Chief of Staff

London, UK

At Praktika.ai we are on a mission to deliver efficient and engaging learning experiences for billions of students worldwide by bridging the gap between learning apps and human tutors. We have done this by creating a fully automated language tutorship experience powered by generative AI Avatars. After raising $30 million in Series-A funding, we are growing and looking for a Chief of Staff to join us! We are a global small team of 50 innovators who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in language learning and tutoring.

In this fast-paced environment we like independent self-starters who can work well in a team as well as unassisted and who enjoy the working environment of an early-stage startup.

About the role:

Be the glue across the company, the heart of the role:

• Run the leadership rhythm. Prepare the weekly leadership sync, write down what was decided, and follow up every action until it is done.

• Know what every team is doing. Spot work that falls between teams and either fix it or get someone to own it.

• Turn priorities into plans. Take the CEO's priorities and turn them into plans with an owner, a date and a one-line weekly status.

• Unblock decisions. Bring each open decision to the right person with the facts and a recommendation, so nothing waits for weeks.

• Own what has no owner. When something lands with no obvious home, it comes to you.

Finance, about 40% of your time

• Own the financial model. Update it monthly, or weekly when needed. Build scenarios such as a fundraise, a cash view next to the accrual view, and unit economics like LTV:CAC and renewal curves.

• Run the monthly close with our external accountant. Review the numbers, catch errors before they reach the books, and report actuals against budget to the leadership team.

• Get us ready to raise. Prepare the finance and reporting for investors and the board, so we are ready for the next fundraise.

• Run tax and entity admin across our UK, US and UAE entities, with outside advisers: VAT returns, US tax and transfer pricing.

• Manage vendor spend. Approve and pay invoices, negotiate the big contracts (payments, cloud, analytics, AI providers) and track every renewal date.

• Look after equity admin: option grants and the cap table, with our lawyers.

Compliance and legal

• Run the compliance programme with our engineering lead: ISO 27001 and SOC 2, the yearly audits, policies and evidence.

• Support enterprise deals. Work with the B2B team on security questionnaires, data processing agreements and contract reviews.

• Keep the company in order: contracts, board consents and minutes, visas and entity filings, with our lawyers and people team.

Strategic projects

• Take big bets from idea to launch: new markets, new distribution platforms and large partnerships.

• Spot opportunities nobody owns, such as an award, a partnership or a market, and move them without being asked.

• Run one-off projects for the CEO and the leadership team: research, business cases, incentive plans and process fixes.

What are we looking for from you:

• A finance background. Investment banking, private equity, venture capital or corporate finance. This is not optional.

• Strong financial modelling. You can build and run a company model from scratch, and explain it to people who do not work in finance.

• Proactive. You see what needs doing and do it before anyone asks. We value this trait above all others.

• Autonomous. You make decisions on your own, with incomplete information, and you are comfortable with ambiguity.

• A clear writer. We work async, so most of your influence will happen in writing.

• Low ego. You do the unglamorous tasks as well as the strategic ones, and you see them as the way to learn the business.

• Built for startup pace. Urgent turnarounds and changing priorities do not throw you. You would rather ship, learn and fix than wait for perfect.

Why should you join Praktika:

We expect dedication and hard work but we also believe in rewarding it. Our compensation reflects the effort and results you bring to the table.

• Top-tier salary to match your top-tier skills

• Equity that grows with your impact: Equity growth via stock options

• 26 days holidays plus bank holidays. (34 days per year)

• Yearly off-sites: Last year was in Dubai!

• Health and wellness benefits to support your overall well-being through Safetywing

• Access to an AI toolkit including ChatGPT, Copilot, and other productivity tools

• Annual educational budget of up to $1,000

Interview Process:

We will provide you with feedback throughout the interview process. Join Praktika and lead the charge in driving exponential growth and innovation. Apply now to be part of a team that is redefining language learning for millions of users worldwide.