Venture Capital Ecosystem Manager, Americas

Venture Capital Ecosystem Manager, Americas

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. The Zendesk for Startups team seeks an entrepreneurial, relationship‑driven leader to serve as its first dedicated VC ecosystem manager for the Americas. This field‑based, highly visible position embeds Zendesk deeply within the venture capital ecosystem to accelerate pipeline growth and elevate our brand in a competitive tech landscape.

As the primary Zendesk presence within top VC firms, you will build durable partnerships, surface and engage high‑potential startups and investors, and convert ecosystem access into measurable business outcomes. Working closely with Bay Area and Austin teams, you’ll form a high‑visibility network across the U.S. East Coast, Southeast, and key LATAM markets. The role combines strategic strategy development with hands‑on execution, requiring frequent travel.

This first‑of‑its‑kind role looks for a leader who thrives at the intersection of venture capital, startups, and go‑to‑market execution. You’ll deepen relationships with a curated group of venture capital firms across the Americas, elevate Zendesk’s thought leadership, and create scalable programs that convert influence into accelerated growth.

• Thinks strategically and leads with executive presence: Proven ability to work credibly with top‑tier VCs, their partners, and portfolio founders, building trust quickly and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Builds and activates communities: Fluently negotiate and align diverse stakeholder needs across VCs, founders, accelerators, ecosystem partners, and internal sales teams.
• Represents the brand with passion and empathy: Acts as an enthusiastic ambassador for Zendesk at community events, partner forums, and industry conferences.
• Designs high‑impact programming: Creates end‑to‑end exclusive, experiential VC programs that showcase Zendesk’s platform, vision, and growth engine.
• Drives measurable business impact: In collaboration with Startup Marketing and Sales, converts ecosystem access into qualified pipeline, warm introductions, and faster deal cycles.
• Forges enduring partnerships: Builds repeatable, long‑term VC partnerships that amplify value and momentum for Zendesk across investor and founder communities.

• 6+ years of experience in venture capital, startups, or technology‑sector partnerships.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills with key stakeholders in the VC and startup ecosystem.
• Data‑driven, strategic mindset with strong execution, delivering on‑time at a high bar.
• Deep understanding of the VC ecosystem, including key players and emerging trends, especially in AI and agentic AI workflows.
• Proven ability to build and sustain high‑value relationships with investors, portfolio companies, and strategic partners.
• Track record of generating qualified marketing pipeline and contributing to revenue growth.
• Independent operator who collaborates effectively in a fast‑paced, sales‑driven environment.
• Willingness to travel (up to 35 %) between key U.S. East and Southeast cities and LATAM (e.g., Mexico City, São Paulo).

• Background in venture capital or experience running startup programs, accelerators, or ecosystem partnerships; established investor network in the Bay Area, Austin, and/or New York.
• Proven collaboration with early‑stage VCs, CVCs, angel networks, accelerators, and incubators, with a record of repeatable partnerships.
• Hands‑on community building experience, facilitating meaningful engagement between investors, their portfolios, and ecosystem partners.
• Familiarity with Zendesk products (and ideally Salesforce or Airtable) and strong knowledge of startup go‑to‑market motions.

• Design and launch scalable VC engagement models that unlock differentiated value for partner portfolio companies.
• Create “must‑attend” moments through curated, invitation‑only community events that deepen relationships and elevate Zendesk’s brand.
• Establish repeatable frameworks to assess, monitor, and optimize the…