About the role
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.
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