Founder's Associate – Operations

SalesAPE.ai; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Mentorship

Collaborative culture

Growth opportunities

Autonomy

AI startup exposure

Job summary

SalesAPE.ai is seeking an early-career Founder's Associate to sit at the operational core of the business in London. Hybrid role with around three days a week in the office, ownership from day one across HR, admin, finance-adjacent tasks, and investor relations.

You’ll coordinate people ops, onboarding, contracts, payroll, and systems access; manage equity schemes; and act as the go-to for managers when things break.

Qualifications

• : 1–2 years in operations, people ops or HR (internships count).
• - Strong working knowledge of Google Suite (Sheets, Docs, Drive, Forms).
• - Excellent written communication and close attention to detail.
• - Highly self‑managing with a genuine self‑starter mentality.
• - Comfortable handling sensitive, confidential information with discretion.
• - A calm, positive problem-solver who thrives when addressing fires.
• - Strong people skills; navigate sensitive conversations with tact.

Responsibilities

• : Own People Ops & HR end‑to‑end: onboarding/offboarding, contracts, payroll coordination with finance, systems access, equipment, and all things Rippling.
• - Administer core company workspaces and platforms, including Google Suite, Slack, etc.
• - Support investor relations and cap table management (SeedLegals, Carta), working with the Finance team, investors, and HMRC on related matters
• - Manage UK EMI and US ISO equity schemes, including issuance and ongoing cap table administration
• - Work with Finance team on expense control and spend management (Brex), including SaaS spend increases and vendor admin
• - Own DocuSign for all official documents: routing, chasing signatures, and securely handling sensitive information
• - Partner with our infosec advisor on platform security, access management, and GDPR compliance
• - Liaise with our fractional General Counsel on legal matters as they arise
• - Be the first responder when things break, such as systems access issues, platform outages, or urgent people matters
• - Act as the go‑to person for managers and staff navigating people, process, or systems questions
• - Help plan company events and logistics: all‑hands, team dinners, office space bookings, and department visits

Skills

People ops

HR operations

Discretion

Problem solving

Written communications

Self-starter

Relationship mgmt

Tools

Rippling

SeedLegals

Carta

Brex

DocuSign

1Password

Google Workspace

Job description

The Role

SalesAPE.ai is looking for a sharp, early-career Founder's Associate to sit at the operational core of the business. You'll own the systems, processes, and relationships that keep the company running — from people ops and onboarding to investor relations, equity schemes, and everyday firefighting. You'll be the person people come to when they don't know who else to ask, and you'll be expected to find the answer, not just point elsewhere. This role sits within Operations, reporting to the General Manager/Chief of Staff, with regular direct exposure to the founder & CEO. This is a hybrid role, and we'd generally expect around three days a week in our London office, with flexibility on the rest. You'll be handed real ownership from day one across HR, finance‑adjacent admin, legal coordination, and investor relations. This is a role for someone who wants breadth, responsibility, and a front‑row seat to how a startup is actually built.

Key Responsibilities & Scope

• Own People Ops & HR end‑to‑end: onboarding/offboarding, contracts, payroll coordination with finance, systems access, equipment, and all things Rippling
• Administer core company workspaces and platforms, including Google Suite, Slack, etc.
• Support investor relations and cap table management (SeedLegals, Carta), working with the Finance team, investors, and HMRC on related matters
• Manage UK EMI and US ISO equity schemes, including issuance and ongoing cap table administration
• Work with Finance team on expense control and spend management (Brex), including SaaS spend increases and vendor admin
• Own DocuSign for all official documents: routing, chasing signatures, and securely handling sensitive information
• Partner with our infosec advisor on platform security, access management, and GDPR compliance
• Liaise with our fractional General Counsel on legal matters as they arise
• Be the first responder when things break, such as systems access issues, platform outages (e.g. HubSpot down), or urgent people matters, while staying calm and solving problems under pressure
• Act as the go‑to person ("oracle of truth") for managers and staff navigating people, process, or systems questions
• Help plan company events and logistics: all‑hands, team dinners, office space bookings, and department visits

What We’re Looking For

We want someone early in their career who is highly organised, discreet, endlessly resourceful, and genuinely enjoys being the person who gets things sorted; someone with a strong work ethic who’s willing to jump in when something urgent comes up, even outside standard hours.

Essential

• 1-2 years of experience in operations, people ops, HR, or a related generalist function (internships count)
• Strong working knowledge of Google Suite (Sheets, Docs, Drive, Forms)
• Excellent written communication and close attention to detail
• Highly self‑managing with a genuine self‑starter mentality
• Comfortable handling sensitive, confidential information with discretion
• A calm, positive problem‑solver who thrives when putting out fires
• Strong people skills; able to navigate sensitive conversations (e.g. compensation, access, performance) with tact

Nice to Have

• Experience with HR/ops or fintech platforms such as Rippling, Carta, SeedLegals, Brex, DocuSign, or 1Password
• Familiarity with UK employment/equity concepts (EMI schemes) or US equity structures (ISOs)
• Experience in a fast‑growing startup or AI company
• Exposure to investor relations, cap table management, or working alongside legal/finance functions

What We Offer

• A pivotal role in a fast‑growing AI startup with a unique product offering
• Competitive compensation
• Direct mentorship and exposure to founders and senior leadership
• A collaborative, innovative, and supportive work culture
• Opportunities for professional growth in the emerging field of AI solutions
• Freedom and autonomy are our principal values