Growth & Community Ops Lead

Growth & Community Ops Lead

Full-Time 40000 - 45000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
The Generalist Company

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead community operations, manage membership, and run engaging events for ambitious founders.
  • Company: PLUGGED, London's vibrant community for founders seeking genuine connections.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonuses, and the chance to shape a growing community.
  • Other info: Be part of a dynamic team where your contributions directly impact growth.
  • Why this job: Join a fast-paced environment and work closely with inspiring founders from day one.
  • Qualifications: Experience in startups, community building, and event management is essential.

The predicted salary is between 40000 - 45000 £ per year.

About Us

Life as a founder is lonely. And the places founders go for connection are mostly stiff and formal. PLUGGED is London's community for ambitious founders. Serious ambition, serious fun. Since launching in early 2024, we've been connecting founders through events and shared experiences. We're a tightly curated, fast-growing community of builders who are done with networking for networking's sake and want something real. We run events, sprints, residentials, and programmes that solve the actual problems founders face. We're small, we move fast, and everything we build reflects the community we're building it for. Our mission is to make it easier for great founders to change the world.

Our Culture

We blend serious ambition with serious fun. No bullshit, no ego. Just people who understand the journey and want to help. We do the unscalable. The personal touch, the follow-up nobody asked for, the detail that makes someone feel genuinely seen. That's what makes a community feel like a community. We're honest, direct, and high-trust. We move fast but we care about quality: in our events, our membership, and how we show up for people. We'd rather have a smaller room of the right people than a packed one of the wrong ones.

Who We're Looking For

You've been in and around startups. You have a founders associate kind of energy: close to building, fluent in the pace of startups, hungry to learn by doing. You're community-minded not because it's on your CV, but because it's who you are.

Bad News

  • This role touches a lot: sales, ops, events, member experience. There'll be context switching.
  • The team is small. You'll be running whole functions on your own.
  • If you need a detailed brief to get started, this isn't the role.
  • You'll be on the ground at events. Early mornings, late evenings, full presence. That's part of it.

Good News

  • You'll be working side by side with some of London's most ambitious founders from day one, hosting events for an ecosystem that has collectively raised $153m+.
  • You'll work directly with the co-founders and the decisions you make will shape the business.
  • Real ownership. You're not supporting someone else's vision, you're helping shape ours.
  • The membership is already growing. You're coming in with momentum, not starting from zero.
  • This role grows with you. There's no ceiling on where it goes.

The Role

You'll own the membership funnel at PLUGGED, from the moment someone applies to the moment they become one of our most engaged members. This isn't an admin role with an exciting job title. It's a commercial, operational, and community-building role that directly determines the quality of our membership and the health of our growth.

Your Mission

  • Keep the membership pipeline full and converting.
  • Keep members happy and engaged.
  • Run a sales process that's fast, high-quality, and human.
  • Build an experience so good that members stay and refer their founder friends.

What You'll Be Doing

Sales
  • Vet, score, and review membership applications. Accept, reject, and follow up with care.
  • Run member interviews and make the call on who belongs.
  • Own the pipeline: nurture sequences, follow-ups, and CRM hygiene.
  • Run member trial days and manage the handoff into membership.
  • Report on pipeline numbers and conversion rates.
Membership Experience
  • Own onboarding. Make every new member feel like joining was the best decision they made this month.
  • Run monthly member feedback meetings and act on feedback.
  • Plan and run regular members-only events and sprints.
  • Regular check-ins with members at key milestones: 1 month, 3 months, and beyond.
  • Handle payments, upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and invoices.
  • Keep members informed with timely, well-crafted comms.
Events
  • Show up hands-on at community events: Open Houses, Residentials, Retreats, Workshops.
  • Be the person members see when they walk in. Welcoming, energetic, present.
  • Handle on-the-day logistics.

What Good Looks Like

  • By month 1: You know every current member by name. The CRM is clean. The application process is running smoothly. You've been to every event and you're already part of the fabric of the community.
  • By month 3: Conversion rates are up. Member feedback meetings are running. You've run at least one members-only event end-to-end.
  • By month 6: Retention is strong, churn is low, and the pipeline is healthy. Members are referring friends. You've got a clear view of what's working and what to do next. You've made yourself indispensable.

Skills & Expertise

  • You're a people person. You get energy from interacting with people in person.
  • Operationally sharp. You can run a CRM, manage a pipeline, track metrics, and keep multiple things moving without dropping them.
  • A clear, confident communicator. You can send a rejection email that leaves someone with a good impression of PLUGGED.
  • You pick things up quickly and figure things out without being told.
  • You understand the startup world well enough to be credible with founders.

Experience

  • You've been in or around startups: as a founder, a founder's associate, or an early hire.
  • You've contributed meaningfully to a community. Built one, or been the person who made an existing one actually work.
  • You've run some form of events, even small ones. You know what goes into making them work.
  • You've done sales, account management, or customer success in some form.
  • You're comfortable with CRM and ops tools. You don't need to be an expert, but you're not starting from zero.
  • You're comfortable being the only person owning a function.

What Sets You Apart

  • Genuine bias towards action. You don't wait to be told. You spot the gap and fill it.
  • You're community-minded because it's who you are, not because it's a job requirement.
  • You want to work closely with founders because you're either building something yourself one day, or you find their world genuinely fascinating.
  • You know what a good event feels like, what a good email reads like, what a good community feels like.
  • You've built things. Whether it's vibe-coding with Claude, community-building, or something else entirely. You're a serial builder.

Deal Breakers

  • You think community is a nice-to-have, not a growth engine.
  • You treat community management as content scheduling and comment replies.
  • You're not comfortable showing up in person.
  • You don't care about relationship-building.
  • You need to be managed closely to stay productive.
  • You're not genuinely curious about founders and what they're building.

Why Join Now

PLUGGED is at a genuinely exciting moment. The community is growing, the model is working, and the next phase is about scaling. This is the kind of role where you'll learn faster than almost anywhere else, own work that actually matters, and be working side by side with some of London's most ambitious founders. Become part of an ecosystem that has collectively raised $153m+. Come in now and you're shaping what PLUGGED becomes.

Compensation

Salary: £40-45k base, plus performance-related bonus. Commitment: Full time. Location: London-based. In-person presence required, especially for events.

How to Apply

Hit apply. Tell us why this makes sense for you and show us a community you've been part of or helped build. We want to see what you've actually done, not just what you say you can do. Our process: Apply - tell us your story and show us your proof of work. Interview - a conversation about you, the role, and how you think about community. Task - a short, practical exercise. Real work, completable in 48 hours. Paid trial - if the task lands, we work together properly before making it official. Hired - if the trial works, you're in.

Growth & Community Ops Lead employer: The Generalist Company

At PLUGGED, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and supportive community for ambitious founders in London. Our culture blends serious ambition with genuine fun, offering employees the chance to work closely with innovative minds while enjoying real ownership of their roles. With ample opportunities for personal and professional growth, you'll be part of a fast-paced environment where your contributions directly shape our mission to empower founders and create meaningful connections.

The Generalist Company

Contact Details:

The Generalist Company Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Growth & Community Ops Lead

Tip Number 1

Get to know the community before you apply! Attend events, engage with members on social media, and understand what makes PLUGGED tick. This will not only help you stand out but also give you insights to discuss during interviews.

Tip Number 2

Be ready to showcase your community-building skills. Think of specific examples where you've made a difference in a community or event. We want to see your passion and how you can bring that energy to PLUGGED!

Tip Number 3

When you get to the interview stage, don’t just talk about your experience—ask questions! Show us you're genuinely curious about our founders and the challenges they face. This will demonstrate your commitment to the role and the community.

Tip Number 4

Finally, apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our vibrant community at PLUGGED.

We think you need these skills to ace Growth & Community Ops Lead

Community Building
Sales Process Management
CRM Management
Event Planning and Execution
Member Engagement
Communication Skills
Operational Efficiency

Some tips for your application 🫡

Be Authentic:When you apply, let your true self shine through. We want to see your personality and passion for community-building. Share your story and what makes you tick!

Show Your Experience:Don’t just list your skills; show us how you've used them in real-life situations. Whether it’s a community you’ve built or an event you’ve run, we want to see the proof of your work.

Tailor Your Application:Make sure your application speaks directly to the role. Highlight your startup experience and community-minded approach. We love seeing how you connect with our mission!

Keep It Engaging:Your application should be as engaging as a great conversation. Use clear, confident language and keep it friendly. Remember, we’re looking for someone who can connect with our members!

How to prepare for a job interview at The Generalist Company

Know Your Community

Before the interview, dive deep into PLUGGED's community. Understand their events, values, and what makes them unique. This will help you connect with the interviewers and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their mission.

Showcase Your Experience

Prepare to discuss your past experiences in startups and community-building. Bring specific examples of how you've contributed to a community or run events. This will demonstrate your hands-on approach and understanding of the startup ecosystem.

Be Ready for Context Switching

Since the role involves juggling various tasks, be prepared to discuss how you handle multiple responsibilities. Share examples of times when you've successfully managed different projects simultaneously, showcasing your operational sharpness.

Emphasise Your People Skills

As a people person, highlight your ability to build relationships and engage with members. Prepare anecdotes that illustrate your communication skills and how you've made others feel valued in previous roles. This aligns perfectly with PLUGGED's community-focused culture.