Founder Operator | Remote | Contractor - UK

About us

Pickle is a talent partner for fast-growing businesses. We help ambitious founders and leadership teams hire exceptional people across operations, product, technology, customer success, commercial, finance, and executive leadership.

We specialise in identifying high-quality permanent and contractor talent that can make an immediate impact, supporting businesses through key growth stages with a thoughtful, consultative approach to hiring. Whether it's a critical leadership appointment or building out an entire function, we work as an extension of our clients' teams to find people who combine the right skills, mindset, and cultural fit.

We believe great hiring goes beyond matching CVs to job descriptions. It's about understanding how businesses operate, what success looks like, and connecting them with people who will help them grow for the long term.

About our client and the role

Location: Remote
Contract: Full-time hours
Start: ASAP

About Our Client

Our client is an ambitious, mission-driven technology company building innovative products designed to create meaningful, long-term impact. Operating at the intersection of technology, finance, and purpose, they are scaling rapidly and are looking for exceptional people to help shape the next stage of their journey.

Working in a fast-paced, founder-led environment, you'll have the opportunity to take ownership, influence how the business operates, and help build the systems and processes that support sustainable growth. The team values curiosity, accountability, speed, and a practical, hands-on approach to solving complex challenges.

The Opportunity

Our client is looking for an experienced Founder Operator to work directly alongside the Founder as a trusted operational partner.

This is a highly cross-functional role spanning business operations, product delivery, people operations, finance, compliance, partnerships, and strategic execution. You'll help transform priorities into action, introduce scalable operational processes, remove blockers, and ensure the business continues to move quickly as it grows.

This role would suit someone who enjoys operating across multiple functions, thrives in a high-growth environment, and is equally comfortable thinking strategically and executing at pace.

Key Responsibilities

Business Operations

• Own day-to-day business operations across the organisation.
• Maintain visibility across priorities, projects, dependencies, and operational risks.
• Ensure decisions are documented, communicated, and implemented effectively.
• Introduce structure and operational discipline while maintaining agility.

People Operations

• Coordinate people operations and HR administration.
• Support onboarding, performance management, documentation, and employment processes.
• Help develop scalable people processes to support business growth.

Product & Delivery Operations

• Coordinate operational readiness across product and engineering teams.
• Support product launches, partner onboarding, integrations, and delivery initiatives.
• Ensure operational excellence across product-related workstreams.

Revenue & Growth Operations

• Support the operational delivery of commercial partnerships and growth initiatives.
• Improve collaboration between product, commercial, and operational teams.
• Ensure opportunities move efficiently from planning through to execution.

Compliance & Governance

• Translate legal and regulatory requirements into operational processes.
• Identify operational risks and support strong governance practices.
• Help maintain compliance across business operations and reporting.

Finance Coordination

• Coordinate budgets, invoices, supplier relationships, and financial processes.
• Work closely with finance stakeholders to ensure operational accuracy and efficiency.

AI & Automation

• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency using AI and automation.
• Implement workflow improvements using modern AI tools and automation platforms.
• Continuously optimise internal systems and business processes.

Requirements

About You

Founder Mindset

You think like an owner and naturally take accountability for outcomes. Whether you've previously been a founder, an early employee, or held significant operational responsibility, you're comfortable taking initiative and driving execution independently.

Startup Experience

• 5–8 years' experience in operations, business operations, strategy, or similar roles.
• Experience within high-growth startups or scaling businesses.
• Comfortable working closely with founders and senior leadership.

Cross-Functional Operator

You can confidently work across operations, product, finance, people, legal, and commercial functions while maintaining clarity and focus.

Execution Driven

You anticipate challenges, build practical solutions quickly, and consistently deliver results with minimal supervision.

Calm Under Pressure

You remain organised in fast-moving environments, manage competing priorities effectively, and handle confidential matters with professionalism.

Leadership

• Experience managing teams and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Able to balance high standards with a collaborative leadership style.
• Comfortable remaining hands-on while empowering others.

AI & Systems Mindset

You actively seek opportunities to automate, streamline, and improve operational processes using modern AI and productivity tools.

What Success Looks Like

First 30 Days

• Gain visibility across key operational priorities and business objectives.
• Build an effective working rhythm with the Founder and leadership team.
• Develop a clear understanding of key projects and stakeholders.

First 60 Days

• Begin independently resolving operational challenges.
• Implement meaningful process improvements.
• Identify operational opportunities and areas for optimisation.

First 90 Days

• Become a trusted operational leader within the business.
• Increase leadership capacity through proactive execution.
• Strengthen governance and operational processes.

Six Months

• Establish scalable operational systems that reduce founder dependency.
• Successfully embed AI-enabled workflows across key business functions.
• Improve coordination across operations, finance, people, and delivery.

Twelve Months

• Build operational infrastructure that supports sustainable growth.
• Become a trusted strategic partner to the Founder and leadership team.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary.
• Competitive equity opportunity.
• Country-specific, competitive benefits package.
• Opportunity to work alongside a high-performing, ambitious team.
• Meaningful ownership and autonomy.
• Exposure to a fast-growing business where your work will have a significant impact.
• A collaborative environment focused on continuous learning, innovation, and long-term growth.

Benefits

What's on Offer

• Fully remote position.
• Work with an international team.
• Flexible working environment.
• Opportunity to grow with a fast-moving business.
• High levels of ownership and autonomy.
• Exposure to multiple areas of the business.

Contract Type: Independent Contractor

Location: Remote

Compensation: Competitive

Why This Role Is Different

We're looking for someone with a founder mentality, someone who enjoys figuring things out, improving systems, and helping a business run better every week. You don't need to have been a founder, but you should think like an owner and care deeply about outcomes.

• Recruitment Process
• Chat with Pickle
• Short take-home task or case study and a Personality assessment
• Call with Founder
• Presentation interview
• Final Culture interview

Diversity & Inclusion

Pickle People recognises the benefits of a diverse workforce and strives to be an inclusive organisation. We are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect regardless of race, culture, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief and we promote diversity of thought. We would appreciate your help to enable us to measure the diversity within our recruitment process. Completing this form is voluntary and the information provided will remain anonymous. Please submit your information here.