Business Operations Lead
Cosmos Institute
📍 Remote (Global)
🔄 Rolling Applications
🕔 Full Time
Cosmos Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit launched in 2024 to ensure AI promotes human flourishing. We train philosopher-builders—individuals who unite deep reflection with technical mastery. As our first Business Operations Lead, you’ll build the systems, processes, and dashboards that turn great ideas into insight-driven programs.
This role is remote-friendly, with a slight preference for Austin or London. It reports to Avantika Mehra and partners daily with Head of Strategy Kushal Kansagra as well as founder Brendan McCord.
What Year-1 Success Looks Like
Programs launched smoothly. Six 2025 intensives (Oxford, Aspen, Liberty Fund, St John’s College, etc.) executed with venues booked, faculty and participants briefed, communications coordinated, materials ready, and budgets on target.
AI-powered back office. Built AI agents and workflows to manage vendor onboarding, invoice routing, travel and hotel bookings, CRM updates, and routine reporting, freeing team hours for higher value work.
FP&A and reporting. Live data dashboards set up for cash-position, runway, cohort metrics, and donor pipeline, with minimal manual inputs required week-to-week.
Donor and partner stewardship. Built system for efficient donor communications (including automated thank-you notes, schedule for donor check-ins, and impact summaries), driving an increase in donor renewals.
Operational playbooks. Developed playbooks for our core programs, including the Fellowship, fast grants, and educational offerings, all repeatable by any new hire.
Key Attributes
Mission-driven operator. Executes flawlessly because the underlying purpose matters.
Philosophy × AI fluent (ops lens). Understands scholarly culture and modern AI tools.
Automation first. Defaults to agents / low-code flows before adding headcount.
Data translator. Turns raw tables into dashboards that drive insights and action.
Program integrator. Coordinates venues, faculty, and learners without breaking stride
Qualifications
2-5 years in business operations, management consulting, investment banking, private equity, program management, or strategy at a high-velocity nonprofit or startup.
Hands on with modern AI-ops stacks.
Solid experience with Sheets; comfortable spinning up Python-based dashboards.
Built budgets/forecasts and delivered rolling dashboards or board packs.
Managed external vendors or multi-site event logistics.
Bonus: experience with SQL, CRMs, grants, or cohort-based education.
We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every single qualification. Not all strong candidates will meet every single qualification as listed.
Benefits
Compensation: Competitive worldwide; exact range shared in first interview.
Benefits: (Starting in 2025) Comprehensive benefits, including fully covered medical plans and 401(k) matching.
Flexible time off: Unlimited PTO.
Growth path: Unique opportunity at the intersection of philosophy and AI; potential to become Director of Operations or COO as Cosmos scales.
Hiring Process
We anticipate three weeks from first chat to decision. You’ll have an intro call, a values-and-ops interview, a 48-hour case study, and a final conversation with our founder before we make an offer. Submit your CV and a brief note on one ops process you’ve automated with AI via the link below. Applications are reviewed as they arrive; we’re aiming to hire immediately.
