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Founding Director Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

Medical Director

Knoxville, TN · On-site

$230 - $270/hr

The Medical Director organizes, administers, and directs all medical activities of the University ... founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide ...

Since our founding in 1978, Tishman Speyer has acquired, developed, and operated 576 properties ... The Senior Director within Tishman Speyer's global tax department will serve as a senior leader ...

Since our founding in 2012, Lotlinx has consistently pioneered advancements in the automotive ... Role Details The Regional Director plays a pivotal role in driving the success and market ...

Since our founding in 2012, Lotlinx has consistently pioneered advancements in the automotive ... Role Details The Regional Director plays a pivotal role in driving the success and market ...

Director ECG Solutions

Nashville, TN · On-site

$208K - $286K/yr

It was our founding belief in 1931 and continues to be our guiding principle. We are redefining ... The Director, Cardiology and Connectivity Solutions provide strategic and operational leadership ...

Apparel Design Director

Nashville, TN · On-site

$80 - $120/hr

This role reports to the Director of Design and Development and will work closely with our Founding Partner group as well as our development team, pattern maker, production team, and sewing facility ...

This role reports to the Director of Design and Development and will work closely with our Founding Partner group as well as our development team, pattern maker, production team, and sewing facility ...

Sr Director, Total Rewards

Knoxville, TN · On-site

$103K - $141K/yr

Haslam II and currently led by CEO Adam Wright, our founding values, people-first culture and ... The Sr Director, Total Rewards is responsible for the strategic direction, design, governance, and ...

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Showing results 1-20

Founding Director information

What is the difference between Founding Director vs Program Manager?

AspectFounding DirectorProgram Manager
Required CredentialsTypically advanced degrees, leadership experience, industry knowledgeRelevant bachelor’s or master’s degree, project management certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentLeadership role in startup or new organization, strategic planningOversees specific projects within organizations, operational focus
Employer & Industry UsageFounding organizations, startups, nonprofitsVarious industries, including nonprofits, corporate sectors, government

The Founding Director is a high-level leadership role responsible for establishing and guiding a new organization or initiative, often requiring strategic vision and industry expertise. In contrast, a Program Manager focuses on managing specific projects within an organization, ensuring they meet goals and deadlines. While both roles require strong organizational skills, the Founding Director has broader responsibilities related to organizational development and leadership.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a founding director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Founding Director, you need strong leadership skills, strategic vision, and a solid background in business development or a relevant industry, often supported by advanced degrees or entrepreneurial experience. Familiarity with budgeting software, project management tools, and legal compliance systems is typically required. Exceptional communication, resilience, and the ability to inspire and motivate teams are standout soft skills in this role. These capabilities are crucial for setting organizational direction, driving growth, and establishing a strong foundation for long-term success.

What are some of the unique challenges a founding director faces when building and leading a new organization?

As a Founding Director, one of the main challenges is balancing strategic vision with hands-on operational duties, since you are often responsible for both setting long-term goals and managing daily operations. Building a strong team from the ground up and establishing a positive organizational culture require significant effort and adaptability. Additionally, securing funding and cultivating stakeholder relationships are crucial in the early stages, often demanding persistent networking and resourcefulness. Founding Directors also need to be comfortable adapting quickly to change, as early-stage organizations frequently pivot in response to market feedback or unforeseen obstacles.
What are popular job titles related to Founding Director jobs in Tennessee? For Founding Director jobs in Tennessee, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities in Tennessee are hiring for Founding Director jobs? Cities in Tennessee with the most Founding Director job openings:
Infographic showing various Founding Director job openings in Tennessee as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution.

Founding Specialist, Family Recruitment

Rocketship Public Schools

Smyrna, TN • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Posted 25 days ago


Job description

At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.
Position Description
The Founding Family Recruitment Specialist will be responsible for supporting and launching our newest campus in Rutherford County by leading essential family recruitment efforts, supporting school teams with new family enrollment, and creating a welcoming and seamless transition for families to our schools.
This position will execute recruitment strategies, including canvassing, community organizing, and directly engaging with families. Family recruiters must execute their responsibilities with passion, professionalism and a high degree of customer service. This position requires flexibility of schedule, including willingness to occasionally work weekend and evening hours as events demand.
This is a full-time exempt position on Tennessee's regional team.
Essential Functions
Family Recruitment (65%)
  • Canvass within recruitment areas specified by the recruitment plan you are helping to execute; includes but is not limited to knocking on doors, making contact with local community groups and businesses, and handing out pamphlets to prospective families at events/high traffic locations
  • Make phone calls to new and prospective families
  • Track recruitment work in target area to ensure all potential families are contacted
  • Plan and market informational events for prospective families
  • Support new and existing schools in enrollment
  • Provide feedback to inform continued refinement of recruitment plans
  • Analyze recruitment trends and data to create metric-driven strategy around new family engagement that meets recruitment and enrollment goal
  • Engage external stakeholders with a focus on building new partnerships that will support the work of communicating educational options to families in the communities we serve
  • Foster relationships and develop champions with community based organizations, faith leaders, elected officials, civic and community leaders that lead to positive engagement of the community and neighborhoods where Rocketship has and will have a presence
  • Maintain, organize, and manage recruitment communications with interested families and applicants, including email, voicemail, Rocketship's website, and social media
  • Coordinate student application data entry and support of central efforts to ensure lottery system

Family, School, & Community Engagement (30%)
  • Partner with founding principal to provide planning, training, and direct allocation of staff time/resources around family engagement and enrollment
  • Support school leadership in developing plans for ongoing family engagement and events for building school community
  • Cultivate external relationships with other community-based schools and nonprofits
  • Work with community partners to identify family and whole child support resources
  • Manage early family engagement with founding families to facilitate school-based decisions

Regional Team Engagement (5%)
  • Represent Rutherford County in regional discussions and projects
  • Provide input to inform enrollment modeling decisions
  • Work with regional team to foster community among faculty and staff members across the region
  • Collaborate with regional Family Recruitment team members across the Rocketship network to share best practices, develop strategy, and further Rocketship's mission to close the achievement gap

Qualifications
Required
  • A passion for Rocketship's mission to eliminate the achievement gap and a belief that all families deserve high quality educational options
  • Excellent interpersonal communication and customer service skills
  • Genuine enjoyment of "on the ground" work, combining people and project management with direct execution of detailed processes.
  • Skilled at building strong working relationships with people in both senior- and junior-level roles
  • Experience managing through influence and driving results from multiple stakeholders without direct oversight
  • Experience designing and conducting outreach and/or recruitment campaigns
  • Absolute professionalism and customer service under all circumstances; ability to maintain strict confidentiality where required and discretion when involved in sensitive conversations
  • High tolerance for ambiguity, changing work priorities and deadlines
  • Demonstrated ability to be detail-oriented, organized, and resourceful

Preferred
  • B.A. or B.S. Degree preferred
  • Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred

$50,000 - $60,000 a year
Compensation:
Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.
Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.
Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools' employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy. For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.