Founders Associate (m/f/d) – Finance, People & Ops

Job description

Founders Associate (m/f/d) – Finance, Strategy & Ops About forward earth At forward earth, we envision a world where sustainability and decarbonisation are not just buzzwords but fundamental business practices. Our mission is to accelerate that transformation – fast. We provide embedded carbon management software that empowers our partners to offer decarbonisation tools directly to their customers. From product-level footprints to actionable supply chain insights, our SaaS platform helps organisations reduce emissions at scale, backed by cutting-edge AI, high automation, and a deep focus on real-world climate impact. We are a hybrid team working with ambitious companies across the world – and we are just getting started. The Role We are looking for a Founders Associate to act as the strategic and operational right hand to our founding team. This is a high-impact, "generalist-plus" role that sits at the very heart of forward earth. You will own the operational backbone of the company, moving fluidly between high-level strategy and hands-on execution across Finance, People, and Operations. You won't just be "supporting" – you will be building. You will lead a small team of 2–3 people, establishing the systems and culture that allow us to scale. This role is ideal for an aspiring entrepreneur or a high-level operator who thrives on variety, loves to dive into the details, and wants to see exactly how a global climate-tech company is built from the inside out. Your Responsibilities Finance & Investor Relations Own the Numbers: Manage our financial planning, budgeting, and controlling. You’ll maintain the financial model, refine forecasts (hiring, burn, revenue), and keep a pulse on our actuals. Strategic Planning: Partner with the CEO to develop business cases for expansion and long-term profitability. Stakeholder Management: Prepare concise, board-level reporting on cash, runway, and KPIs for our investors and advisors. Compliance: Oversee day-to-day accounting with our external partners, ensuring we stay compliant with HGB (and IFRS where needed). People & Culture Talent Engine: Own the end-to-end recruiting process. You’ll scope roles, source top talent, and ensure a world-class onboarding experience. Performance: Drive a high-performance culture by implementing structured OKR cycles, feedback frameworks, and growth paths. Culture Stewardship: Ensure our values translate into reality. You’ll manage team rituals and the overall employee experience as we scale. Leadership: Manage and develop your own team of 2–3 people, setting the bar for excellence. Strategy & Governance Orchestration: Lead our quarterly strategy process, facilitating workshops and ensuring all departments are aligned through OKRs. Thought Partnership: Act as a sounding board for the founders on critical trade-offs, fundraising, and strategic pivots. Operations & Infrastructure The Engine Room: Keep the daily business running smoothly—from optimizing our software stack and IT workflows to managing vendor relationships and our Berlin-based infrastructure. Scaling Systems: Identify bottlenecks before they become problems. You will build the documentation and automated processes that allow us to stay lean while growing fast. What We Are Looking For Experience: Several years in a high-growth environment (Start-up/SaaS), a Chief of Staff role, or a top-tier consultancy/investment banking background. Financial Literacy: You are comfortable with financial modelling and have a solid grasp of accounting concepts (HGB familiarity is a must). Builder Mentality: You have an affinity for automation. You don't just do a task; you build a process so it runs itself. People Savvy: You understand that a company is only as good as its people and have experience in recruiting or HR-tech environments. Precision & Drive: You are detail-oriented and never drop the ball, but you also have the "hustle" to get things done without being asked. Communication: Excellent English is a must; strong German skills are required to navigate local authorities and compliance. Why Join forward earth? Direct Impact: You’ll be in the room where it happens, gaining first-hand exposure to fundraising, board meetings, and global scaling. Ownership: Lead a small, high-autonomy team from day one. Climate Mission: Work on a product that actually moves the needle on global decarbonisation. Flexibility: Competitive salary, hybrid setup (Berlin-based), and flexible working arrangements. Growth: This role is designed to evolve. Whether you want to become a COO or start your own company one day, this is the ultimate launchpad.