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Founding Manager Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

C10 Labs

Founding Product Designer

Washington, DC · On-site +1

$40 - $50/hr

Founding Product Designer Department: Buckstop Employment Type: Contract Location: Washington, DC ... We're reimagining how enterprises manage electronic assets by creating a platform that identifies ...

C10 Labs

Founding Product Designer

Washington, DC · On-site

$40 - $50/hr

We're reimagining how enterprises manage electronic assets by creating a platform that identifies ... Our founding team brings together leaders from manufacturing, logistics, reverse supply chains ...

3Y

Founding Clinician- Endocrinology

Washington, DC · On-site

$300/wk

We're expanding our Endocrinology services and need a founding clinician to serve as a part-time ... Familiarity with payer credentialing or utilization-management processes is a plus. * Passion for ...

3Y

Founding Clinician- Nephrology

Washington, DC · On-site

$300/wk

We're expanding our Nephrology services and need a founding clinician to serve as a part-time ... Familiarity with payer credentialing or utilization-management processes is a plus. * Passion for ...

3Y

Founding Clinician- Pulmonology

Washington, DC · On-site

$300/wk

Why This Role Exists We're expanding our Pulmonology services and need a founding clinician to ... Familiarity with payer credentialing or utilization-management processes is a plus. * Passion for ...

Zero21

Founding Engineer - Full Stack

Washington, DC · On-site +1

We're a venture-backed software company building a modern construction management platform to help ... We are looking for a Founding Engineer to join the team as we build out a product that will help to ...

Zero21

Founding Engineer - Full Stack

Washington, DC · On-site

We're a venture-backed software company building a modern construction management platform to help ... We are looking for a Founding Engineer to join the team as we build out a product that will help to ...

3Y

Founding Clinician - Infectious Disease

Washington, DC · On-site

$300/wk

Why This Role Exists We're expanding our Infectious Disease services and need a founding clinician ... Familiarity with payer credentialing or utilization-management processes is a plus. * Passion for ...

3Y

Founding Clinician- Women's Health

Washington, DC · On-site

$300/wk

We're expanding our Women's Health services and need a founding clinician to serve as a part-time ... Familiarity with payer credentialing or utilization-management processes is a plus. * Passion for ...

Founding Farmers

Host/Coordinator - Potomac

Potomac, MD · On-site

$18/hr

Host/Coordinator Founding Farmers is currently looking for a Host/Coordinator. The successful ... Hosts lead guests to their tables, manage reservations within Open Table and communicate with front ...

Founding Farmers

Host/Coordinator - Potomac

Potomac, MD · On-site

$18/hr

Host/Coordinator Founding Farmers is currently looking for a Host/Coordinator. The successful ... Hosts lead guests to their tables, manage reservations within Open Table and communicate with front ...

Jobtailor

Founding Security Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$120 - $160/hr

Own vulnerability management end-to-end: identify, prioritize, and drive fixes to closure in coordination with codeowners. * Help build a strong security culture through clear guidance, training, and ...

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Founding Manager information

What is a founding manager?

A Founding Manager is one of the earliest leaders or executives in a startup or new company. They are responsible for helping to establish the organization’s vision, culture, and operational foundation. Their duties typically include overseeing daily operations, strategic planning, hiring initial team members, and driving early growth. Founding Managers often work closely with other founders to make critical decisions and set the direction for the company's future. Their role tends to be very hands-on and multifaceted, especially during the company's formative stages.

What is the difference between Founding Manager vs Project Manager?

AspectFounding ManagerProject Manager
CredentialsExperience in startup leadership, business developmentProject management certifications (PMP, CAPM), relevant industry experience
Work EnvironmentStartup or new business environment, high uncertaintyCorporate or organizational settings, structured projects
Employer & Industry UsageFounders, startups, new business venturesCompanies across industries managing specific projects
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding leadership roles in startupsManaging projects, timelines, and deliverables

The Founding Manager typically leads new business initiatives, focusing on startup growth and strategic direction, often with entrepreneurial experience. In contrast, a Project Manager oversees specific projects within established organizations, ensuring timely delivery and resource management. While both roles require leadership and organizational skills, the Founding Manager operates in a more dynamic, uncertain environment, whereas the Project Manager works within structured project frameworks.

What are some unique challenges a founding manager might face when building an early-stage team?

As a Founding Manager, you’ll often be tasked with assembling a team from the ground up, which can be both exciting and challenging. One common hurdle is recruiting and retaining top talent with limited resources and minimal brand recognition. You’ll also need to wear multiple hats, balancing strategic planning with hands-on execution, while fostering a collaborative culture in a fast-paced, uncertain environment. Flexibility, resilience, and strong communication skills are crucial for navigating these challenges and setting the foundation for long-term success.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a founding manager?

To thrive as a Founding Manager, you need strong leadership, strategic planning, and business development skills, often backed by entrepreneurial experience or a degree in business management. Familiarity with startup tools such as project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello), CRM platforms, and basic financial systems is highly beneficial. Exceptional communication, resilience, and adaptability are crucial soft skills for navigating uncertainty and motivating early teams. These qualities enable a Founding Manager to drive growth, build a cohesive team, and successfully launch and scale new ventures.
What are the most commonly searched types of Founding jobs in Washington? The most popular types of Founding jobs in Washington are:
What are popular job titles related to Founding Manager jobs in Washington? For Founding Manager jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Founding Manager jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Founding Manager jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Founding Manager jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Founding Manager job openings:
Founding Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Founding Manager job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution.

Founding Product Designer

C10 Labs

Washington, DC • On-site, Remote

$40 - $50/hr

Contractor

Re-posted 19 days ago

Job description

Founding Product Designer
Department: Buckstop
Employment Type: Contract
Location: Washington, DC
Compensation: $40.00 - $50.00 / hour
Description
About Buckstop Industries
Founded in 2025, Buckstop is building the intelligence layer for the circular economy. Our mission is to create a sustainable end-of-life for every electronic device on Earth, transforming yesterday's waste into tomorrow's resources.
We're reimagining how enterprises manage electronic assets by creating a platform that identifies, tracks, and maximizes the residual value of devices at scale. In a fragmented industry where value is lost through layers of intermediaries, Buckstop provides a single source of truth and execution.
Our founding team brings together leaders from manufacturing, logistics, reverse supply chains, energy, mining, and technology who have experienced the industry's challenges firsthand and are building the future of asset recovery and circular commerce.
Your assets. One platform. Maximum value. Full stop.
The Opportunity
Buckstop is looking for a highly talented Founding Product Designer to help shape the user experience, workflows, and visual direction of our platform.
This is not a role for someone who simply executes mockups.
We are looking for a designer who can evaluate what has already been built, understand the business and customer requirements, identify opportunities for improvement, and present thoughtful design solutions.
You will work directly with the founders, engineers, and customers to create intuitive workflows and enterprise-grade user experiences that make complex data and operational processes easy to understand and act upon.
The ideal candidate combines strong visual design skills with strategic product thinking and can confidently say:
"Here's what you've built, here's what's working, here's what isn't, and here are three approaches I'd recommend moving forward."
What You'll Do
Product & UX Strategy
  • Evaluate existing product experiences and identify usability improvements
  • Translate business requirements into intuitive user workflows
  • Create multiple design concepts and recommendations for key product initiatives
  • Partner with founders to shape product direction and user experience strategy
  • Help define design principles and standards across the platform

User Experience Design
  • Design end-to-end user journeys and workflows
  • Create wireframes, user flows, mockups, and interactive prototypes
  • Conduct usability reviews and recommend improvements
  • Simplify complex operational and analytical workflows into intuitive experiences
  • Design for enterprise users operating in logistics, asset management, manufacturing, and sustainability environments

Product Design & Systems
  • Create and maintain scalable design systems in Figma
  • Establish reusable components and interaction patterns
  • Ensure consistency across product experiences
  • Collaborate closely with engineering to ensure designs can be efficiently implemented
  • Participate in product roadmap and feature planning discussions

Founding Team Contributions
  • Bring product and customer insights into company discussions
  • Challenge assumptions and advocate for users
  • Help establish the product culture and design standards of the company
  • Work cross-functionally across engineering, operations, and leadership
  • Operate with a founder mentality and ownership mindset

What We're Looking For
Required Qualifications
  • 4+ years of experience in Product Design, UI/UX Design, or User Experience roles
  • Strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product design work
  • Advanced proficiency in Figma
  • Experience creating wireframes, prototypes, user flows, and design systems
  • Strong understanding of UX principles, information architecture, and interaction design
  • Experience collaborating directly with engineering teams
  • Ability to clearly communicate design decisions and rationale

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience designing SaaS, enterprise software, analytics platforms, operational tools, or workflow applications
  • Experience in startup or early-stage environments
  • Familiarity with data-heavy applications, dashboards, and reporting tools
  • Experience conducting customer interviews and usability testing
  • Understanding of AI-enabled products and workflow automation

Who You Are
  • You have exceptional design instincts and attention to detail
  • You care deeply about both usability and visual quality
  • You are comfortable presenting multiple solutions to a problem
  • You think strategically rather than simply executing requests
  • You enjoy working directly with founders and engineers
  • You thrive in ambiguity and can create structure where none exists
  • You take ownership and operate with a builder mentality

Why Buckstop
  • Founding-team level influence on product direction
  • Direct collaboration with founders and engineering leadership
  • Opportunity to define the design language of an emerging category leader
  • Significant ownership and visibility across the company
  • Work on meaningful sustainability and circular economy challenges
  • Potential pathway into a long-term Product Design leadership role as the company scales

If you're excited about creating elegant experiences for complex enterprise workflows and helping shape a category-defining platform from the ground up, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply