Chief of Staff

Chief of Staff

Emeryville, CA - In-person, full time

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Hyfe is seeking an entrepreneurial Chief of Staff to the CEO who is passionate about addressing climate change through biomanufacturing, excited about building a company from the ground up, and adept at thinking and communicating strategically. The Chief of Staff is responsible for ensuring the CEO delivers against the company’s goals. The Chief of Staff will manage end-to-end workstreams and special projects, work cross-functionally between the business strategy and R&D departments, and manage operations and HR functions like hiring. The Chief of Staff will also be heavily involved in fundraising efforts and in board meeting preparation.

Our ideal hire serves as a strategic thought partner to the CEO on all company matters, and must be able to readily pivot to new priorities on short notice. We’re looking for an empathetic leader with high EQ that’s adept at managing both internal and external relationships. This person must also not be afraid to push for clarity when tasks/workstreams are ambiguous, be willing and able to push for timely delivery of materials from all parts of the organization, and take ownership of results.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Empower CEO and by proxy, other teams, to achieve goals in accordance with overall company strategy

• Work closely with the CEO and leadership team to craft and execute both internal and external strategy and communications

• Compile and send quarterly updates to investors, oversee quarterly board meeting preparation, presentation materials, and follow-up

• Own grant writing and applications

• Own end-to-end hiring process from job description to employee onboarding

• Manage office and lab space operations

• Lead award and conference / thought leadership strategy and submissions

• Think about Hyfé’s future growth and proactively take on projects that support this vision

• Create presentations for internal, external, and investor audiences

• Actively contribute as part of the leaderships team, including staying up on market trends, threats, and opportunities

• Evaluate and present on new market opportunities, product opportunities, and industry trends

REQUIREMENTS:

• B.S. degree or higher in a relevant field, with a strong preference for engineering + MBA combination, or similar

• Prior startup experience

• Appetite for a fast-paced, early-stage, “get your hands dirty” startup environment

• Outstanding communication and presentation abilities, capable of engaging with both technical and business audiences

• An unparalleled eye for detail

• Effective time management skills and demonstration of a high sense of urgency

COMPETENCIES:

• 3-5+ years of experience in early stage ventures, or relevant venture capital, management consulting, or investment banking experience

• Strong proficiency with PowerPoint, Excel, email management software, modeling, memo writing

• Comfort with data visualization software

• Previous exposure to venture capital, startup financing & terms negotiation, and cap table management

• Experience with business development and building B2B partnerships and sales relationships

• Innovative and driven to iterate quickly, with a focus on operational excellence

• Exceptional organization, communication and collaboration skills

• Highly autonomous with a strong intuition and a strategic, thoughtful approach to business

• Not afraid of the word “no” and always looking to push the bounds of what is possible

• Technical fluency or willingness to learn new platforms quickly

• Deep understanding of (or willingness to learn) the waste-to-value, food waste, biomanufacturing, and fermentation space

• Prior experience as a Chief of Staff (desired, not required)
  

OUTCOMES:
How will we know, with measurable clarity, whether you are doing an A-level job? What will the results be, what will we have achieved? What will it feel like?

• Lead alignment and transition of CEO/CoS responsibilities in the first 30 days

• Develop and implement method for how the team will track OKR’s on a daily, weekly, monthly basis within the first 30 days

• Take over investor communications and board meeting prep in the first 60 days

• Tracking toward monthly & quarterly OKR’s

• Show you are resilient to sudden changes in direction or strategy and demonstrate energy in charging ahead

BENEFITS:

• Competitive annual salary, commensurate with experience

• 401k plan

• 15 days of vacation, in addition to paid holidays, sick leave, and closed office the last week of December

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Short-term & long-term disability coverage

• In-office snacks & drinks

• Weekly team lunch

ABOUT HYFE:

Hyfé is on a mission to enable the decarbonization of chemicals, materials, fuels and foods by using food waste to lower the cost of biomanufacturing feedstocks. Biomanufacturing uses microbes as mini factories to convert sugar into the same molecules that would otherwise come from carbon-intensive industries like petroleum or animal farming. Currently, the industry relies on carbon intensive and expensive crop sugars which have adverse impacts on biodiversity, soil health, water quality, and food security. Alternative, cost-effective, low-carbon feedstocks are urgently required for biomanufacturing to reach viable unit economics and commercialize decarbonization solutions.

Joining Hyfé is a chance to be part of something extraordinary – it’s not just a job. We are pioneering a tangible solution that can make the promise of biomanufacturing a reality. And right now might be the most exciting moment in the company’s history to join. We are assembling a team of some of the most talented and motivated individuals across the country. Driven by our core values of being fired up, fast, exceptional, and clear, our team is determined to deliver on our mission to help biomanufacturing transform how we make things for the better.

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Equal Employment Opportunity: Hyfé is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.