Role Type
Voluntary — Equity + Payment Upon Funding
Seniority Target
Mid-to-senior (3–7 years); operations, consulting, or project management background
Reports To
CEO
Location
Remote, UK preferred, open internationally
Commitment
~12–16 hrs/week during development phase
Branch
Cross-functional — coordinates all three branches
ABOUT THE ROLE
The COO is the operational engine of Lucerno. You will translate strategy into execution, building the internal processes, governance frameworks, and cross-functional coordination that allow a distributed, volunteer-led organisation to function with the rigour of a professional consultancy. This is the most structurally demanding role on the executive team: you will work across all three branches, manage the intern cohort\\\\\\\'s integration, and ensure the 6-month roadmap is delivered.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Design and implement Lucerno\\\\\\\'s operational infrastructure, including workflows, task management systems, team cadences
• Own the 6-month corporate strategy execution calendar, tracking milestones across all branches
• Coordinate cross-functional projects between Policy (LPI), Finance (LFI), and Communications (LCI)
• Manage the onboarding and integration of new interns, permanent members, and executive hires
• Establish governance and accountability frameworks appropriate for an unincorporated organisation
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement scalable solutions before they become blockers
• Support the CEO on expansion planning, including the strategic move into Western and Central Europe
ABOUT YOU
NECESSARY
• Demonstrable ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously without losing detail
• Strong written and verbal communication, you can brief up to the CEO and coach down to analysts
• Comfort with ambiguity; be able to build structure from starting point
• Experience managing distributed or remote teams effectively
• Familiarity with/willingness to rapidly learn project management tools (Notion, Asana, Monday.com, or similar)
IDEAL
• 3–7 years of experience in operations management, strategy consulting, project management, or a chief of staff type role
DESIRABLE
• Prince2, PMP, or equivalent project management qualification
• Experience in a start-up, consultancy, or think tank operational environment
• Background in process design or organisational development
• Understanding of UK employment law or volunteer management frameworks
WHAT YOU GAIN
• Founding equity stake in Lucerno Advisory Group, formalised upon incorporation
• COO title with full executive team membership
• Paid role upon first funding round — terms agreed in advance
• Unparalleled experience building an operations function at an international consultancy from scratch
• Direct access to the CEO and full visibility of strategic decision-making
• Leadership of a growing, international team — highly transferable to future executive roles
Any Questions About the Role: lucernoadvisorygroup@gmail.com
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Develop and maintain Lucerno\\\\\\\'s editorial style guide and communications standards
• Own the content calendar for LinkedIn and Instagram, working with the CMO and LCI branch
• Quality-review all externally published analysis papers, posts, and reports before release
• Manage media and stakeholder communication, including any press or partnerships enquiries
• Lead the LCI branch\\\\\\\'s communications practice, mentoring analysts on professional writing
• Develop messaging frameworks for Lucerno\\\\\\\'s different audiences (students, clients, partners)
• Draft and refine key organisational communications — founder messages, announcements, reports
• Support recruitment and event communications as Lucerno grows