Chief Operating Officer - Scale Up Consumer Brand

We are working with the founders of a high-growth UK consumer brand as it enters its next stage of scale. They’re now hiring a COO (Founders Associate) to help them navigate the next phase of growth. This is an ideal opportunity for someone coming from a consumer, ecommerce (DTC), or retail scale‑up who wants to step into a broader leadership role.

This is a broad, high‑impact role, but at its core, we are looking for someone whose superpower sits in finance and operations. Someone who can bring sharper control, better visibility, stronger planning and greater day‑to‑day grip as the business becomes more complex across channels, inventory, margin, forecasting and execution. The company has grown from zero to over £20m revenue in under three years, built strong momentum through direct‑to‑consumer, and is now expanding further across retail. As a result, this role will be central to helping the business scale in a way that is commercially disciplined, operationally robust and still agile.

You will work closely with the founders and leadership team to help turn priorities into action, improve cross‑functional execution, and build the operating rhythm, financial visibility and organisational structure needed for the next chapter. This role would suit someone who has operated in a founder‑led consumer business, enjoys working across multiple functions, and is excited by the idea of growing into a future GM or broader business leadership role over time. This is a hybrid role with 3 days per week at the HQ in Cheltenham.

What you’ll do:

• Work directly with the founders to turn priorities into clear business action
• Bring greater rigour to financial and operational management as the business scales
• Improve forecasting, planning, reporting rhythm and business visibility
• Help drive stronger grip across margin, inventory, working capital and day‑to‑day execution
• Coordinate key cross‑functional initiatives and keep priorities moving
• Spot bottlenecks, risks and trade‑offs early, then help solve them
• Support the business as it grows across DTC and retail channels
• Build stronger ways of working without overcomplicating the business

What we’re looking for:

• Experience in a high‑growth founder‑led omnichannel consumer business
• Background in consumer goods or FMCG ecommerce brands
• Strong operator with genuine depth in finance and operations
• Able to move comfortably between strategic thinking and hands‑on execution
• Commercially minded, highly organised and calm under pressure
• Comfortable working across multiple functions in a fast‑moving environment
• Low ego, high ownership, strong judgement
• Excited by building, not just managing

Why this role stands out:

• Direct partnership with founders
• Real breadth, visibility and influence
• Business at genuine scale, but still early enough to shape
• Clear opportunity to grow into a broader leadership role over time
• Strong package and meaningful bonus opportunity

If you are excited by the idea of helping build a modern consumer brand from the inside, and you bring the financial and operational strength to help a fast‑growth business scale well, we’d love to hear from you.

We would love to respond to every application however due to the volume of applications we receive this isn't always possible. If you have not heard within 2 weeks of applying, please assume on this occasion that your application has not been shortlisted. We may retain your CV to contact you about future employment opportunities that are being managed by The Growth Foundation Talent. The Growth Foundation Talent is deeply committed to building a diverse