Chief of Staff

Bright Machines, Inc.; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Bright Machines is seeking a Chief of Staff to partner with the CEO and executive team, driving high-impact initiatives and ensuring cohesive execution across business units. You will shape strategy, accelerate priorities, and help translate vision into operational plans at scale.

You will lead cross-functional programs, develop analytical models for resource allocation and performance, and prepare materials for Board and investors.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in strategic, operational, or business planning roles.
• Experience at top tier consulting firms (Bain/BCG/McKinsey).
• Proven track record leading cross-functional programs from ideation to execution.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Shape and articulate overall company strategy with the CEO and executives.
• Lead strategic planning processes, OKRs, and cross-organizational alignment.
• Oversee cross-functional initiatives and ensure integration into execution.
• Develop executive-level presentations and narratives for leadership.
• Support investor relations, and prepare materials for Board and fundraising.

Skills

Strategic planning

Cross-functional leadership

Analytical thinking

Project management

Executive communication

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

MBA or comparable advanced degree

Job description

RETHINK MANUFACTURING

The only way to ignite change is to build the best team. At Bright Machines, we’re innovators and experts in our craft who have joined together to manufacture the AI and data center infrastructure at the edge. We believe unifying software, intelligent automation, and data is the answer to delivering quality and flexibility at scale. We deliver products to meet the demands of today while continuously investing in our Bright Factory model to take advantage of what comes next.

Working with us means you’ll have the opportunity to make lasting, impactful changes for our company and our customers. If you’re ready to apply your exceptional skills to a brighter way of manufacturing AI infrastructure, we’d love to speak with you.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Chief of Staff at Bright Machines partners directly closely with the CEO and executive leadership team to drive high-impact initiatives across the organization. In this role you will be a strategic and operational leader partner to the executive leadership team, driving cross-functional initiatives, accelerating strategic priorities, and boosting organizational effectiveness. You’ll play a key role in shaping company direction, facilitating decision-making, and ensuring that the business executes efficiently and cohesively at scale.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

• Partner closely with the CEO and executive leadership team to shape and articulate overall company strategy, including long-range planning resource allocation, and prioritization of major initiatives.
• Leadand manage strategic planning processes, including OKR's, quarterly priorities, and cross-organizational alignment.
• Oversee key projects that cut across functions (e.g., operational transformation, new businessinitiativesand partnerships).
• Work with executive leaders (Operations, R&D, Sales, Marketing, Finance, HR, etc.) to ensure integration of strategic plans into functional execution.
• Facilitate effective communication across teams to break down silos and promote organizational clarity.
• Drivetherhythm of the business,includingbusinessreviews,forecasting processes,and reporting cadence.
• Support preparation of materials for Board of Directors, investors, and fundraising.
• Identifychallenges and opportunities in the operatingmodelandpropose solutions to enhance alignment and execution.
• Lead orparticipatein initiatives that improve processes, forecasting, or decision frameworks across the company.
• Develop analytical models to support strategic planning, resource allocation, andcompany performance.
• Support investor relations, external communications, and strategic partnerships in collaboration with Marketing and Finance teams.
• Support preparation of materials for Board of Directors, investors, and fundraising.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING

• 8+ years in a strategic, operational, or business planning role. Ideally in high-growth technology, SW, robotics, automation, or top tier consulting firms. (at least 3 years post MBA).
• Top tier consulting firm experiencepreferred(Bain / BCG / McKinsey)
• Proventrack recordleading strategic cross-functional programs or initiatives from ideation to execution.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills; comfortable with complex, ambiguousenvironments.
• Experience building operating cadences, KPI frameworks, forecasting processes, and performance dashboards.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft executive-level presentations and narratives.
• Credibility working with senior leaders, with high emotional intelligence, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Bachelor’s degree required (preferably engineering, or a related field). An MBA or comparable advanced degree is preferred.

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU HAD

• Experience at a high-growth technology, robotics, automation, or deep-tech company.
• Prior experience in manufacturing, automation, or AI infrastructure.
• Familiarity with investor relations andthefundraising process.

$180,000 - $240,000 a year

BE EMPOWERED TO CHANGE AN INDUSTRY

Bright Machines is a next-generation, AI-enabled manufacturer focused on data center infrastructure production. Bright Machines uses its proprietary AI-based robotics and software to assemble AI infrastructure hardware products (i.e., data center servers) for hyperscalers, neoclouds, and leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to reduce their time to revenue. With its Bright Factory model, Bright Machines builds higher quality data center infrastructure at scale, addresses increasing market demands for computing power due to the surge of AI, and answers the call to the U.S. national mandate to reshore manufacturing. Bright Machines is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, and has an integration center in Guadalajara, Mexico. The company has been recognized as one of Forbes' AI 50, awarded "Best AI-based Solution for Manufacturing" by AI Breakthrough, named a "Technology Pioneer" by the World Economic Forum, and highlighted by several other leading technology and innovation organizations.