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

Forward Earth; Berlin; Vor Ort; EUR 90.000 - 130.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Forward Earth is building a hybrid, globally distributed team. We seek a Founders Associate to be the strategic and operational right hand to the founders, owning the backbone of the company across Finance, People, and Operations.

You will lead a small team of 2–3 people, build scalable systems, and partner with the CEO on fundraising, governance, and execution. This role suits an entrepreneur at heart who thrives on variety and delivers with precision.

Qualifikationen

• Several years in a high-growth environment (Start-up/SaaS) or a leadership role.
• HGB familiarity is expected; strong financial modelling skills.
• Experience in recruiting or HR-tech environments is advantageous.
• Detail-oriented with an automation mindset.
• Excellent English; German language skills preferred for local compliance.

Aufgaben

• Own the operational backbone across Finance, People and Operations.
• Lead a 2–3 person team; build scalable systems and culture.
• Partner with founders on fundraising, governance and strategy.
• Develop processes to keep business lean while growing fast.
• Maintain Berlin-based infrastructure and vendor relationships.
• Ensure compliance and robust reporting to stakeholders.

Kenntnisse

Financial literacy

Builder mentality

People savvy

Communication

Jobbeschreibung

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

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.