Chief of Staff

I could write a normal job description here. I’ll be honest instead: this is the keep-things-off-my-plate role.

Some weeks that’s a special partnership project. Other weeks it’s booking travel, firing off a few posts from the company account, or trading redlines with my lawyers on the employment contracts. Part chief of staff, part head of ops, part EA. The mix changes constantly.

If you want a tidy, predictable lane, this isn’t it. If you light up at being the person who makes everything that isn’t building happen, keep reading.

What you’d actually own

• The 80% of running a company that has nothing to do with writing code, working shoulder to shoulder with me.
• Range as the whole point: a GitHub partnership thread in the morning, a venue booking at lunch, a contract redline before dinner.
• Operating a company whose product is in hundreds of thousands of hands, with a headcount you can count on one hand.
• Real autonomy. Spot the thing nobody is handling and just handle it. Nobody is going to hand you a checklist.
• The usual ›

  • Design and run the operating cadence: planning, priorities, and the meetings worth having.
  • Own cross-functional initiatives end to end, from fuzzy idea to shipped outcome.
  • Prep board, investor, and partner materials, then chase the follow-through.
  • Build the lightweight systems a growing company needs without drowning it in process.
  • Calendar, travel, inbox triage, and the logistics that keep the founder’s day clear.

What I’m looking for

• You already use AI agents and workflows in your day-to-day work. Today, not eventually.
• You haven’t cognitively surrendered to it, though. You delegate to AI when it makes sense, but you think for yourself and stay responsible for everything you ship.
• Extreme agency. You’re a self-starter, and you treat every problem as everyone’s problem.
• You’ve operated in a high-velocity environment: an early-stage startup, a founder’s office, or a similar zero-to-one role.
• You’re a structured thinker who writes and communicates with unusual clarity.
• You move between strategy and the smallest logistical detail without losing the thread.
• Sound judgment and low ego. You make the call and own the result.

Bonus points

• You’ve worked closely with technical or design-led teams.
• You have a real point of view on craft and quality. You’ll be surrounded by it.

What I offer

• Competitive pay for an early-stage startup, plus meaningful equity. It’s early, and you’ll own a real piece of what we build together.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision.
• In-person in San Francisco preferred, with remote open for the right person.
• Flexible time off. Put in the work, and take the time you need to rest.

How I hire

1. 1A first call with me (I’m Paul) to see if there’s a real fit, both ways.
2. 2A deep-dive on your experience and how you think.
3. 3A paid work sample or working session on a real problem, so we both see how you work under real conditions. No free spec work.
4. 4One more conversation to ask me anything, then references and an offer.

The fine print ›

Renaissance Geek is an equal opportunity employer. I don’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

You should be authorized to work in the US. I can’t sponsor visas right now.