Chief of Staff

Upgradable is seeking a Chief of Staff to the CEO, James Norris. Were looking for someone who is passionate about changing themselves and the world. This person will work closely with James to maximize the value of his time while overseeing the performance of each department. This is a part-strategic and part-operational role, with a heavy emphasis on managing our growing team and driving alignment across the organization.

Who are we?

Upgradable is an applied research lab aiming to solve human flourishing. Everyone on the planet deserves to live an extraordinary life. We're working hard to make that a reality.

What's our culture like?

We're a principled, thoughtful, high-performing, and agile startup. We deeply value our mission, but at the same time we like to laugh and joke and be human with each other. It goes without saying, but were very focused on everyone's self-development.

Why is this role important?

As the Chief of Staff, you will dramatically increase the effectiveness and impact of the CEO by driving alignment across all departments and managing the day-to-day work of the team, giving the CEO greater capacity to focus on strategy, business development, and client engagements. You will serve a key function of communicating strategy to team members so they can see where their work fits into the big picture. In virtue of this, you will act as a force multiplier for the entire team.

What will you do?

• Help the CEO prioritize his time to best pursue Upgradable strategic goals
• Co-create strategy and launch new initiatives with the executive team
• Work across all departments to drive alignment around strategic goals
• Manage the day-to-day work of all departments
• Lead recruiting, managing, and coaching of team members
• Drive communication strategy and support the CEOs communications with clients and stakeholders
• Own other projects and ad hoc tasks as needed

Who is suited for this role?

These words should describe you:

• Rational: able to carefully evaluate relevant considerations and make good decisions
• Sharp: smart, quick-witted, and discerning
• Formidable: a force of nature that makes things happen
• Conscientious: able to reliably deliver high-quality work on time and within budget
• Growth-oriented: deeply focused on improving yourself and the value you offer
• Autonomous: self-directed and intrinsically motivated
• Altruistic: here to do good for the world

The ideal candidate should also have the following skills:

• Leadership: able to inspire and drive teams to reach ambitious goals
• Management: able to hire, fire, align, coach, and mentor people
• Strategy: proficient in strategic thinking and planning
• Organizational: able to juggle multiple priorities and stay on top of a large number of potentially conflicting tasks and deadlines
• Communication: able to succinctly communicate complex information to a variety of audiences both verbally and in writing
• Diplomacy: able to tactfully and effectively relate with people from varied socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural backgrounds
• Finance: proficient in budgeting and financial management
• Software: proficient in Google Apps, Microsoft suite, and other basic software tools
• Discretion: able to maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information

Why should I join?

• Compensation: base salary and generous profit share
• Self-development: dedicated time and support to run your own Upgrade Program
• Professional development: opportunity to build cross-functional skills and expertise
• Impact: substantial amounts of measurable social and environmental impact on the world
• Network: access to our network of experts, partners, and clients
• Flexibility: a fully remote, results-only work environment
• Fun: an environment where playfulness is very welcome

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Upgradable. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status. We strive to be a meritocracy.