At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead operations and recruiting for a groundbreaking AI startup preparing for launch.
- Company: Join Catapult, a venture-backed AI startup in London with an innovative team.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity options, and the chance to transition to San Francisco.
- Other info: Work alongside top talent from Meta, AWS, and TikTok in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Be a key player in transforming AI research into market-ready solutions.
- Qualifications: 5+ years of experience in strategy consulting or startup execution.
Catapult is a venture-backed London AI startup building personalized intelligence grounded in a user's complete digital context. Led by a former Meta executive and a Cambridge PhD, Catapult is solving foundational challenges in secure data processing to fundamentally improve how knowledge workers search, synthesize, and manage information across their tools.
As the first non-engineering hire, you will act as a strategic partner to the founders, taking complete operational ownership as Catapult prepares for its alpha launch. You will drive critical initiatives across recruiting, SOC 2 compliance, and product readiness, transforming breakthrough AI research into a market-ready platform through high-leverage execution.
Location: London, UK
Why this role is remarkable:
- Join an elite team of research engineers from Meta, AWS, and TikTok as the first operational hire at a venture-backed AI startup.
- Work directly with a CEO who scaled products at Meta and a CTO with a PhD from Cambridge on genuinely novel technical problems.
- Transition from London to San Francisco within 12 months, playing a pivotal role in the global scaling of personalized AI technology.
What You Will Do:
- Lead full-cycle recruiting to source and hire exceptional research engineers from top-tier institutions and frontier technology companies to scale the technical team.
- Manage end-to-end company operations, including achieving SOC 2 compliance and building robust systems in Notion and Airtable to ensure seamless, high-standard execution.
- Drive product readiness for the upcoming alpha launch by conducting rigorous testing and managing strategic go-to-market relationships with other startup founders.
The ideal candidate:
- Holds 5+ years of experience, including significant time at a top-tier strategy consultancy like McKinsey, BCG, or Bain for exceptional analytical rigor.
- Demonstrates a proven track record of startup execution, either as a venture-backed founder or a high-impact Chief of Staff at an early-stage company.
- Exhibits technical literacy and extreme proficiency with modern productivity tools, capable of building complex operational systems with zero supervision and high attention to detail.
Chief of Staff (£60k-£100k + Equity) at Catapult in London employer: Jack & Jill
Jack & Jill is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and innovative work culture, particularly in the vibrant setting of Shoreditch. With a focus on employee growth and development, you will have the opportunity to lead impactful marketing initiatives while collaborating closely with the CEO and cross-functional teams. The company values creativity and agility, making it an ideal place for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the B2B landscape.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Chief of Staff (£60k-£100k + Equity) at Catapult in London
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We think you need these skills to ace Chief of Staff (£60k-£100k + Equity) at Catapult in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Leadership Skills:In the corporate leadership and management field, it's essential to highlight your leadership experience. Use your CV to flesh out examples of how you've led teams to success or managed significant projects. We want to see specific instances where your actions made a tangible difference in your previous roles!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers talk, especially in management! When detailing your achievements in your CV or cover letter, don’t just say you improved team performance. Instead, say you boosted productivity by 30% over six months through effective strategy implementation. This makes your application pop and shows us what you can bring to Jack & Jill.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to narrate your professional journey. We’re looking for motivation and a clear understanding of what corporate leadership means to you. Dive into your aspirations and how they align with the values and vision of Jack & Jill. Make it personal – we want to get to know you!
Tailor Your CV for Management Roles:Ensure your CV reflects the management skills that are essential for this role. Focus on competencies like strategic planning, team building, and problem-solving. Use a clean layout, and don’t forget to align your experiences with those keywords mentioned in the job listing. This will help you stand out from the crowd!
How to prepare for a job interview at Jack & Jill
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
You’ll want to thoroughly convey your unique approach to leadership. During the interview with Jack & Jill, be ready to share real-life examples of how you've inspired and motivated teams in the past. Think about specific achievements that illustrate your strategic thinking and your ability to drive results.
✨Brush Up on Management Theories
Expect some technical questions related to management theories and practices. Brush up on concepts like transformational leadership, servant leadership, or situational leadership. Be prepared to discuss how you would apply these theories to the role at Jack & Jill, especially in the specific context of the challenges they’re currently facing.
✨Craft Your Vision for the Company
Since this is a full-time leadership role, spending time thinking about your vision for Jack & Jill could really set you apart. Consider potential strategies for growth and how you would lead teams towards achieving them. This shows not just enthusiasm, but also strategic foresight that they’ll likely be looking for in a candidate.
✨Emphasise Team Dynamics and Culture
In corporate leadership, team dynamics and organisational culture are everything. Be ready to discuss how you've fostered a positive work environment in previous roles. Bring up examples of how you've managed diverse teams effectively—this will resonate well at Jack & Jill as they’re likely seeking a candidate who can enhance their workplace culture.