Events & Community Manager, Austin

About the Role We're seeking a dynamic Events & Community Manager to help establish Rho as the go-to banking platform for startup founders by spearheading our presence in the Austin startup ecosystem and cultivating meaningful relationships within the Texas VC and founder community. The ideal candidate is a natural relationship builder who leads with empathy and genuine curiosity. They should combine strategic thinking with hands‑on execution capabilities, bringing both the vision to develop ambitious community initiatives and the operational excellence to bring them to life. Most importantly, they should be deeply passionate about creating spaces for meaningful connection and collective growth within the startup ecosystem. This hands‑on role centers on building authentic relationships through regular coffee chats, roundtables, and in‑person connections with founders and VCs across the Austin ecosystem and the broader Texas market. You'll need to speak the language of startups fluently, bringing enough operational and investment knowledge to earn credibility and build meaningful relationships with seasoned operators and investors. You'll also need to know the rhythm of this market: when founders are around and when they're not, where they actually gather, and which amplifiers put Rho in front of the most people the fastest. Key Responsibilities Events Strategy: Build and execute a comprehensive events roadmap tailored to Austin's distinct founder audiences, from curated dinners and intimate gatherings for established founders to creative, high‑energy formats (workouts, wellness, social events) that resonate with earlier‑stage seed and Series A founders. Manage budget and track program success metrics. Community Building: Foster relationships with VCs, startup founders, and ecosystem builders across Austin and key Texas markets. Create a network that generates qualified customer leads. Program Excellence: Own end‑to‑end event planning and execution, including establishing Rho's presence with at least one major anchor event in the market. Implement scalable systems to maintain quality as programs grow. Partnership Development: Build strategic relationships with VC firms, accelerators, and community organizations, including the ecosystem amplifiers that reach the widest founder and investor audiences (e.g., Capital Factory and leading local accelerators). Create opportunities that expand Rho's reach. Customer Engagement: Cultivate a vibrant community among Rho customers through targeted programming and exclusive events that strengthen brand loyalty. Brand Ambassador: Represent Rho in the Austin startup ecosystem, building relationships that position us as the go-to banking platform for founders and displace the entrenched incumbents. Qualifications 5-7 years of hands‑on experience building and scaling engaged professional communities, with demonstrated success in growing membership and driving meaningful engagement metrics year over year Strong existing network within the Austin and broader Texas startup ecosystem, including established relationships with founders, operators, VCs, and other key ecosystem players that can be leveraged for partnerships and programming A "boots on the ground" mentality and a proven ability to become ubiquitous in a market quickly, meeting people at scale and turning connections into community Deep understanding of startup ecosystem dynamics, terminology, and founder/operator needs across different stages, with the ability to create targeted programming that delivers genuine value to both established and emerging founders Strong sense of taste for events and community initiatives that resonate in the startup ecosystem with the founder audience Track record of establishing strategic partnerships with relevant organizations, thought leaders, and community champions to amplify reach and impact Data‑driven approach to community building with experience setting and tracking relevant KPIs, running experiments, and using insights to optimize community initiatives Exceptional communication and relationship‑building skills, with the proven ability to connect authentically with diverse community members both online and in‑person Background working at a high‑growth startup, VC firm, or scaleup in a community, marketing, or ecosystem role Prior experience building communities specifically for B2B SaaS, fintech, or enterprise software companies Active social media presence and personal brand within the startup ecosystem, particularly on platforms like Twitter/X and LinkedIn where the community gathers, is a plus Our people are our most valuable asset. The salary range for this role is $140,000 - $160,000. Title and base salary may vary depending on relevant experience, skills, and business needs. In addition to base pay, Rho offers equity, healthcare benefits and paid time off. Diversity is a core value at Rho. We're passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable environment for all those involved with our mission, including employees, contractors, candidates, customers and vendors. We believe every member of the Rho community enriches our ability to provide a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the market, identify problems, and drive solutions that align with our mission. We welcome all qualified applications and support each of our Rho'ers with ongoing professional growth opportunities. #J-18808-Ljbffr Rho