Job Description

A One-Year Fellowship for Recent College Graduates

About LeapYear

Eighty percent of high school graduates have no idea what they want to do with their lives. Yet we send them straight to college where they'll change majors three times and graduate into jobs they don't love - or careers completely unrelated to what they studied.

LeapYear exists to change this story.

We're building the definitive Launch Year program for high school graduates who want to discover their calling before investing in further education. Through a combination of career prototyping (design thinking), intensive skill development, spiritual formation, and personalized coaching, we help students answer four critical questions:

Who are you?

What do you love?

What are you great at?

What does the world need?

Our inaugural cohort launches in Austin this August. A group of carefully selected students will spend a transformational year exploring their calling, running intentional experiments, building essential skills, and preparing to thrive in whatever comes next.

More about LeapYear can be found here:

startleapyear.com

Why We Need a Fellow

As we launch our first cohort, we're looking for someone special to join our founding team. Not just to help execute the program, but to help us learn, iterate, and build something extraordinary.

You'll be our bridge between leadership and students, close enough to students to understand their experience, mature enough to contribute to program development, and positioned uniquely to help us create something that will impact thousands of young adults in the years to come.

This role exists because we believe the best programs are built by people who live them. You'll experience LeapYear as a participant while helping us deliver it, giving you insider knowledge that will make you invaluable to our mission.

The Opportunity

Join the founding team of LeapYear as our first Fellow—a unique post-graduation role that combines meaningful work, accelerated learning, and direct mentorship from our CEO. You'll help launch and execute our inaugural cohort while participating in the transformational program yourself.

This isn't a typical fellowship. You're not just observing - you're building something meaningful alongside students discovering their calling, while discovering your own.

Think of this as:

• A launch year for college graduates who want to invest in others while figuring out their own next steps
• An intensive startup apprenticeship with a mission-driven company addressing a critical social need
• A chance to be employee #4 at a company that will reshape how young adults approach their futures
• A year-long leadership development program with hands-on experience

Compensation & Benefits

Financial Package:

• $24,000 living allowance (spread over 12 months)
• $6,000 completion bonus upon successful program finish
• Potential for Paid International Travel
• Total Value: $52,000+ when including program benefits
• Potential to grow into a full-time role at LeapYear or receive recommendation letters and warm intros in interested fields.

Program Benefits:

• Full LeapYear Program Access ($22,500 value)
• Johnson O'Connor Aptitude Assessment
• Weekly 1-on-1 coaching sessions
• 12 monthly intensives with world-class speakers
• Career prototyping experiences and mentorship
• Spiritual formation curriculum
• International Service Trip
• 5-day intensive retreat

• Behind-the-Scenes Access
• Direct mentorship from founder/CEO
• Participate in leadership meetings and strategic decisions
• Learn startup operations from the inside

• Network Acceleration
• Personal introductions to founder's professional network
• Direct access to guest speakers and program mentors
• Connection opportunities with Austin’s premiere leadership network

• Career Development
• Apprenticeship model with personalized growth planning
• Portfolio building through real program execution
• References and recommendations from accomplished professionals

Flexibility:

• 30-hour work week allows for side projects or part-time work
• We actively support entrepreneurial pursuits and additional income streams

Who You Are

Heart & Character:

• Mentor at Heart : You love investing in younger people and have experience doing so (youth ministry, Young Life, tutoring, coaching, etc.)
• People-Centered : Naturally personable, supportive, and skilled at building relationships across different personality types
• Humble Leader : Understand that in a startup, no task is beneath anyone, you'll strategize in the morning and set up chairs in the afternoon

Drive & Capability:

• Hungry Learner : You actively seek out opportunities and jump on chances to grow
• Problem Solver : Demonstrated academic excellence and ability to figure things out independently
• Initiative-Taker : You anticipate needs, hate waiting around, and naturally think "what needs to happen next?"
• Adaptable : Comfortable with ambiguity and excited about building something from scratch

Practical Skills:

• Strong communication and organizational abilities
• Experience with event planning (preferred)
• Video/photography experience a significant plus
• Comfortable with technology and quick to learn new tools

What You'll Do

Student Integration (Player/Coach Role):

• Participate in all program elements alongside students while providing peer mentorship
• Attend every monthly intensive (Fridays) as both participant and support
• Join weekly co-working sessions (Tuesdays) and cohort dinners (Tuesday evenings)
• Full participation in 5-day kickoff retreat
• Serve as bridge between students and leadership team—translating needs both ways

Program Operations (30 hours/week):

• Event Coordination : Help plan and execute monthly intensives, retreats, and gatherings
• Content Creation : Document program activities, create social media content, capture video/photos
• Logistics Support : Coordinate speakers, manage supplies, handle administrative details
• Student Support : Provide operational assistance to help students maximize their experience, facilitate community and champion their projects and goals
• Strategic Input : Contribute ideas and feedback on program improvement based on your unique perspective

Special Projects:

• Help recruit and onboard future LeapYear cohorts
• Assist with program communications
• Whatever emerges as the company grows—this role will evolve with our needs

Timeline

• Application Deadline : August 5th, 2025
• Start Date : Week of August 11th, 2025
• Fellowship Duration : 12 months (through July 2026)
• Location : Austin, Texas (in-person required for most program elements)

Why This Matters

You'll be part of something bigger than a job - you're helping solve the formation crisis facing young adults today. Our students aren't just choosing majors; they're discovering their calling and learning to integrate faith with their future work.

As our first Fellow, you'll help establish systems and culture that will impact thousands of future students. You'll learn startup operations, gain leadership experience, and build a network that will serve you throughout your career.

Most importantly, you'll spend a year asking and beginning to answer the same four questions our students explore: Who are you? What do you love? What are you great at? What does the world need?

“I have had the wonderful privilege to get to work alongside and learn from Riley. Off the bat, Riley wants to get to know you and see where your gifts, talents, and skills may excel. He curates your responsibilities to align with those skills, so that they may be further enhanced and improved with tangible work experience. Regardless of your “level” within the company, you are treated as an equal. Your ideas will never go unheard since you are a part of the unified LeapYear team, working together."

- Brett Hyman, McCombs MS in Marketing, LeapYear Marketing Intern

"Each time I've gotten to work with Riley it has grown me in all the best ways.

His energy and mind for development alongside his commitment to excellence in his craft is contagious and inspiring!"

- Ben F.

“My time working with Riley was the most empowering experience I have had in the workforce to this day. He is the boss that embodies the saying “A good leader grows leaders.”

- Taylor W.

Ready to Apply?

Send the following to: hello@startleapyear.com

1. Resume highlighting relevant experience
2. Cover letter explaining why this role excites you and how your background prepares you for it
3. At least one reference from mentors, supervisors, or others who can speak to your character and capabilities

LeapYear is committed to creating an inclusive environment and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

Job Tags

Similar Jobs