Startups Program Lead

About the role

Vercel is seeking a Startup Program Lead to build, lead, and scale our global startup program and startup program team. This individual will own the startup program end to end, leading strategy, execution, and team operations. They will be responsible for how the program operates, scales, and delivers a high-quality experience for early-stage founders. They will also play a critical role in supporting our efforts to build strong partnerships with venture capital firms, accelerators, incubators, and startup enablement programs. You’ll work closely with our Startup marketing, sales, partner, and events teams to grow Vercel’s footprint across early-stage technology communities and identify strategic opportunities to support startup founders.

This role is ideal for someone who is deeply connected to the startup and VC community, has a strong understanding of developer-first products, and a track record of building and scaling programs.

What you’ll do

• Own and lead Vercel’s global startup program strategy, roadmap, and execution end to end, focused on early-stage startups from pre-seed through Series A.
• Build, manage, and mentor a high-performing startup program team.
• Design and scale programs that drive adoption, activation, and ongoing engagement of startups building on Vercel, like the Vercel AI Accelerator.
• Develop and grow relationships with venture capital firms, accelerators, incubators, and founder communities to bring high-quality startups into Vercel’s ecosystem as customers from day one.
• Partner closely with Sales to identify high-potential startups within the program and support their progression into long term, successful customers.
• Establish clear pathways from early-stage adoption to deeper product usage, expansion, and retention, and track performance across the startup lifecycle.
• Work cross-functionally with Marketing, Vercel Media, Partnerships, and Developer Relations to integrate the startup program into campaigns, content, and ecosystem distribution.
• Identify opportunities to embed Vercel into the early-stage ecosystem, including VC platforms, accelerator programs, and founder experiences.
• Serve as a visible leader and ambassador for Vercel in the startup ecosystem by hosting events, advising founders, and building long term relationships.
• Bring insights from early-stage founders and developers back into Vercel’s marketing, product, and go to market strategies.

What you need

• 6+ years of experience in programs, partnerships, or ecosystem roles, ideally within a high-growth technology or developer-focused company.
• Experience building and scaling programs from 0 to 1, with clear impact on marketing, growth, or revenue.
• Proven experience managing or leading teams.
• Strong track record of building strategic relationships with VCs, accelerators, and early-stage companies.
• Deep understanding of the startup ecosystem and the needs of founders and developer teams.
• Ability to engage credibly with technical audiences across Engineering, Product, and Design, with familiarity in modern frontend technologies such as React, Next.js, Vite, Astro, and Remix.
• Strong cross-functional operator who can partner effectively with Marketing, Media, Sales, Product, and Engineering.
• Data-driven mindset with experience defining success metrics and optimizing programs based on performance.
• Excellent communication, storytelling, and relationship-building skills.

Bonus if you

• Contribute to open-source projects related to modern frontend technologies (e.g., React, Next.js, Vite, Astro, Remix, etc.)
• Have existing relationships with top-tier VCs, accelerators (e.g., Y Combinator, Techstars), or founder communities.
• Have built applications at scale with modern frontend technologies.

The San Francisco, CA base pay range for this role is $148,000 - $185,000. Actual salary will be based on job-related skills, experience, and location. Compensation outside of San Francisco may be adjusted based on employee location. The total compensation package may include benefits, equity-based compensation, and eligibility for a company bonus or variable pay program depending on the role. Your recruiter can share more details during the hiring process.