Founders Associate

About the role

A partner company is looking for a Founders Associate based in the United Arab Emirates. The role works directly with the CEO to drive the company's strategic and operational priorities from concept to execution, taking ownership of high-impact, cross-functional initiatives. It suits an ambitious operator who thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys turning ideas into results.

Key responsibilities

• Lead two to three high-priority projects each quarter, from planning through delivery.
• Design, coordinate and deliver major initiatives such as supplier sourcing programmes, operational improvements and AI-enabled workflows.
• Turn ambiguous questions and priorities from leadership, the board and partners into defined problems, recommendations and execution plans.
• Oversee the operating rhythm: leadership meetings, board and investor updates, OKR reviews and all-hands meetings.
• Represent the CEO with procurement leaders, partners, cooperative executives and investors.
• Integrate AI tools, agents and automated workflows into daily operations.
• Coordinate distributed teams across the UK and US, keeping priorities aligned across time zones.

Required profile

• 3-5 years of experience in management consulting, ideally at a top-tier firm, or equivalent operational experience at a Series A to C startup.
• Proven track record of independently managing complex cross-functional projects or business launches.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical and numerical skills, with experience in spreadsheets, dashboards and SQL-related tools.
• Hands-on experience with AI tools, agents, MCP servers or prompt-based workflows.
• Ability to work across time zones and communicate asynchronously; genuine interest in public sector innovation and government procurement.

What we offer

• Competitive salary and meaningful equity.
• Direct leadership exposure and close work with the CEO and founders.
• Exposure to product, commercial strategy, partnerships, fundraising and board-level activities, with potential progression to Head of Operations or General Manager.
• Remote-first work with occasional in-person collaboration and travel to the United States.