Chief of Staff

Harmattan AI; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Harmattan AI in Austin seeks a Chief of Staff to be the CEO’s force multiplier, turning strategic priorities into executable plans across the organization. You will sharpen operating cadence, drive cross-functional alignment, prepare board materials, and build scalable processes as the company scales its autonomous defense platforms.

This role emphasizes judgment, ambiguity navigation, and trusted partnership with executive leadership.

Qualifications

• Experience as Chief of Staff to a CEO or executive leadership, or Aide-de-Camp experience
• Background in senior program management or operations leadership
• Track record scaling organizations from startup through rapid growth, ideally at a venture-backed company
• Strong executive communications, strategic planning, and cross-functional leadership experience
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Political Science, or Economics; MBA preferred but not required
• Military leadership experience highly valued but not required
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace (PowerPoint, Excel), project management tools, and CRM tools (HubSpot preferred)
• Highly organized systems thinker with strong business judgment and executive presence
• Eligibility to work in the U.S.; background check requirements may apply given the nature of the organization

Responsibilities

• Establish and run the executive operating rhythm across the U.S. organization
• Implement weekly executive operating reviews and improve meeting cadence
• Lead strategic planning and quarterly business reviews
• Identify organizational bottlenecks and recommend improvements
• Drive execution of strategic priorities established by the CEO
• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives across Sales, Product, Engineering, Operations, and Manufacturing
• Create and maintain a company-wide strategic initiative tracker
• Manage multiple strategic initiatives simultaneously
• Prepare Board of Directors materials and executive briefings
• Own the Board preparation process end-to-end
• Build KPI dashboards and executive reporting
• Prepare the CEO for customer, investor, and stakeholder meetings
• Build scalable internal operating processes as the company grows
• Support hiring priorities as the U.S. team scales
• Close the loop daily with an executive action review with the CEO

Skills

Executive support

Strategic planning

Cross-functional leadership

Communication excellence

Problem solving

Organizational skills

Executive presence

Startup pace adaptation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Political Science, or Economics

MBA preferred but not required

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

PowerPoint

Excel

CRM tools (HubSpot preferred)

Project management tools

Job description

About Us

Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces.

Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real-world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected.

About the Role

As Chief of Staff, you will serve as the CEO's force multiplier, ensuring strategic priorities become executable work across the organization. You will improve operating cadence, eliminate bottlenecks, drive accountability, and free the CEO to remain focused on customers, investors, and strategic growth.

This role is an enabler, not an administrator: you will anticipate problems before they surface, act with judgment in ambiguity, and be a trusted thought partner to executive leadership.

Responsibilities

Executive Operating Rhythm

• Establish and run the executive operating rhythm across the U.S. organization

• Implement weekly executive operating reviews and improve meeting cadence

• Lead strategic planning and quarterly business reviews

• Identify organizational bottlenecks and recommend improvements

Strategic Execution & Cross-Functional Coordination

• Drive execution of strategic priorities established by the CEO

• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives across Sales, Product, Engineering, Operations, and Manufacturing

• Create and maintain a company-wide strategic initiative tracker

• Manage multiple strategic initiatives simultaneously

Board & Executive Communications

• Prepare Board of Directors materials and executive briefings

• Own the Board preparation process end-to-end

• Build KPI dashboards and executive reporting

• Prepare the CEO for customer, investor, and stakeholder meetings

Organizational Build

• Build scalable internal operating processes as the company grows

• Support hiring priorities as the U.S. team scales

• Close the loop daily with an executive action review with the CEO

Candidate Requirements

• Experience as Chief of Staff to a CEO or executive leadership, or Aide-de-Camp experience

• Background in senior program management or operations leadership

• Track record scaling organizations from startup through rapid growth, ideally at a venture-backed company

• Strong executive communications, strategic planning, and cross-functional leadership experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Political Science, or Economics; MBA preferred but not required

• Military leadership experience highly valued but not required

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace (PowerPoint, Excel), project management tools, and CRM tools (HubSpot preferred)

• Highly organized systems thinker with strong business judgment and executive presence

• Eligibility to work in the U.S.; background check requirements may apply given the nature of the organization.

We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.