'no task is too small or big' mindset.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with high-profile principals, founders, VCs, family offices, agents, or government leaders in the US.
Familiarity with the global tech and investor landscape, ideally with existing relationships or context spanning the US, UK, and Europe.
Comfortable using CRM tools and light research tooling; strong reporting discipline and pipeline hygiene.
Willingness and ability to travel internationally, including to FF Global (London) and other flagship FFG events.

Responsibilities

Lead the pipeline of top-tier US speakers and VIPs across FF's priority events, including FF North America and SF/HumanX-style retreats, mapping power networks and unlocking paths to 'yes' through FFG's ecosystem.
Identify US relationships with the strongest fit for FF's global stage, particularly FF Global in London, and build the necessary pathways, outreach, and stewardship to bring key US principals into international events.
Drive commercial discussions with potential sponsors and partners for US events, collaborating with the wider commercial team to convert relationships into revenue and long-term partnerships.
Assist in identifying, shaping, and launching new FF events in the US market. For smaller-scale events, this may involve end-to-end delivery from concept and commercial development to on-site execution.
Tailor compelling outreach strategies, value propositions, and bespoke outreach for world-class US prospects, working directly with senior leadership and involving the Executive Chairman for specific high-value relationships.
Leverage warm introductions from across FFG, including leadership networks, partnership teams, LPs, founders, and agents, delivering senior, outcome-focused communication tailored to the US market.
Deliver white-glove, end-to-end handling of principals and their teams across US and international events, managing security, logistics, briefings, and on-site execution, anticipating needs and acting as a problem-solver.
Partner with content and program teams to align US speakers with meaningful themes across US and global events, developing innovative formats and crafting high-impact moments.
Activate relationships with US tech leaders, funds, corporates, government, and cultural institutions to unlock speaker access and bridge the US ecosystem with FFG's global network.
Maintain a dynamic map of relevant US networks, including EAs, comms teams, policy staff, and key gatekeepers, spotting opportunities, tracking moves, and building rapport across the region.