Founding Growth Architect

MeritFirst; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

MeritFirst in Austin is seeking a hands-on Growth Operator to build the default system for assessing and hiring talent based on demonstrated ability rather than pedigree. You will own the operating loop from candidate acquisition to placement, shaping the growth engine with relentless iteration.

You will lead high-ownership initiatives, work across strategy, recruiting, partnerships, and events, and help MeritFirst scale its talent-mignal intelligence and program flywheels.

Qualifications

• Unusually high-agency generalist with extreme ownership and a sense of urgency.
• Ability to move between strategy, growth, partnerships, recruiting, operations, and storytelling.
• Built something from zero rather than inheriting a mature channel or playbook.

Responsibilities

• Identify role categories with meaningful employer demand and large talent pools.
• Activate employer demand by building relationships with founders, hiring managers, and talent leaders.
• Build the candidate network through communities, referrals, partnerships, content, schools, and channels outside conventional recruiting.
• Create ways for people to prove themselves by turning roles into rigorous assessments and real work challenges.
• Build flagship programs—competitions, cohorts, showcases, events that attract candidates and employers.
• Turn strong assessment performance into curated introductions, interviews, offers, and hires.
• Build the growth flywheel by turning placements into referrals and demand.
• Measure the full funnel and optimize for outcomes instead of registrations.
• Productize repeatable playbooks and systems from early manual work.

Skills

High-agency generalist

Ownership

Growth

Strategy & operations

Storytelling

Analytical mindset

Hiring/recruiting operations

Job description

MeritFirst in Austin is seeking a hands-on Growth Operator to build the default system for assessing and hiring talent based on demonstrated ability rather than pedigree. You will own the operating loop from candidate acquisition to placement, shaping the growth engine with relentless iteration.

You will lead high-ownership initiatives, work across strategy, recruiting, partnerships, and events, and help MeritFirst scale its talent-mignal intelligence and program flywheels.