Chief Operating Officer (COO), TransitionZero

• You are an experienced executive with a passion for sustainability. You are comfortable in a scale-up environment and understand the operational challenges associated with growing a team of 30 people to 50+. You will apply your skills in legal, people and finance to support the CEO in managing both the day-to-day operations and longer-term strategy development. You have a growth mindset and seek to measure your own success against the success of the company.
• You will develop ownership of key components of our development as an organisation and will implement improvements as the lead of the Operations function. You have a passion for sustainability and the energy transition, and are looking to apply your experience and skills to a role for social good. While we are a rapidly growing tech startup, we are also a non-profit, so a high level of adaptability and willingness to approach challenges with creativity and curiosity is essential.
• Essential Skills and Experience:
• 8+ years of relevant experience in a senior or executive position
• Demonstrated experience in a leadership role at a company that is developing a complex technical product, including performance management, on multiple projects of increasing dependencies in an ambiguous or high-impact area
• Experience managing operational scaling from a team of 30 people to 50+
• Excellent understanding of working in partnership with a CEO of a growing technology business
• Inspirational, calm and resilient leadership with the capability to adapt and proactively manage an organisation capable of changing rapidly
• Demonstrated ability to understand and align strategic plans with scalable people, financial and organisational processes to support business growth and operational efficiency
• Growth mindset, self-starter and an appetite to learn
• Accountability, with a desire to own business decisions and support everyone in the organisation to individual and team success
• High emotional intelligence, influence and situation sensing capabilities as a leader
• Strong desire to work for a mission-driven company focused on accelerating the energy transition
• Pragmatic, transparent and thorough in their ways of working through problems

Desirable

• TransitionZero is now seeking a Chief Operating Officer to support our continued growth and activities as we transition to a combined philanthropic and commercial organisation. As a member of the Executive team, the COO is responsible for supporting the CEO and wider management team to set the corporate objectives, as well as deliver against the business plan and company strategy.
• The COO will be accountable for the Operations Team, including the HR and Finance sub-teams. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role will entail providing high-level strategic leadership and guidance to ensure alignment with the organisation's mission and KPIs. You will be mindful of the fulfilment of grant responsibilities, balancing these against the successful leadership of the organisation and its mission.
• This position is ideal for someone with relevant private sector experience who is keen to leverage their skills in a small, ambitious climate tech non-profit focused on organisational excellence
• Short-Term Goals (6 months after joining)
• Establish effective, efficient and scalable systems for financial management and planning for combined philanthropic and commercial revenues streams
• Implement robust internal processes for budgets and resource decision making
• Ensure funds and financing are managed legally, ethically, and effectively between the charity and its trading subsidiary
• Long-Term Goals (12 months after joining):
• Represent the company as required by the CEO through high-level stakeholder engagement
• Cultivate robust operational mechanisms to ensure we can continue to scale effectively and have the resources we need to execute on grants and feature development
• Be responsible for decisions relating to organisational development, supported by functional guidance from the executive team
• Core Competencies
• Strategic Leadership:
• Collaborate closely with the CEO and executive team to develop and implement both short-term and long-term strategic plans, encompassing resource allocation, funding strategies, and operational frameworks
• Lead the strategic oversight of the HR, Finance, Legal & Compliance functions within the Operations team, ensuring seamless alignment with TransitionZero's mission and objectives
• Act as a sounding board, trusted advisor and critical friend to the CEO and the rest of the c-suite
• Be responsible with other leaders across the organisation for delivering the business plan on time and in line with grant / funding objectives
• Represent the organisation as required by the CEO through high-level stakeholder engagement
• Contribute to business planning and strategic direction
• Organisational Development:
• Drive organisational design initiatives in collaboration with the CEO, developing effective, efficient and scalable systems for financial management and planning for combined philanthropic and commercial revenues streams
• Cultivate a progressive and high-performing culture within the organisation, contributing to a cohesive and forward-looking environment
• Commercial Strategy:
• Lead the implementation of TranstionZero’s commercialisation plans (including legal, financial and operational advisory) and relevant organisational changes
• Spearheading efforts to transform what is currently a small non-profit into a much larger multi-jurisdictional organisation with a multi-million pound commercial subsidiary
• Team Leadership and Management:
• Lead the Head of Operations to ensure that HR and financial frameworks are consistently aligned with the evolving needs of the organisation as it continues to scale and commercialise aspects of its activities
• Assume budgetary accountability for the entire organisation, overseeing financial planning and resource allocation, with a specific budget allocated for Operations
• Provide mentorship and guidance to the Head of Operations, fostering professional growth and excellence within the team
• Operational Excellence:
• Drive operational decision-making processes, including budgeting, restructuring, and expansion initiatives to support strategic imperatives
• Implement and maintain robust planning and processes, including implementing data and IT security best practices, to ensure all operational arrangements are legal, ethical, and financially sustainable
• Exercise financial stewardship, leveraging robust modelling and planning to administer grants effectively and ensure financial sustainability
• With the Operations team, develop tracking metrics to support data-driven, effective and sustainable decision-making
• Take ownership of stakeholder management processes through software such as Hubspot and Notion

• 1. Apply via Otta
• 2. Get to know us - 30 minute intro call
• 3. Pre-prepared assessment, followed by an interview to present your work - 60 minute call
• 4. Interview with members of the executive team
• 5. Final interview with the CEO and a member of the board