Chief of Staff

Berkner Group; Eindhoven; Sur place; EUR 90 000 - 160 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Employee Share Ownership Plan

Competitive salary and benefits

Learning and development budget

Flexible working arrangements

Résumé du poste

Berknor Group in the Netherlands is seeking a Chief of Staff to serve as the CEO's strategic right hand. The ideal candidate is a high-energy, intellectually curious operator who can drive the board, funding, and finance machinery from strategy through completion.

This role demands ownership, execution speed, and the ability to advance high-stakes initiatives across the company in a fast-growing high-tech startup environment.

Qualifications

• 6-8+ years in high-intensity environments such as venture, consulting, or startup BizOps roles.
• Experience with preparing board materials and investor communications.
• Comfortable owning financial models and delivering board- and investor-grade materials.
• Executive-level written and verbal communication with impact.
• Ability to drive strategic and operational initiatives end-to-end.

Responsabilités

• Board & communications: own board material end to end, run leadership cadence and planning, shape CEO communications.
• Finance & systems: build scalable finance operations and select AI-enabled workflow software.
• Fundraising & non-dilutive funding: drive equity raises and lead public/grant applications (EU/national schemes).
• Cross-functional execution: manage tradeoffs between R&D and commercial timelines; lead cross-functional projects; build KPI dashboards.

Connaissances

Strategic thinking

Finance & fundraising

Executive communication

Operational leadership

AI fluency

Adaptability

Description du poste

About the Company

Semiconductor manufacturers can't build what they can't measure. Our client is a fast-growing scale-up in the high-tech industry, developing next-generation metrology solutions for the semiconductor sector. The company works at the intersection of optics, software, and data. It is a small team, but the depth of knowledge inside the company is anything but small. Its culture is professional and fast-paced, with short communication lines and a strong sense of shared purpose. Everyone at the company is committed, and everyone knows their work directly contributes to something bigger.

The Role

The Chief of Staff will be the CEO's strategic right hand. The ideal candidate is a high impact, driven, high energy, deeply intellectually curious, technically strong, & AI savvy Jack or Jill of all trades. They get the board, funding, and finance machinery working, and drive the highest-stakes initiatives from strategy through completion. They thrive on finishing things, not just starting them. They will drive the CEO's agenda and extend her capacity, not manage her calendar. This role calls for exceptional dynamism and a mission-driven attitude, and is not recommended for the faint-hearted. The ideal candidate wants a full throttle experience in one of Europe's fastest growing and highest potential startups. They are hungry to prove that the biggest things can be built in Europe when the best talent is assembled.

What the Chief of Staff Will Do

• Board & communications: own board material preparation end to end (decks, pre-reads, narrative, and follow-up), run the leadership cadence and quarterly planning so decisions close, and help shape the CEO's internal and investor communications.
• Finance & systems: work with the CFO and CEO to build out scalable finance operations, and select and implement software that automates workflows, often using AI.
• Fundraising & non-dilutive funding: drive equity raises end to end (data room, investor materials, diligence) and lead public and grant applications, such as EIC initiatives, the Dutch Innovation Credit (Innovatiekrediet), and comparable EU/national schemes.
• Cross-functional execution: force honest tradeoffs between R&D and commercial, board, or funding timelines; lead special projects that fall between leaders; build KPIs and dashboards that keep the leadership team honest.
• Supply chain, HR, IT, and legal are owned by the company's COO and aren't part of the job.

Is this the right candidate?

The company looks for judgment, drive, and range over pedigree. A strong Chief of Staff at the company does not need a technical or science degree. Excellent chiefs of staff in deep-tech come from venture capital, consulting, finance, or operating roles as often as the lab. What matters is enough technical fluency to earn credibility with engineers and follow why a milestone slipped.

• 6-8+ years in high-intensity environments. Venture capital, MBB-style consulting or banking, or a BizOps/strategy/founder role at a startup. With a track record of owning outcomes in ambiguity.
• Financial and analytical horsepower: comfortable owning a financial model and producing board- and investor-grade materials.
• Executive-grade, high-signal communication.
• An ownership instinct, not an advisory reflex. Energized by the daily reality of building a startup, not just the idea of it, owning outcomes and closing decisions rather than only advising and recommending.
• Comfortable working without fixed boundaries or a defined scope. Thrives in uncertainty rather than needing role clarity.
• Focused on high-leverage strategic and operational work rather than personal-assistant tasks (though may help hire one, if the need arises early enough).
• Leads with humility, not ego, and is here to help.

What the Company Offers

• A role at the heart of the company, with real ownership from day one
• Competitive salary and benefits, including an Employee Share Ownership Plan
• A learning and development budget to support their growth
• Flexible working arrangements, and room to grow into adjacent responsibilities as the team scales

Diversity & Inclusion

The company is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, where ideas and individuals flourish. It welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and judges candidates on merit and potential contribution, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, or other identity characteristics. What the company is looking for is talent with integrity, a collaborative mindset, and a drive to make an impact.