Search Lead, Denver; Contractor

Overview

Watson Institute powers transformative Fellowships in partnership with leading corporations and foundations to support highly promising entrepreneurs and leaders from underserved backgrounds. The Fellowships provide proven entrepreneurship and leadership skills training, committed mentorship, community development stipends, long‑term alumni support, and access to a global community of peers, mentors, and opportunities. In partnership with Google, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Walmart.org, Wells Fargo, Ford Philanthropy, SAP, Truist Foundation, BMO, Comcast, Western Union, and several private foundations, Watson Institute’s programs will reach over 2,400 rising leaders this year.

Alumni of Watson Institute’s Fellowships have raised over $190 million, created over 2,300 paid jobs, and impacted over 11 million people around the world through initiatives they have helped lead. 93 % of Watson Institute alums are employed, continuing their education, or building a venture. 85 % of Watson Institute Alumni use a skill they learned while in a Watson Institute‑powered program up to 12 years later.

The primary mission of the Search Lead is to recruit and select highly promising, rising entrepreneurs and leaders for a Fellowship powered by Watson Institute. Working independently in your assigned geography, you will build a robust network of local nominators, partner organizations, and community influencers, conduct direct outreach to prospective Fellows, and host virtual and in‑person recruitment events. This is a performance‑based role measured by consistent activity and demonstrated results: partnerships established, outreach conducted, events hosted, applications generated, interviews completed, and filling the Fellowship slots needed for the geography.

The ideal candidate is a proactive relationship‑builder who can design data‑driven outreach approaches, manage candidate screening and preliminary interviews, and continuously optimize recruitment tactics to ensure a strong pipeline of Fellows aligned with Watson Institute’s mission. Success requires the ability to work autonomously, meet weekly reporting expectations, and deliver recruitment outcomes in a fast‑paced, goal‑oriented environment.

• Local Ecosystem Building:
  Conduct thorough research and mapping to identify key organizations, universities, incubators, community groups, and influencers in the assigned geography who can connect you to promising entrepreneurs.
• Partnership Development:
  Build relationships with local nominators and organizations that can refer qualified candidates; attend their events, offer to present, and co‑host info sessions (virtual or in‑person).
• Virtual & In‑Person Event Hosting:
  Organize and lead virtual info sessions and recruitment events for the assigned geography; co‑host events with local partners; present at community gatherings.
• Direct Headhunting:
  Proactively identify and reach out to highly promising entrepreneurs through Linked In, network referrals, and personalized engagement.
• In‑Person Presence:
  Attend community events, pitch the Fellowship, and represent Watson Institute in your region.

• Review and screen applications from the assigned geography.
• Conduct preliminary interviews with prospective Fellows.
• Manage the candidate pipeline in Salesforce for the assigned geography.
• Maintain communication with applicants.

• Report weekly on progress, challenges, and leads.
• Track recruitment metrics for the assigned geography.

• Weekly Team Meeting (1 hour):
  Attend the Fellowship recruitment team meeting to share updates, coordinate across geographies, and align on strategy.
• Weekly 1:1 (30‑60 minutes):
  Review the assigned geography’s progress, troubleshoot challenges, and receive guidance on recruitment approach.
• Total internal meeting commitment:
  Approximately 2‑3 hours per week.

• The Search Leads’ performance will be evaluated weekly and monthly, with the specific benchmarks outlined in the contract. These benchmarks will be based on the following: partnerships established,…