Associate Chief of Staff to the CEO

Helaina is a VC-backed biotech startup creating a new category of functional food products.

Our vision is to bring the functional properties of human proteins to food. Helaina will be the first company to put human milk proteins into food, defining a new category of consumer nutrition products focused on supporting immunity. We see a range of opportunities to use our breast milk proteins to enhance other types of functional foods for all segments of the population.

Helaina is backed by top VCs in the industry including Spark Capital, Siam Capital, Primary Venture Partners, and Plum Alley. We are a team of change-makers looking for our next team member who is intensely passionate about advancing synthetic biology for food and beverage products and redefining the future of nutrition.

We are seeking a dynamic Associate Chief of Staff who will support our CEO across all areas of her work to include providing high-level support to our CEO and executive leadership team, assist with company-wide meetings and events, and provide support across the company to help the company stay organized and efficient.

What You’ll Do:

• Oversee administrative functions within the executive office, ensuring the smooth day-to-day operations of the office

• Coordinate and manage the CEO’s daily calendar including scheduling meetings, travel, accommodations and expense reports 

• Organize and coordinate executive-level meetings, including developing agendas and preparing materials

• Assemble and proofread briefings, reports, correspondence and presentations for meetings, speaking engagements, and conferences on behalf of the CEO and ensure the CEO is adequately briefed and prepared for meetings, including providing background information and key talking points which may be assembled by others

• Represent the CEO in meetings, communications, and interactions with internal and external stakeholders taking notes, tracking action items, and ensuring follow-up

• Manage back end support for all work that the CEO deals with including sales, investor relations and board materials/requests.

• Manage NDA and MTA workflows across the organization.

• Take initiative, shepherd and project manage the admin processes across the organization to keep the business moving

• Address needs on a timely basis which may at times occur outside of normal working hours, including nights and weekends

• Provide a regular in-house presence in alignment with the schedule of the CEO, 3-4 days a week in NYC

• Lead and execute special projects or initiatives outside the scope of existing teams

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, or related field 

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in a business or executive management role having supported VC or PE backed companies

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex ideas

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and priorities with a high level of attention to detail and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

• Ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization and with external partners

• Experience with light legal matters including NDAs and MTAs and ideally having knowledge of the processes surrounding a PE/VC backed business 

• Experience in strategic planning, operations management, or project management

• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise good judgment, and maintain confidentiality

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and project management tools.

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships and work collaboratively across all levels of the organization

• Proven ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality at all times

• Bonus points if you have worked at a startup.

Compensation is market-competitive with a yearly cash base of $110k - $140k plus equity.

Benefits:

Helaina was founded on the belief that families should have freedom of choice.  We are committed to providing an inclusive workplace that does just that, supporting our team's health, wellbeing and professional development at every stage and milestone.  We are proud to offer comprehensive health care, generous parental leave and childcare reimbursement, equity packages and more.  A few highlights include:

• Full medical, vision and dental coverage
• Short and long term disability insurance coverage
• 401k match (up to 3%)
• Unlimited vacation days, including an all-company holiday between Christmas and New Year
• Paid Parental Leave for both parents + flexible return to work program
• Childcare reimbursement program
• Commuter Benefits

Visit us at https://www.myhelaina.com/news to learn more about Helaina.

Helaina is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Helaina we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.  You may just be the strongest candidate for this or other roles.  For more information, please contact careers@myhelaina.com.