General Agent / Operations Steward
Become a cornerstone of Mpalo's success. Empower our research team, streamline operations, and actively cultivate our unique coworker-centric culture.
About the Role at Mpalo (2 Positions Available)
As a General Agent / Operations Steward at Mpalo, you will be a vital force in ensuring the smooth functioning and vibrant culture of our company. This multifaceted role involves providing comprehensive support to our research team, managing key administrative and operational tasks, and championing the values that make Mpalo a unique place to work. You'll be a proactive problem-solver, an excellent communicator, and a key contributor to our remote-first, human-centric environment. Your work will directly enable our team to focus on groundbreaking AI research by creating an organized, supportive, and inspiring operational backbone.
We are seeking two individuals to lay the foundation of our operational and cultural support system. You will have the opportunity to shape processes, contribute to team well-being initiatives, and grow with the company.
What You'll Do:
- Provide administrative, logistical, and project coordination support to the research team and founder.
- Manage internal communications, organize virtual meetings and events, and help maintain our shared knowledge base.
- Assist with onboarding new coworkers, ensuring a welcoming and smooth integration into the Mpalo culture.
- Facilitate team-building activities and contribute to initiatives that foster a strong sense of community and belonging in a remote setting.
- Handle general inquiries, manage company correspondence, and liaise with external vendors or partners as needed.
- Support the administration of our unique coworker benefits, including the collective team budget and well-being programs.
- Contribute to the development and refinement of efficient operational processes and systems.
- Champion Mpalo's ethical principles and people-first culture in all interactions and activities.
What We're Looking For:
- Proven experience in an administrative, operations, project coordination, or executive assistant role, preferably in a tech or research environment.
- Exceptional organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English (German is a plus but not required).
- Proficiency with common office software, collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, GSuite/Microsoft 365), and project management platforms.
- Experience working in a remote or distributed team environment is highly desirable.
- A proactive and resourceful approach to problem-solving.
- Human-Centric & Empathetic: A genuine care for people and a desire to foster a supportive and positive work environment.
- Highly Collaborative: Enjoys working with others and facilitating smooth teamwork.
- Adaptable & Resilient: Thrives in a dynamic, evolving startup environment and can navigate ambiguity with a positive attitude.
- Detail-Oriented & Conscientious: Takes pride in accuracy and ensuring tasks are completed to a high standard.
- Integrity & Trustworthiness: Handles confidential information with discretion and acts with unwavering integrity.
- Passion for Mpalo's Vision: Enthusiasm for our mission in AI and our unique approach to company culture.
What Mpalo Offers You:
- Competitive Salary: We offer an attractive salary package, commensurate with experience and benchmarked for operations and administrative roles in Germany and remote positions. (Specifics to be discussed during the interview process).
- Groundbreaking Coworker Share Program: As a valued coworker, you fully participate in our shared success model where 20% of Mpalo's company resources are collectively dedicated to all coworkers. This includes:
- 15% for Coworker Shares: A significant portion of company revenue is allocated to a share program, distributed equally amongst all coworkers, ensuring everyone is a direct financial stakeholder in Mpalo's long-term success.
- 5% Collective Coworker Budget: This portion forms a collective budget, managed by coworkers. The history of purchases will be transparent to all. Larger purchases will require consensus, and all expenditures are reviewed by a validation team. During our remote-first phase, these funds are reinvested into research resources and team development. Upon establishing a physical headquarters, this budget will empower coworkers to enhance their shared workspace, from team room personalizations to office amenities and well-being initiatives.
- Unparalleled Well-being Support: Our commitment to preventing burnout and fostering creativity extends to all coworkers. Benefit from paid time off and resources for personal growth and rejuvenation.
- Remote-First & Flexible: Structure your work in a way that allows you to be your most effective self, from the location of your choice.
- Meaningful Impact: Directly contribute to the success of a pioneering AI company and help shape a revolutionary workplace culture from its inception.
- A Culture of Respect & Appreciation: Join a team where your contributions are highly valued, and your well-being is a priority.
To Help Us Understand You Better:
Alongside your CV and a cover letter highlighting your relevant experience and why you're drawn to Mpalo, please provide responses (approx. 200-400 words each) to the following questions in your application. We value understanding your approach and how you align with our ethos.
- Fostering Culture: Mpalo aims to create a highly collaborative, supportive, and intellectually stimulating remote environment. How would you, in an operations/stewardship role, actively contribute to building and maintaining such a culture? What initiatives or approaches might you suggest?
- Balancing Efficiency and Humanity: Describe a situation where you had to balance the need for operational efficiency with a human-centered approach (e.g., supporting a team member, addressing a sensitive issue). What did you learn from that experience?
- Autonomy and Responsibility: Our founder believes in providing significant autonomy and resources to coworkers, including the 20% share and collective budgets. How do you view the relationship between freedom and responsibility in a professional setting, especially in a role that supports others?
- Mpalo's Vision: What aspects of Mpalo's broader mission—to revolutionize AI with human-like memory and explore concepts like consciousness—resonate with you personally, even if your primary role is operational? Why is being part of such a venture appealing to you?
Please compile your CV, cover letter, and responses to these questions into a single PDF document.