About the RoleWe are seeking a Chief Growth Officer (CGO) to lead the next stage of growth at The Engine. The CGO will oversee partnership strategy, revenue growth, and market positioning, while serving as a senior thought partner to the CEO and leadership team.
This role is ideal for an experienced Tough Tech entrepreneur or commercial leader who has scaled companies, built first-of-a-kind (FOAK) projects or facilities, and is energized at being an evangelist for Tough Tech entrepreneurs in the ecosystem.
Responsibilities- Design and own a growth strategy across partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborators that advances our mission and expands our impact
- Source, structure, and close strategic partnerships with corporates, foundations, and ecosystem players that unlock capital and capabilities for our organization
- Build and maintain a high-value network of commercial partners and investors across tough tech sections such as climate tech, sustainability, industrial decarbonization, biotech, and adjacent sectors
- Represent the organization as a visible leader in the tough tech ecosystem through speaking engagements, content, and thought leadership
- Act as a collaborative thought partner to the CEO and leadership team, helping to shape overall strategy, long-term planning, and board engagement
- Serve as a subject matter expert and mentor to resident company CEOs, helping them sharpen go-to-market strategy, build commercial pipelines, and prepare for major milestones such as pilots, FOAK deployments, and exits
- Bring pattern recognition from scaling companies and leading exits/acquisitions to help founders navigate inflection points
- Design and refine value propositions for partners and portfolio companies that leverage our unique position as a tough-tech incubator
- Build, manage, and mentor a high-performing growth team (e.g., partnerships, business development, fundraising) and foster a culture of execution, learning, and collaboration
- Step into leadership conversations and key decisions as needed, with the ability to "fill in for the CEO" in external settings
- Identify emerging industries, technologies, and markets that align with our thesis in climate tech, industrial decarbonization, biotech, and broader tough-tech
- Bring a hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves approach, with willingness to jump into gaps and help the organization grow and evolve
Qualifications- 10+ years of experience in growth-oriented roles (e.g., founder/CEO, commercial leader, business development, partnerships, or corporate development), ideally in a tough tech sector.
- Direct experience as a tough tech entrepreneur, founder, and/or CEO, or as a senior commercial leader in a scaling tough tech company.
- Demonstrated success building and executing partnership strategies that deliver measurable outcomes (e.g., revenue, pilots, FOAK deployments, strategic alliances).
- Experience working with startups and helping companies scale through key stages (from early pilots to commercial scale, including funding rounds and/or exits).
- Strong track record managing and growing teams in high-ambiguity, mission-driven environments.
- Ability to operate effectively in board and senior stakeholder settings, including preparing materials and presenting strategy.
- Deep networks across commercial partners and investors relevant to climate tech, sustainability, industrial decarbonization, biotech, or related industries.
- Passion for emerging technologies and tough tech innovation, with the ability to quickly understand new technical domains and their commercial applications.
