Chief of Staff

9 Mothers•Austin, TX

8d•$150,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Chief of Staff to serve as the right hand to our CEO, ensuring executive focus, operational discipline, and cross-functional alignment as we scale rapidly. This is not an administrative role, it is a high-level operational leadership position for an assertive, strategic operator who can step in, offload executive burdens, and make sure nothing falls through the cracks. While our engineering team is deep in technical execution, you will maintain the high-level, big-picture perspective across the entire company. You will manage executive communications, offload complex operational tasks (such as deciphering priorities and daily requirements, and aligning resources both internally and externally), and act as a critical buffer and diplomat in external partner and client interactions. If you excel at turning executive intent into seamless team execution and keeping strategic partnerships on track, this role is built for you.

Requirements

4–8+ years of experience in business operations, Chief of Staff roles, management consulting, venture-backed startups, or high-velocity tech/defense environments.
Exceptional interpersonal skills with proven ability to navigate high-stakes partner/client meetings, manage cross-functional tension, and smooth over friction effectively.
Ability to hold a company-wide view, understanding how daily engineering details tie into macro business goals, contracts, and customer commitments.
Proven track record of stepping into ambiguous situations, dissecting complex tasks and bringing them to resolution independently.
World-class written and verbal communication; capable of representing executive leadership internally to technical teams and externally to high-value partners.
U.S. Citizenship and the ability to pass a background check.

Nice To Haves

Background in defense tech, aerospace, robotics, or complex hardware startups.
Experience reviewing or executing government/commercial contracts (e.g., SBIR/STTR, OTAs, commercial subcontracts) and understanding deliverables/invoicing flows.
Direct prior experience working as a Chief of Staff or Ops Lead to C-suite founders/executives in a fast-paced environment.
Active security clearance or the ability to obtain one.

Responsibilities

Monitor, prioritize, and manage CEO communications; handle immediate external outreach on their behalf to ensure zero dropped balls and rapid response times for critical stakeholders.
Take ownership of complex operational tasks directly from the CEO.
Maintain a holistic, macro view of the company's goals to contextualize leadership priorities for engineering and operational teams, keeping everyone aligned on why specific initiatives matter.
Sit in on key meetings with external partners and clients to manage relationships, de-escalate tensions, maintain executive composure, and realign team dynamics toward constructive outcomes.
Work directly with internal engineering and operations teams to translate high-level executive directives into actionable work streams without requiring daily founder oversight.
Structure and drive executive meeting agendas, action items, and follow-ups to keep leadership and department heads accountable to core company targets.