Strategy and Operations Associate

Relay is fundamentally reshaping how goods move in an online era. Backed by Europe’s largest-ever logistics Series A ($35M), led by deep-tech investors Plural (whose portfolio spans fusion energy and space exploration), Relay is scaling faster than 99.98% of venture-backed startups. We\’re assembling the most talent-dense team the logistics industry has ever seen.

Relay’s Mission

Free commerce from friction. Today, high delivery costs act as a hidden tax on e-commerce, quietly shaping what can be sold online and limiting who can participate. We envision a world where more goods move more freely between more people, making the online shopping experience seamless and accessible to everyone.

THE TEAM

• ~90 people, more than half in engineering, product and data
• 45+ advanced degrees across computer science, mathematics and operations research
• Thousands of data points captured, calculated, analysed and predicted for every single parcel we handle
• An intellectually vibrant culture of first‑principles thinking, tight feedback loops and relentless experimentation

The Opportunity

Relay’s network spans sortation centres, pitstops, middle mile couriers, and last mile delivery partners. For us to grow and scale, these teams must operate smoothly, with enough supply to cover demand, create processes that can scale 10x and beyond, and a consistently great experience for every person on the ground.

This role will sit within the Middle Mile and Pitstops Squad, working closely with squad members from design, data, product, and engineering to improve processes, remove friction, and set up our partners for long-term success.

You’ll focus on supply, training, performance, and retention — whether that’s Middle Mile drivers delivering bags, or Pitstop partners handling volume spikes. The goal is to understand what makes new joiners succeed, design improvements that make those experiences repeatable, and test new approaches that drive performance and retention across the network.

Key Responsibilities

• Use qualitative and quantitative data to identify key drop-offs in onboarding, activation, and retention across operational teams, then test and implement solutions.
• Own and refine activation and training processes to improve experience and increase conversion into fully-productive team members.
• Automate and streamline communications, FAQs, and training flows to reduce manual intervention while maximising engagement and understanding.
• Proactively communicate updates, risks, and recommendations to stakeholders across operations, product, and leadership.
• Lead or contribute to initiatives that improve funnel conversion, reduce contact volumes, and support supply ramp-ups.
• Support cross-team projects that improve in-app features, operational processes, or real-world performance for our supply base.
• Flex your skills to assist where needed in the squad — whether that’s digging into courier data, shadowing new partners, or testing a new training product.

Sample Projects

• Deep dive into the world of our Middle Mile drivers, understanding what makes a high performer and setting up targeted acquisition and training to 5x onboarding per day capacity within 1 week.
• Define value proposition for our Pitstops as Relay acquires 2000 stores across the UK; work with product, engineering, and sales teams to achieve the vision.
• Work closely with product and engineering teams to create a marketing leading in-app onboarding experience for our partners, cutting drop offs by 75%.
• Launch a new CRM, implementing targeted workflows across the entire courier experience to support our metrics across the funnel.

Who will Thrive in this role?

• 2–4 years’ experience in a fast-paced, operational or growth-focused role.
• Strong analytical skills — comfortable with data, able to draw insights and make clear recommendations.
• Confident using Google Sheets & BigQuery (or keen to learn).
• Process-oriented mindset — you enjoy streamlining workflows and making things more efficient.
• Proactive and self-starting — you spot problems, find solutions, and take ownership.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High empathy and collaboration — able to understand the perspective of operatives/couriers and work constructively with teams across the business.
• Outcome-focused — motivated by improving retention, efficiency, and experience, not just completing tasks.

Fast and Focused Hiring Process

• Talent Acquisition Interview – Remote, 30 min
• Hiring Manager Interview – 60 min
• Case Study – Onsite, 75 min
• Final Interview – 1 hour

Decision and offer within 48 hours; Our process mirrors our pace of work.

Who Thrives at Relay?

• Aim with Precision: Define problems clearly and measure impact meticulously.
• Play to Win: Chase bold bets, tackle the hard stuff, view constraints as fuel.
• 1% Better Every Day: Small, consistent improvements for exponential growth.
• All In, All the Time: Take ownership from start to finish and deliver when it counts.
• People-Powered Greatness: Give and receive feedback with care and candour, build trust.
• Grow the Whole Pie: Seek win‑win solutions for merchants, couriers, customers.

Compensation, Benefits & Workplace

• Generous equity, richer than 99% of European startups, with annual top-ups.
• Private health & dental coverage.
• 25 days of holidays.
• Enhanced parental leave.
• Hardware of your choice.
• Extensive perks (gym subsidies, cycle-to-work, Friday office lunch, covered Uber home and dinner for late nights).
• Located in Shoreditch, our office set-up enables the kind of in-person interactions that drive impact. We work 4 days on-site, with 1 day remote.

Relay is an equal‑opportunity employer committed to diversity, inclusion, and fostering a workplace where everyone thrives.