The best time to evaluate an ecosystem builder role is before you accept it. That might sound obvious. But in a job market full of transitions, buzzwords and good intentions, it's easy to say yes to a title that sounds right—only to discover the organization wasn't ready for what the role really requires.

This newsletter is about how to tell the difference.
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If you are currently looking for an ecosystem building role, check out the ESHIP Commons Opportunity Board.​
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​Welcome to Ecosystem Edge where you'll find battle-tested strategies, hidden patterns, and actionable insights for the professionals building regional innovation infrastructure. No fluff. No theory. Just what works.

The Rise of Ecosystem Theater

A lot of "ecosystem building" roles aren't ecosystem building at all.

They're backfills for a high performer's burnout. They're symbolic hires for organizations that liked the buzzword but never built the strategy. They're job postings that say "community" but mean "event planning with a side of metrics entry."

Here's the pattern: Organizations realized "ecosystem" sounds good. Progressive. Collaborative. Fundable. So it gets added to websites, grant proposals, org charts, and job descriptions.

But they never asked the harder questions: What does ecosystem building truly require? What infrastructure supports it? Where does it sit in strategy—not just marketing?

And here's the compounding problem: they don't know how to hire for it or fund it either.

Job descriptions list "community management" and "event coordination." They measure candidates on activity—how many intros can you make?—instead of architecture—can you build infrastructure that makes intros convert?

The hiring process often screens out the people who would challenge the theater. The candidate asking hard questions about relationship infrastructure gets passed over for "not being collaborative." Meanwhile, the charismatic networker who says the right words gets the offer.

The result? Talented ecosystem builders walk into roles that were never designed to succeed. No budget. No cross-functional access. No CRM. No clarity on what "success" looks like alongside the organization's core business model.

And when it doesn't work, the conclusion isn't "we weren't ready." It's "ecosystem building doesn't deliver ROI."

Wrong. Ecosystem theater doesn't deliver ROI.

Real ecosystem building—strategic, resourced, integrated—transforms economies. But only if a region's leaders are ready for it.

The Trap Nobody Talks About

There's another pattern worth naming: mission-driven people make the best ecosystem builders. They also burn out hardest.

You care deeply. You're wired to connect, to fix, to hold things together. So when the organization needs extra effort—you give it. When the real work happens outside your job description—you do it anyway. When the mission calls—you answer.

That's the strength. It's also the vulnerability.

Because that unpaid labor rarely shows up in your performance review. Those volunteer hours "for the cause" subsidize organizations that may not be subsidizing you back. That trust and reciprocity you keep extending? Sometimes it flows one direction only.

Here's the distinction that matters:

Strategic generosity builds trust toward mutual and shared value. It's an investment with long-tail expected returns—in relationships, reputation, and growth.

Chronic over-giving is different. It's giving from an empty cup to organizations and people that never ask if you need a refill.

The ecosystem builder job market rewards people who give. It doesn't always reward them fairly.

Red Flags and Green Flags

Before you accept that ecosystem builder role, flip the interview. You're not just being evaluated. You're evaluating them.

Red flags to watch for:

🚩 6-12 months runway, single funder, "we'll figure it out"

🚩 Reports to marketing or separate team entirely; siloed as "the community person"

🚩 High turnover, vague answers about predecessors

🚩 Budget for a position, but no support staff or operating budget.
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🚩 No CRM, no relationship tracking, no communication infrastructure

🚩 Ecosystem in press releases but not the strategic plan

🚩 "We're building the plane as we fly it"

🚩 Job description reads like event or programs planner

🚩 Numerous starts and stops at creating an "ecosystem" with other words like tech hub, startup community, innovation district
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Green flags that signal they get it:

✅ 3+ years funded, diversified revenue, sustainability plan

✅ Reports to Executive Leadership Committee / Board / CEO; cross-functional access and institutional support built in

✅ Clear transition story, knowledge transfer, informed evolution

✅ Partner tracking systems, relationship depth metrics

✅ Written into strategic plan with KPIs, budget, board visibility
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✅ Clearly resourced beyond just the role itself

✅ They ask YOU about relationship infrastructure

✅ "Here's what we've built, here's where you come in"

Bonus move: Reach out and talk to the partners listed in their materials. Ask how the partnerships are working. Fifteen minutes of conversation will teach you more than three rounds of interviews.

What This Means For Your Work

If you're interviewing for ecosystem roles:

Start with five questions: How is this funded, and for how long? Where does this role sit? Was anyone in this role before, and what what changed? What systems exist? Is ecosystem building in the strategic plan and part of the board expectations? How is the role resourced?

Ask the hard questions. The organizations that push back might not be ready for you. The ones who engage? That's where you want to be.

If you're currently in a role:

Audit your situation. Are you strategy or symbol? Resourced or expected to conjure results from nothing? The answer shapes what's possible—and whether it's time to renegotiate or move on.

If you're mission-driven and feeling depleted:

Ask yourself: Who's pouring back into me? Is this reciprocal—or one-directional? Are we growing together toward something bigger, or am I just plugging all the leaky holes?

Your time, your expertise, your relationships—they have market value. The mission matters. But so do you.

The Bottom Line

The ecosystem builder job market is growing. That's good news.

But growth creates noise. More roles with "ecosystem" in the title doesn't mean more organizations that understand what ecosystem building requires.

Your job, before you take the job, is to separate strategy from theater.

The organizations that get it will welcome your questions. They'll have answers. They'll be building alongside you.

The organizations that don't? You'll know by the vague answers, the missing infrastructure, and the subtle signs that "ecosystem" was a branding choice, not a strategic commitment.

You've built your career understanding systems, relationships, and organizational dynamics. Use those skills on your own behalf.

The right role is out there. So are a lot of roles that will waste your energy and time.

Choose wisely.

Have you walked into an ecosystem role that wasn't what it seemed? Or found one genuinely set up to succeed? Hit reply—we'd love to hear what signals you've learned to watch for.

And if you know an ecosystem builder that is job hunting right now, forward this along. These questions might save them from a painful lesson.

Amy Beaird, PhD & Dawn Haynes, MBA​
Co-Founders, Ecosystem Edge​
​Experienced. Mission-Driven. Ecosystem-Literate.

Funding Opportunities for Ecosystem Builders

Here are several funding opportunities aligned with ecosystem-building work. We've successfully navigated foundation and federal grant development across multiple agencies, reach out if you'd like to explore these together.

• ​NSF's Accelerating Research Translation (ART) (Due Jan 15, 2026)
• ​National Science Foundation Translation to Practice (NSF TTP) (Due Jan 20, 2026)
• ​EDA Disaster Recovery Supplemental FY 2025 (Due March 3, 2026)
• ​OpenAI’s “People-First AI Fund”: A $50 M initiative supporting U.S. nonprofits (501(c)(3)) engaging with AI (from exploration through deployment).
  • Eligibility: U.S.-based public charity, budget between ~$500k and <$10M.
  • Use case: If your org is looking to pilot or scale an AI-based system, this is a very relevant source.
• ​FY25 ONR Office Of Naval Research (ONR) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics(STEM) Education and Workforce Program (Due Jun 30, 2026)

Interesting Reads

These articles are worth reading:

• ​The Future is Collective: Advancing Collective Social Innovation to Address Society’s Biggest Challenges​
• ​U.S. National Science Foundation Awards US Ignite $3.9M to Establish SURGE: Supporting U.S. Regional Growth & Entrepreneurship​
• ​The Leadership Habit That Fuels Innovation​
• ​Building Strong State-Philanthropic Partnerships: Legal Insights and Engagement Strategies​
• ​The Day ‘Entrepreneur’ Broke Economic Development​