Founding Operator (COO Pathway)

Founding Operator (COO Pathway) | Operator-in-Residence (Temp → Full-Time)Chez Enterprises | Remote | May–Sept 2026⸻Chez Enterprises is building an integrated culinary ecosystem across:• Chez — demand (in-home chef experiences)• CulinaryHR — workforce (stage-based hiring + performance validation)We are intentionally focused on building a connected demand + workforce system before expanding further.This is not a traditional COO search.This is a founding operator role with a clear path to COO, focused on building the operating system of the company.⸻The RoleYou will work directly with the CEO to move both venture strategy and day-to-day operations forward, while establishing the systems, structure, and execution discipline required for scale.This role begins as a focused operating engagement, with the expectation of evolving into a full-time COO position as the company grows.You will collaborate closely with:• CEO (vision and direction)• CPO (product and system design)• Engineering and Sales (execution and feedback loops)⸻Core MandateBuild an organization where:• Leadership defines direction• Systems and AI extend execution capacityWhile simultaneously:• Advancing venture strategy and operational execution together—not sequentially⸻Key ResponsibilitiesOperations Leadership• Align Chez and CulinaryHR into a unified operating system• Drive execution across demand, workforce, and product• Establish clarity, accountability, and consistent forward momentumVenture Strategy• Translate vision into a scalable operating and financial model• Help shape positioning, growth pathways, and long-term directionSystems & AI Execution LayerUsing tools such as Claude and ChatGPT, you will:• Build structured workflows that support execution• Create lightweight AI-supported systems across marketing, operations, and internal coordination• Improve speed, clarity, and decision-making across the businessExecution Management• Translate strategy into clear actions and outputs• Identify bottlenecks and remove them quickly• Continuously refine how work gets done⸻Tools & Systems Exposure (Preferred)You do not need to master every tool, but should be comfortable thinking in systems.Examples include:• Claude, ChatGPT• Zapier or Make• Notion• Airtable⸻Education & Experience• Background in business, operations, hospitality, or related field• Startup, operations, or builder experience strongly preferred• Experience creating structure in ambiguous environmentsMost important:• You have built or operated real systems• You take ownership and move things forward without waiting⸻What We Value• Bias toward action• Systems thinking• Ownership and accountability• Ability to bring clarity to complexity⸻What Success Looks LikeFirst 30 Days• Clear understanding of operations across Chez and CulinaryHR• Initial systems and workflows established60–90 Days• Consistent execution cadence in place• Improved visibility and operational flow• Clear connection between demand and workforce⸻Structure• Fully remote• Monday: strategy + alignment• Thursday: execution + iteration⸻Compensation• Early-stage, founder-aligned structure• Initial paid engagement based on scope and availability• Significant equity participation for the right partner• Clear path to full-time COO as the company scales⸻Application — Pitch Deck (No Resume)Admin@culinaryhr.comPlease submit a short pitch deck (PDF or Notion) including:• Who you are as a builder/operator• Your perspective on Chez + CulinaryHR• How you would approach this role with graphs/ tables• A simple 30–60 day plan• Examples of systems or work you’ve built• Optional: short video (2–3 minutes)⸻In this role, you will oversee the operational orchestration of two distinct AI companies: one focused on empowering personal chefs with automated menu planning and client management, and another designed for restaurants to revolutionize staging and staff onboarding. While you are not expected to write code, you must possess the technical literacy to bridge business strategy with our engineering teams. You should understand the foundational roles of Python for our machine learning models and JavaScript for our front-end interfaces [1.1, 1.4]. This enables you to effectively evaluate technical resources and ensure our "tech stack" supports a seamless user experience for both independent culinary artists and high-volume commercial kitchens. Working directly with the CEO and CPO, you will be a key driver in scaling the business and managing investor relations. You will act as a strategic bridge between tech development, sales, and marketing teams to ensure our product roadmap aligns with market demands and investor expectations. This role requires a self-driven leader who excels in a remote environment while remaining comfortable navigating the fast-paced world of fine dining. Whether you are discussing "staging" workflows with an Executive Chef or presenting growth metrics to stakeholders, you must be fluent in both culinary jargon and business analytics to drive our mission of modernizing the culinary workforce. Strategic Impact for the Culinary Workforce:Your focus will be on the high-level orchestration of our AI operations to create measurable impact: Operational Scaling: Lead the development of frameworks that scale our onboarding solutions, helping restaurants reduce friction for new hires through AI-driven training and real-time feedback systems.Chef Empowerment: Drive growth for our personal chef platform by optimizing workflows that allow chefs to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on culinary innovation.Investor Relations & Strategy: Translate technical milestones into actionable business KPIs to build investor confidence and secure the capital needed for near-term growth targets.Cross-Functional Leadership: Serve as the "connective tissue" between engineering, product, and sales to ensure seamless collaboration and prevent operational silos. Final NoteAdvance the venture. Execute the operation. Architect the system that scales both—simultaneously.