About the Role:
We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Chief Operating Officer (COO) with a strong background in operational management finance and entrepreneurship to join our clients climate-tech venture-building organization. As they go through a period of restructuring and growth, you will play a pivotal role in laying the foundations for future growth and helping us transition from startup support to a structured corporate setup.
Key Responsibilities:
Operational Leadership: Oversee the entire operation, ensuring efficient processes across all business functions. Act as the "air traffic control," providing structure, grounding, and strategic guidance to ensure smooth operations.
Financial Management: Work closely with the CEO and finance teams to manage grants, corporate funding, and the company’s financial health. Ensure effective budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
Strategic Development: Develop and implement strategies to manage the company’s lifecycle, setting clear benchmarks for success. Take charge of developing operational policies and processes that support growth and scalability.
Team Building & Resourcing Strategy: Define skill sets needed for growth, support the leadership team in defining a people/resource strategy that aligns with overall organizational goals.
Grant & Partnership Management: Lead efforts in securing and executing federal and state grants. Develop relationships with external partners, ensuring the company maximizes opportunities in its ecosystem.
Venture Support: Engage with the founder’s vision and help evolve the venture studio from "one-to-many," ensuring the company's portfolio becomes profitable and achieves a return on investment (ROI) in equity.
Corporate Engagement: Manage corporate acquisitions, engage with corporate partners, and guide the company through various stages of the venture-building lifecycle.
Qualifications:
- Proven experience in a COO or senior operational role, ideally within both startup and corporate environments.
- Strong financial acumen, with the ability to manage grants, corporate funding, and financial reporting.
- Experience in climate tech or related industries is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated ability to build and manage high-performing teams, develop HR structures, and drive strategic initiatives.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
- Comfortable with ambiguity and capable of driving structure within a growing organization.
Incentives & Benefits:
Market-rate salary with possibility of equity
Participation in the employee stock option program.
Opportunity to grow into a partner role with potential buy-in over time.
Personal Attributes:
Strategic thinker with the ability to see the larger picture and make decisions that benefit the organization long-term.
Grounded, yet adaptable, with the ability to build structure in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Excellent communication skills, capable of working with creative teams and building consensus across multiple stakeholders.
Must be based in the USA or have the ability to relocate easily (have relevant working visas) - preferably East Coast with easy access to Boston and/or New York.