Startup Membership Manager

ROLE: Startup Membership ManagerDEPARTMENT: Experience TeamEMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-time; Salaried $60,000 - $65,000HIRING COMPANY: 1871 - http://www.1871.com/LOCATION: 111 N Canal St, 12th Floor - Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days remote)ABOUT 1871: The story of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 isn't just about a fire. It's about what happened next: a remarkable moment when the most brilliant engineers, architects and inventors came together to build a new city. Their innovations, born of passion and practical ingenuity, shaped not just Chicago, but the entire modern world. What started over 150 years ago continues to this day.1871 is the leading non-profit global tech innovation hub that exists to inspire, equip, and support early stage founders, high growth startups, and corporate innovators in building extraordinary businesses. The team supports 300+ early and growth stage companies and 50+ Fortune 500 corporate partners made up of the world's brightest leaders shaping tomorrow's technologies by disrupting old business models, and resetting the boundaries of what's possible.Come to a place where you can share ideas, make mistakes, partner with others, work hard, grow professionally and, with a little luck, change the world. If that sounds like you, join us.ABOUT THE TEAM: The Experience Team is responsible for the ongoing health, satisfaction, and growth of 1871's member base: corporate partners, service providers, and startup founders. The team owns building lasting relationships, ensuring member goals are being met, and identifying new ways 1871's programming and offerings can deliver value over time. The team also owns the systems, workflows, and operating rhythms that make those experiences consistent, personalized, and scalable. This team acts as the connective tissue between what 1871 sells and what members actually experience day to day.ABOUT THE ROLE: This is a business development role built around showing up in person: pitch nights, founder meetups, university and accelerator demo days, industry conferences, and community events of every size. Your job is to meet founders, make a strong first impression for 1871, and turn those conversations into new startup memberships. You will be 1871's face in the room across Chicagoland.You will also interview and select companies for 1871 startup membership and program opportunities.  That means reviewing the pipeline of  promising startups, running structured interviews with founders, and assessing which companies are the right fit for membership and 1871 program exposure opportunities. Your recommendations will directly shape which founders get in front of 1871's corporate partners and investor members.This role is ideal for someone who is energized by a full event calendar, loves meeting new people, and follows up on every conversation with care. You bring the hustle in the room and the discipline afterward: clean HubSpot records, timely follow-up, and a clear pipeline.RESPONSIBILITIES:Event presence and founder outreachRepresent 1871 at a high volume of events across Chicagoland, including evenings and occasional weekends: pitch competitions, founder meetups, university and accelerator programs, industry conferences, and ecosystem gatherings.Build and maintain an event calendar, prioritizing the events most likely to reach founders who fit 1871 membership.Start genuine conversations with founders, explain what 1871 offers, and qualify interest on the spot.Build relationships with ecosystem partners (accelerators, universities, investors, community organizers) who can refer founders to 1871.Membership pipelineFollow up with every qualified lead within a defined timeframe and move prospects from first conversation to application, through membership conversion.Hit monthly targets for events attended, qualified leads, and new startup memberships.Source startups for 1871 through events, referrals, and outreach.Conduct structured interviews with founders to assess stage, traction and team maturityDocument interview findings and make clear fit recommendations for program exposure opportunities (e.g. Deal Flow opportunities or Innovation Summit portfolios)Keep founders informed on next steps and outcomes, whether or not they are selected.Systems and dataLog every contact, conversation, event, and interview in HubSpot with accurate, complete records.Use Claude and other AI tools to streamline follow-up, research, interview notes, and reporting.Report regularly on pipeline, member conversion, event ROI, and program sourcing, and recommend where to focus next.SKILLS REQUIRED:Hustle: self-motivated and persistent; you go after opportunities rather than wait for them, and a packed week of events energizes you.In-person presence: genuinely excited to represent 1871 in rooms of every kind, from a 20-person founder meetup to a 500-person conference.Strong communication: able to explain 1871's value clearly and warmly in a two-minute conversation, a follow-up email, or a founder interview.Detail orientation: every lead logged, every follow-up sent, every interview documented. Nothing falls through the cracks.Relationship building:  able to earn founders' trust quickly and keep relationships warm over time.Sound judgment: able to assess a startup's fit for membership or program sourcing and explain your reasoning.Organization: able to manage a busy event calendar, an active pipeline, and recommend startups for program sourcing at the same time.REQUIREMENTS:1–3 years of experience in business development, sales, community building, partnerships, recruiting, or a related roleComfort working a flexible schedule that includes regular evening events and occasional weekendsReliable transportation and comfort getting to events across ChicagolandStrong interest in startups, entrepreneurship, and Chicago's tech ecosystemStrongly preferredHands-on experience with HubSpot or a comparable CRM: contacts, deals, pipelines, and activity loggingExperience building or using Claude automations, or similar AI workflows, to reduce manual workExperience with Hivebrite or another community engagement platformExisting network within Chicago's startup, university, or investor communitiesBENEFITS: 1871 offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, 401k, unlimited PTO, opportunities to participate in workshops and events, and more!PERKS: In addition to our impressive benefits, there are other fun reasons to work with us.Work at the center of Chicago tech innovationUnparalleled access to opportunities and networking with some of the biggest players in techConvenient downtown locationCasual environment and dress codeWork as a part of a diverse team1871/CEC is an equal employment opportunity employer with a strong focus on crafting an inclusive and diverse environment. We encourage individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply for this position.