Operations lead

The Role Outcapped is hiring an Operations Lead to own and drive the delivery of Outcapped's Fractional COO and Operational Assistance services for mission-driven client organizations across AI safety, global development, and adjacent fields. This is a high-ownership, high-autonomy role. You will personally execute operational functions work - accounting, compliance, HR, governance, and more - to a consistently high standard, while also managing and quality-checking the work of Operations Associates. You are expected to run your client engagements like projects: scoping the work, sequencing it, hitting deadlines, and delivering high-quality, finished output with minimal review from the Head of Operations. You will typically support several client organizations at once, focusing on UK or/and US entities. If you can roll up your sleeves and do the work yourself, manage others to do it well, and know how to turn ambiguity into structure, this role is for you.

About Outcapped

Mission We build and run the systems that let high-impact startups move at full speed, combining automations with personal, operationally excellent support to save founders time and amplify their positive impact.

Vision By 2030, 10,000 impact-driven startups, 100 powered by our dedicated operators and 9,900 running on our automation platform, operate friction-free, accelerating breakthroughs that safeguard and advance humanity.

What We Do Outcapped is an operations agency that frees mission-driven founders from back-office work. Through a Fractional COO and Operational Support model, we deliver operational services directly to clients. We are also building a platform with a library of 150+ vetted SOPs and an AI-powered workflow builder to standardize and automate finance, HR, legal, and IT tasks.

Key Responsibilities

• Fractional COO delivery: Act as the outsourced operations leader for assigned client organizations - advancing organizational structure and strategy, and translating leadership's priorities into an executable operating plan.
• Compliance and governance: Manage compliance calendars for UK or US clients, from incorporation to Board operations (agendas, minutes, resolutions) and policies.
• HR and People Operations: Run payroll and benefits administration (including oversight of payroll/EOR platforms such as Gusto and Deel), manage employment compliance across jurisdictions, onboard and offboard client employees and contractors, and maintain HR compliance.
• Financial management and accounting: Own monthly bookkeeping, reconciliations, accounts payable, and budget/cash-flow tracking, and prepare grant financial reporting - performing the work directly or overseeing an Operational Assistant to a high standard.
• Project and people management: Independently project manage multi-workstream client engagements - scoping, sequencing, and hitting deadlines - and deliver consistently high-quality output with minimal review from the Head of Operations. Delegate to and quality-check the work of Operational Associates, ensuring anything you don't execute yourself still meets Outcapped's bar.
• Client relationship ownership: Serve as the primary operational point of contact for your accounts - surfacing risks, proposing solutions, and communicating concisely and proactively via Slack or e-mail per each engagement's terms.
• Tool and systems strategy: Select and implement the tools (e.g. Notion, Airtable, Navan, Ramp) that support the above, and build the SOPs and documentation that make the work repeatable across clients.

About You

Must-haves

• 4+ years of operations experience in startups, agencies, or similar environments
• Experience owning multiple operational domains such as governance, finance, compliance, or tooling
• Proven ability to both execute operational work personally and manage or delegate to others, at a consistently high bar
• Track record of building and improving systems across multiple organizations or contexts
• Strong judgment and demonstrated operational competence - you know what “good” looks like and can get there without much guidance
• Initiative paired with coachability: you spot what needs doing and act on it, and you take feedback well and apply it
• A humble, growth-oriented mindset: comfortable not knowing something yet, and genuinely motivated to keep learning
• High ownership mindset and ability to operate independently
• Excellent written and verbal English communication

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with nonprofit, CIC, or NGO compliance and governance on either side of the Atlantic (e.g. Companies House filings and CIC34 reports in the UK; 990 coordination and state charitable registration in the US)
• Deep expertise in a specific area such as Finance, HR, IT, or Recruiting Operations
• Strong experience with no-code and automation tools such as Airtable, Zapier, or Make
• Experience working with early-stage or mission-driven organizations
• Interest in AI tools and workflow automation

How We Work

Operational Excellence – We Aim at 120% We hold ourselves to high standards and look for ways to improve processes. We focus on building reliable, repeatable systems.

Communication and Commitment – Say What You Do, Do What You Say We communicate clearly and consistently. We follow through on commitments and ask for help when needed.

Owner-Thinking – We Are All Co-Owners We take responsibility for our work and proactively identify ways to improve both internal systems and client operations.

Compensation Structure We set compensation on a case-by-case basis based on role scope, experience, availability, and location. The following range is a rough guidance: €40–55 per hour (full-time equivalent €70–110k per year).

Time Commitment and Benefits

Time commitment: This is a full-time role. Contract setup: We are open to employment through an EOR, direct employment (Germany, US), or a contractor relationship. Benefits that fit: Full-time team members receive a customized benefits bundle. Contractors set their own mix and rates are adjusted accordingly. Remote-first: Work from anywhere with 3–4 hours overlap with CEST (9 AM to 6 PM) and 3–4 hours overlap with Pacific time three days per week.

Application Process

Application Review Submit your CV and answer a few questions. Initial Conversation A 20-minute call to discuss background and fit. Work Test A 90-minute practical assignment to assess how you think and execute. Final Interview Review your work test and discuss role fit, compensation, and timing. Work Trial A paid 2-month trial where you work on real tasks with the team. Offer and Onboarding If aligned, we extend a long-term offer and onboard you into a client-facing role.