SMU FinTech Coalition, Executive-in-Residence

Executive-in-Residence (EIR), SMU FinTech Coalition

Position Details

• Location: Dallas, TX (hybrid)
• Reports to: Sr. Director of Programs (MassChallenge); works day to day with the VP, SMU FinTech Coalition
• Engagement: November 2026 through June 2027. November through January includes weekly touchpoints and action items with the program team as the Accelerator prepares to launch. Founder-facing work is heaviest from February through June 2027.
• Compensation: $1,800 per month, flat rate, for a part-time engagement of approximately 8 to 10 hours per week

About MassChallenge
MassChallenge is the global network for innovators working to solve massive challenges. We connect startups, experts, corporations, and communities to grow and transform businesses and economies. Our mission is to equip bold entrepreneurs to disrupt the status quo and create meaningful change. Our mission is BIG, and thus we are a team that gives 100% every day. Our values ensure that we stay true to our mission and our core beliefs.

About the SMU FinTech Coalition
The SMU FinTech Coalition is a three-year partnership between MassChallenge and Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business and Spears Institute, designed to establish SMU as a nationally recognized center for financial innovation. The Coalition combines a highly selective startup accelerator with year-round executive convenings and ecosystem events. The Spears Institute exists to catalyze the next generation of entrepreneurs and build a lifelong community of experience, relationships, and resources.

MassChallenge is currently seeking an Executive-in-Residence for the SMU FinTech Accelerator to join our Dallas team.

Position Summary
MassChallenge is seeking a fintech Executive-in-Residence (EIR) to support the SMU FinTech Accelerator. The EIR works alongside program leadership, who own program design, curriculum, and investor engagement, and serves as the cohort’s go-to expert on regulatory readiness, financial institution pilots, and fintech technical depth. As the EIR, your mission is threefold:

• Bring Regulated-Finance Depth to Founders: Help startups building payments, banking, regtech, insurtech, capital markets, or other financial services technology get regulatory, compliance, and technical fundamentals right.
• Open Doors with Financial Institutions: Prepare founders for, and connect them to, pilots, proofs of concept, and partnerships with banks, payments companies, insurers, and other financial institutions.
• Strengthen the Ecosystem: Serve as a credible voice for MassChallenge and SMU with DFW financial institutions, fintech operators, and regulators, and attend in-person program events.

What You’ll Do

• Regulatory and Product Readiness: Advise founders on licensing, bank partnerships and banking-as-a-service, AML/KYC, consumer protection, and data privacy considerations relevant to their products.
• Pilot Readiness: Coach founders through financial institution vendor onboarding, including third-party risk management, security and compliance reviews, procurement, and contracting.
• Technical Expertise: Provide direct subject matter guidance on payment rails, core banking systems, APIs and integrations, and data security; recommend additional specialist mentors where needed.
• Curriculum Support: Partner with program leadership on the Accelerator’s five curriculum modules: Product, Technology, Regulatory Alignment, Enterprise Engagement, and Partnerships.
• Mentorship and Coaching: Provide one-on-one and group mentorship to founders on regulatory, technical, and enterprise go-to-market questions.
• Financial Institution Connections: Make targeted introductions to financial institutions and corporate partners to accelerate use-case discovery, pilots, and partnerships.
• Ecosystem Representation: Represent MassChallenge and the SMU FinTech Coalition at Executive Circle convenings, founder salons, and related events.

Key Deliverables
Because this EIR role sits inside an active partnership agreement with defined milestones, deliverables are tied directly to the program calendar and the Steering Committee reporting cadence set out in the statement of work (SOW):

• Provide fintech-specific input on the Product, Technology, and Regulatory Alignment and the Enterprise Engagement and Partnerships modules ahead of the Accelerator Kickoff
• Complete a brief regulatory and pilot-readiness assessment for each startup at the beginning and end of the program
• Participate in and/or co-facilitate the Executive Circle convening in Q1 2027
• Contribute to the Midpoint Founder and Partner Convening (late April 2027), including founder progress input for the Steering Committee’s quarterly review and sourcing potential speakers and/or attendees
• Support founders throughout the program, including at least one monthly 1:1 with each startup in the anticipated cohort of 15, with a focus on preparation for the Accelerator Finale and Showcase (mid-May 2027)
• Deliver a minimum of one office-hours session per month for the entire cohort during the 16-week Accelerator, February to June 2027
• Provide qualitative input on founder milestone progress and CSAT to support program reporting against the SOW’s Year 1 targets (80% milestone completion; founder CSAT above 80%)
• Serve as a member of the Steering Committee if requested

Success Metrics

• Founder Readiness: Measurable progress in startups’ regulatory and pilot readiness, assessed at the beginning and end of the program
• Financial Institution Engagement: Qualified introductions that lead to use-case discovery, pilot, or partnership conversations
• Founder Impact: Positive satisfaction scores and testimonials from participating startups
• Ecosystem Engagement: Increased visibility of MassChallenge and SMU among DFW financial institutions and fintech leaders

What You Bring

• Fintech Operating Experience: 10+ years in a senior operating, product, technology, risk, or compliance role at a financial institution or fintech company. Investing or advisory experience alone does not meet this requirement.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Hands-on experience with financial services regulatory frameworks, such as money transmission and licensing, bank partnerships, AML/KYC, or consumer financial protection.
• Enterprise and Pilot Experience: Experience on the buying side of fintech pilots or vendor evaluations at a financial institution, or leading enterprise sales cycles into financial institutions.
• Mentorship Experience: High emotional intelligence (EQ) and a passion for guiding early-stage entrepreneurs.
• Preferred: Founder or executive of a fintech company that has scaled or exited, or former innovation, partnerships, or vendor management leader at a financial institution; based in DFW with active financial institution relationships; technical depth in payments infrastructure, core banking, APIs, or data security.

Why You Should Join Us
At MassChallenge, we:

• Empower entrepreneurs to launch, grow, and scale transformational businesses
• Help corporate, academic, and public sector partners evolve their innovation practices
• Strengthen global innovation ecosystems through the power of entrepreneurship

As the SMU FinTech Coalition EIR, you will help shape a new national platform for fintech innovation, working alongside SMU’s Spears Institute, founders, mentors, and financial services partners.

Compensation
This is a contracted role compensated at a flat rate of $1,800 per month. The engagement runs November 2026 through June 2027 at approximately 8 to 10 hours per week, with weekly touchpoints from November through January and the heaviest founder-facing work from February through June 2027.

Equal Opportunity Employer
MassChallenge is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We seek individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences who are passionate about meaningful work.