Founders Associate (Sales-Focused)

Clera; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity 0.5–1%

Mentorship with CEO

High autonomy and impact

Job summary

Clera in Munich or Hamburg is seeking an ambitious early-career professional to join as a frontline sales and business development partner, working directly with the CEO across prospecting, outreach, closing deals, and strategic projects. You will help shape go-to-market execution and company-building in a rapidly growing AI-powered platform.

Fluency in German and English, a background in consulting or high-growth startups, and a collaborative mindset are essential as you own pipeline and

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of full-time work experience (post-graduation)
• Proven customer-facing sales or business development experience with a track record in pipeline growth
• Background in consultancy or high-growth startup preferred
• Ability to work closely with a founder/CEO and take ownership across a broad remit
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills between commercial and operational work
• Fluent in German and English (professional level)

Responsibilities

• Partner directly with the CEO on day-to-day sales activity—from prospecting and outreach to closing deals and managing relationships
• Own and grow pipeline, contributing to revenue targets and business development initiatives
• Support design and execution of scalable sales processes and commercial operations
• Assist with hiring, partnerships, and strategic projects as the team scales
• Work cross-functionally across sales, marketing, product, and operations
• Represent the company externally with prospects, partners, and clients

Skills

Sales / BD experience

German language

English language

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

About the Role

This is a rare opportunity to join a fast-growing AI-powered content and brand visibility platform as one of the first commercial hires — working directly alongside the CEO across sales, operations, and company building. The company operates in the emerging space of Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), helping brands appear in AI-generated responses on platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. The business already serves 40+ clients across 14+ industries and is backed by leading startup programmes including Google Cloud for Startups and Microsoft Founders Hub.

This role is ideal for someone early in their career who is hungry to learn, comfortable operating with ambiguity, and excited by the intersection of AI technology and go-to-market execution.

What You'll Do

• Partner directly with the CEO on day-to-day sales activity — from prospecting and outreach to closing deals and managing relationships




• Own and grow pipeline, contributing directly to revenue targets and business development initiatives




• Support the design and execution of scalable sales processes and commercial operations




• Assist with company-building activities including hiring, partnerships, and strategic projects as the team scales




• Work cross-functionally across sales, marketing, product, and operations — acting as a force multiplier for the founding team




• Represent the company externally with prospects, partners, and clients

What We're Looking For

Required:

• 1–2 years of full-time work experience (post-graduation)




• Proven customer-facing sales or business development experience with a demonstrable track record in pipeline growth or revenue contribution




• Background in a consultancy (e.g. strategy, management consulting) or a high-growth startup strongly preferred




• Ability and willingness to work closely with a founder/CEO and take ownership across a broad remit




• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills — comfortable context-switching between commercial and operational work




• Fluent in German and English (professional level)

Nice to have:

• Exposure to AI, SaaS, or content/marketing technology




• Experience at firms such as Capgemini Invent, BCG, EY-Parthenon, PwC, or similar strategy/consulting backgrounds




• Familiarity with go-to-market motions in early-stage B2B environments

Dealbreaker: Candidates must be willing and able to work on-site in Munich or Hamburg (relocation supported where applicable). This role is not available remotely.

Compensation & Benefits

• Total compensation: up to €130,000 (inclusive of sales-related variable component)




• Equity: 0.5–1% (significant early-stage upside)




• Direct mentorship and day-to-day collaboration with the CEO




• High-autonomy, high-impact role at a company with strong early commercial traction

Please note: visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Location

Based in Munich or Hamburg, Germany. On-site presence is required. The team is split across both cities, and both are active hiring locations.