Startups Lead

About the Role

We want every great startup to be using Attio. This role exists to make that happen.

We're looking for someone who has lived the startup journey, knows the ecosystem inside out, and has the relationships and instincts to move fast at the highest level. You'll own Attio's position in the Bay Area entirely - from the programs and partnerships that drive adoption, to the events and content that shape how founders think about Attio, to removing whatever friction stands between a great startup becoming a customer.

You'll operate with founder-level scope and autonomy - working across product, sales, and marketing to remove blockers and do whatever it takes to make Attio the default CRM for the best startups in the world.

The ideal candidate is deeply networked in SF and the broader tech ecosystem, has the pattern recognition of a former founder, VC, or early operator at a generational company, and is senior enough to drive forward and make things happen.

Important Note: We’re approaching this search with some flexibility on title, level, and compensation - our priority is finding the right person, and we’ll shape the role accordingly.

What You'll Do

• Startup dominance - Own the goal of getting every top startup onto Attio, with a relentless focus on YC and top accelerator cohorts, Series A penetration, and logos across the best VC portfolios
• Strategic partnerships - Build deep relationships with the most influential VCs, accelerators, and ecosystem players - not as a channel, but as a genuine partner in how they support their portfolios
• Events + community - Conceive and execute high-impact events - demo days, summits, dinners, hackathons - that bring the best founders together and position Attio at the centre of that world
• Founder relationships - Be personally known and trusted by the founders of the next generation of breakout companies; be their go-to for advice, introductions, and tools
• Cross-functional execution - Work across product, sales, and marketing to remove friction, identify gaps, and ship whatever is needed - new motions, integrations, custom work - to serve the startup market
• Content + storytelling - Shape the narrative that makes Attio the obvious CRM choice for founders, producing content that resonates deeply with how they actually build

What You’ll Bring

• 7+ years of experience as a founder, VC, or early operator at a high-growth startup - you've been in the room when the important decisions get made
• A genuine, existing network across the startup ecosystem - you know the founders, the investors, and the connectors
• The instincts and credibility to earn trust with early-stage founders quickly, and the seniority to drive decisions internally at pace
• A track record of building and shipping complex programs or initiatives that moved the needle
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives for the founder audience
• A builder's mindset - you're comfortable with ambiguity, operate with urgency, and take full ownership of outcomes
• An eye for quality - whether it's a startup program, a founder dinner, or a piece of content, you know what great looks like and hold yourself to it

What Does the Hiring Process Look Like?

• Initial conversations
• 30-minute intro with a member of our Talent team
• 30-minute track record interview with our Chief of Staff
• Core interviews
• The interview process will include three working sessions exploring your approach to problem solving and execution, ecosystem and activation thinking, and your perspective on AI, founder authenticity, and values alignment.
• Final stage
• 30-minute closing conversation with a member of our leadership team
• Offer call (if it’s a mutual fit)