Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Accountabilities:

You will own the organization's financial management and operational processes, ensuring resources are used effectively while supporting the needs of a growing technical team. Your responsibilities will include:

• Financial planning and budgeting: Monitor budgets and expenditures, ensuring financial resources remain aligned with organizational priorities and business objectives.

• Forecasting and financial analysis: Develop financial forecasts and strategic models, analyze staffing costs and project variances, and provide insights to support management decisions.

• Pricing strategy: Evaluate pricing models and development service costs to improve revenue generation and market competitiveness.

• Performance metrics: Define and track customer retention and lifetime value indicators to support sustainable business growth.

• Grant-related financial requirements: Participate in grant meetings and prepare the documentation needed to satisfy funding and project requirements.

• Operational leadership: Collaborate with the Project Manager to improve workflows, streamline processes, and build scalable operational practices.

• Team leadership: Foster accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement, while conducting one-to-one meetings and managing the biannual performance review process.

• Contract management: Oversee the contract lifecycle, including redline requests, invoicing, and administration through client financial portals such as SAP Ariba.

• Grant research and applications: Identify relevant funding opportunities, coordinate non-technical grant proposal activities, manage submissions, and track deadlines.

• Problem-solving and delegation: Identify operational challenges early, delegate responsibilities effectively, and help the team work efficiently with limited resources.

Requirements:

You are an experienced finance and operations professional who can balance strategic oversight with hands-on execution. You are comfortable working autonomously in a small organization, where initiative, practical judgment, and effective delegation are essential. The key requirements include:

• Previous experience in business operations, financial management, finance, or a comparable leadership role.

• Experience working with small businesses, startups, or lean organizations where resources and training capacity may be limited.

• Strong budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and financial modeling skills.

• Understanding of pricing strategies, service costs, customer retention, and lifetime value metrics.

• Experience managing contracts, invoicing, and administrative processes involving clients or external partners.

• Familiarity with grant funding, funding applications, or financial documentation for project-based work.

• Proven ability to develop and improve operational processes in collaboration with project managers and technical teams.

• Strong people-management skills, including conducting one-to-one meetings, supporting performance reviews, and encouraging accountability.

• Ability to delegate tasks, empower colleagues, and address problems proactively.

• Excellent organizational skills, sound judgment, and a structured approach to managing competing priorities.

• Ability to work independently and communicate effectively in an international, remote-first environment.

• Eligibility to work with an organization supporting US government contractors; applicants must not reside in a country subject to applicable sanctions or export restrictions and must not otherwise be prohibited from performing work for the US government.

Benefits:

• Competitive full-time-equivalent compensation: €6,000 per month for full-time contract work, with the actual compensation adjusted according to the agreed number of working days.

• Flexible part-time schedule: Approximately one to three days per week, allowing you to balance this role with other professional commitments.

• Fully remote work: Work from anywhere worldwide, subject to applicable sanctions, export-control, and eligibility restrictions.

• Flexible working hours: Organize your working time around your responsibilities, with team meetings generally scheduled between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Vienna time.

• Strategic influence: Take ownership of core financial and operational functions and contribute directly to organizational development.

• Broad leadership responsibilities: Gain exposure to financial strategy, team management, contracts, pricing, and grant funding.

• Close collaboration: Work directly with a small, specialized team in an open-source technology environment.

• Independent contractor arrangement: Engage as a freelancer or self-employed professional rather than as a salaried employee.

• Opportunity to make an impact: Help build scalable business operations that support the development and adoption of open-source EDA tools.