Hybrid Director of Operations

at Convergent Research

• Job title: Director of Operations
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: £100,000 - £110,000 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Location requirements: Hybrid, London, United Kingdom

About the role

• Director of Operations at Echo Labs managing operational systems for ecological intelligence research. Building a team and improving core processes in a startup-like environment in London.

Responsibilities

• Build and run the operational backbone that allows Echo’s scientific and technical teams to execute rapidly and at scale.
• Design, implement, and oversee internal project management and coordination systems, ensuring clear milestones, ownership, and reporting across scientific, technical, and operational workstreams.
• Establish day-to-day operating rhythms, supported by lightweight but robust internal infrastructure, enabling the organisation to scale without bureaucracy.
• Build a team to manage Echo’s first large-scale ecological field campaign, coordinating timelines, logistics, and dependencies to ensure readiness for a 2027 launch.
• Prepare and coordinate materials for the Board of Directors, including operational updates, budgets, and decision memos, working closely with the CEO.
• Act as Echo’s primary point of contact with Convergent Research on all administrative matters, ensuring smooth coordination across finance, HR, legal, and compliance functions.

Requirements

• Proven (5+ years) experience setting up operations from scratch or significantly scaling internal operations in startup-style organizations.
• Direct experience coordinating multi-vendor operations, and managing performance against delivery commitments.
• Experience coordinating across highly interdisciplinary teams, including scientists, engineers, product, and external partners, with the ability to align diverse incentives, timelines, and ways of working.
• Proven ability to operate across organisational boundaries, such as working with funders, shared service providers, research collaborators, or institutional partners, while maintaining clear internal ownership and accountability.
• High degree of autonomy and judgment, with comfort making decisions under uncertainty and building processes before best practices exist.
• Motivation to work in a mission-driven, startup-style organisation, including willingness to be hands-on, adapt quickly, and operate without large support teams.
• Exceptional organisational and execution skills, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams, deadlines, and stakeholders in a fast-moving environment.
• Adept with digital tools (Google Workspace, Slack, Notion, Asana, etc.)

Benefits

• Up to a 6% employer pension contribution, with optional additional salary sacrifice, because future-you deserves comfort.
• Top-tier private medical and dental insurance—are fully covered for you and your dependents. Stay healthy, my friend.
• Generous parental leave—20 weeks make-whole-pay for both parents.
• 25 days of holiday allowance.
• Wellness allowance for fitness and wellness activities.