Be part of our mission

At Counder, we believe that the right people make all the difference.

While we’re not hiring for specific roles right now, we’re always open to meeting exceptional individuals who share our curiosity, integrity, and drive. If you see yourself contributing to what we’re building — a more trusted, connected world — we’d love to hear
from you.

What We Value

Counder brings together people who see opportunity where others see complexity — people who think deeply, act with purpose, and build with care. You’ll thrive here if you:

• Care about context as much as outcomes
• Value collaboration over competition
• Turn ideas into action with precision and humility
• Believe in learning faster through others
• See relationships as the foundation of meaningful progress

Why Counder

Working at Counder means joining an exceptional small team at the heart of global leadership, where you'll curate connections between the world's most influential visionary leaders. You'll gain unparalleled access to future-facing conversations, help facilitate transformative partnerships, and build a network that collaborates on tomorrow’s most important opportunities. If you thrive on meaningful work with tangible impact, and want rapid professional growth, Counder offers a rare opportunity to be at the forefront of what’s next.

How to Reach Out

If this sounds like you, we’d love to get to know you. Send your CV and motivational letter to  careers@counder.com.

Design the moments that turn a network into a community.

Who We Are — Counder

Counder has grown into an extraordinary global network bringing together exceptional leaders from business, investment, arts, sports, culture, and beyond — all shaping tomorrow's most important opportunities.

Backed by 25 South African and global family offices and investors, we bring together operators and investors exploring emerging trends, emerging regions, and frontier technologies as they reshape our world. Our curated events and year-round engagement — from our flagship invite-only Counder Conference in Cape Town to intimate gatherings globally — now connect 500+ hand-picked principals, investors, and C-suite leaders who make allocation decisions.

With an established valuation, a proven model, and a clear growth trajectory, we're now building the senior leadership team to take Counder to the next level. We're looking for someone who can design and deliver the experiences that bring this network to life.

The Role — Overview

As Counder's Head of Experience, you'll be the architect and orchestrator of everything people feel when they step into a Counder event.

You'll lead the planning, production, and execution of our flagship invite-only Conference — a multi-day gathering of 500+ exceptional leaders in Cape Town — along with curated intimate events and regional gatherings throughout the year globally. Working directly with the CEO on experience strategy and programming, you'll own every dimension: venue and production, session design and flow, partner integration, guest experience, and operational excellence.

This is more than logistics. You'll design the conditions for real connection — the kind that leads to partnerships, investments, and lasting relationships. Every detail, from how a room is set to how a session transitions, shapes whether people leave having had surface conversations or ones that change the trajectory of their work.

We're not looking for an event manager. We're looking for someone who understands that the right room, the right format, and the right moment can create something that no agenda could plan — and who can reliably make that happen, at scale, under pressure.

Why This Matters

• Shape Connection: Create the environments where meaningful relationships and collaborations begin — through thoughtful design, not forced networking.
• Deliver Excellence: Set the standard for world-class events that reflect Counder's values and the calibre of its network.
• Build the Platform: The experience is the product. Every event you design reinforces why people belong to this network and why they bring others in.

Key Responsibilities

Conference Production & Design (Primary)

• Lead comprehensive planning and execution of the flagship Counder Conference (500+ attendees, multi-day programme)
• Develop event strategy, theme, and overall vision in collaboration with the CEO
• Oversee venue selection, contract negotiation, and site management
• Manage all production elements: staging, AV, lighting, branding, signage, technology
• Coordinate catering, beverage programmes, and all food and beverage experiences
• Design and execute registration, check-in, and guest flow systems
• Oversee security, risk management, and contingency planning
• Manage event timeline, run-of-show, and real-time coordination during execution

Experience Design & Programming

• Design session formats that drive genuine connection — breakout experiences, roundtables, and networking moments built for real conversation
• Collaborate with the partnerships and communications teams on partner integration that feels organic, not bolted on
• Coordinate speaker management, session logistics, and programming flow
• Design social programmes, dinners, and informal moments that create space for deeper conversation
• Balance structured programming with organic connection opportunities
• Think about atmosphere, sound, light, and space as tools for shaping how people engage

Year-Round Event Portfolio

• Plan and execute intimate gatherings and regional events throughout the year globally
• Develop an event calendar aligned with member engagement and partnership strategy
• Adapt event formats for different scales, audiences, and geographies
• Build repeatable event playbooks and processes that scale without losing quality
• Explore sustainable event practices that align with Counder's values

Operations, Budget & Vendor Management

• Develop and manage event budgets with precision and accountability
• Track expenses, forecasts, and ROI across all events
• Build and maintain a network of trusted vendors in Cape Town and internationally
• Negotiate contracts and manage vendor relationships
• Ensure compliance with legal, insurance, and regulatory requirements
• Implement tools and systems for event management and coordination
• Build and lead event team as the organisation scales

What We're Looking For

• Experience Architect: Minimum 5–7 years in event management, conference production, or experiential design. You've owned the full event lifecycle — shaped the vision, the format, and the feeling, beyond coordinating logistics.
• Production Expert: Deep expertise across all dimensions of event production: AV, staging, lighting, branding, technology, catering. You know what world-class looks like and you deliver it.
• Design-Minded: You think about how space, light, sound, and flow shape behaviour. You design for connection above all.
• Calm Under Pressure: You solve problems in real time. You stay composed when things shift, adapt quickly, and keep your team steady.
• Guest Experience Instinct: You have a natural sense for hospitality — what makes people feel welcomed, valued, and genuinely taken care of.

We're open to non-traditional paths — if your background doesn't tick every box but you've delivered something exceptional, we want to hear from you.

Preferred Qualifications

• Based in Cape Town or willing to relocate
• Experience with invite-only, curated, or exclusive events for executives, investors, or high-net-worth individuals
• Background in conference production, experiential events, or high-end hospitality
• International event experience with understanding of cultural nuances across markets
• Experience integrating sponsors and partners into event programming and activation
• Strong vendor network in Cape Town and internationally
• Comfortable with AI tools for logistics planning, attendee insights, and scheduling
• Fluent in English (German or another language is a plus)

Why Join Counder

• Equity participation — Counder has an established valuation, a proven model, and a clear growth path. This isn't day-one equity — it's participation in something real, with vesting that reflects what you build.
• Creative ownership — design and execute world-class experiences with real autonomy, working directly with the CEO on strategy and programming.
• World-class access — your work shapes the environment where investors, executives, and cultural leaders come together to explore what's next.
• Right stage, right moment — early enough to shape everything, established enough to have real momentum and a proven community of 500+.
• Global reach — plan and execute events across continents, building international experience and an extraordinary network.
• Mission-driven work — meaningful collaboration through the power of trusted connections. You'll feel it at the first event you design.
• How we work — a small, sharp team that runs on trust, not timesheets. Cape Town base, international travel, and the autonomy to do your best work.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive base salary and equity participation with vesting. Counder has an established valuation and clear growth trajectory — details shared with shortlisted candidates. We're deliberately lean, which means real ownership and real growth as the organisation scales. You'll also get access to Counder's events and network, and international travel.

How to Apply

Email your application to careers@counder.com

You'll be working directly with Michel Weiss, Founding Partner & CEO.

Please include:

1. CV/Resume highlighting your event management and production experience
2. A brief note (optional but welcomed) telling us:
   • Your most ambitious event — scope, audience, key challenges, and what made it exceptional
   • Your philosophy on what separates a good event from one people never forget
   • Why Counder, and why this is the right next step for you
3. Event portfolio — brief overview (1–2 pages) of 3–5 notable events you've led
4. Availability and compensation expectations

Build the partnerships engine. Grow the membership. Close the deals that matter.

Who We Are — Counder

Counder has grown into an extraordinary global network bringing together exceptional leaders from business, investment, arts, sports, culture, and beyond — all shaping tomorrow's most important opportunities.

Backed by 25 South African and global family offices and investors, we bring together operators and investors exploring emerging trends, emerging regions, and frontier technologies as they reshape our world. Our curated events and year-round engagement — from our flagship invite-only Counder Conference in Cape Town to intimate gatherings globally — now connect 500+ hand-picked principals, investors, and C-suite leaders who make allocation decisions.

With an established valuation, a proven model, and a clear growth trajectory, we're now building the senior leadership team to take Counder to the next level. We're looking for someone who can build and own the partnerships and membership engine that fuels our growth.

The Role — Overview

As Counder's Head of Partnerships & Memberships, you'll own the full lifecycle of our commercial relationships and membership programme — from identifying the right partners and members to closing deals, delivering value, and growing revenue year over year.

You'll work directly with the Founding Partner & CEO on partnership and membership strategy, deciding which organisations and individuals belong in the Counder ecosystem and why. Then you'll go out and make it happen: prospecting, pitching, negotiating, and closing partnership deals ranging from EUR 50K to 500K+, while growing a base of paying members who access Counder's year-round community, exclusive programming, and priority conference experience. Beyond the close, you'll ensure every partner and member sees genuine value — driving renewals and long-term growth.

This is a revenue role with real ownership. Your commission is uncapped. The better you build, the more you earn.

We're not looking for someone to manage existing relationships. We're looking for someone to build the partnerships and membership engine — identify who belongs in the Counder ecosystem, open doors, close deals, grow the member base, and deliver value that keeps partners and members coming back. Your commission reflects that ambition.

Why This Matters

• Revenue Engine: Partnerships and memberships are core revenue pillars for Counder. You're not supporting the business — you're driving it.
• Network Access: Every partnership and every new member puts Counder in front of new audiences, new markets, and new possibilities.
• Ecosystem Building: The right partners don't just sponsor — they shape the experience, bring their networks, and strengthen the ecosystem. Paying members form the committed core of a year-round community that extends far beyond the conference.

Key Responsibilities

Partnership Development & Sales (Primary)

• Identify, approach, pitch, and close partnership deals up to EUR 250K+ — owning the full sales cycle from first conversation to signed contract
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective partners: corporate sponsors, institutional partners, media partners, and strategic collaborators
• Develop compelling partnership proposals and pitch materials tailored to different audiences and sectors
• Negotiate complex, multi-stakeholder deals with senior decision-makers at corporates, family offices, and institutions
• Work directly with the Founding Partner & CEO on partnership strategy — which organisations to pursue, which sectors to prioritise, and how to position Counder's value proposition
• Track and report on pipeline health, conversion rates, and revenue forecasts

Membership Sales & Revenue (Primary)

• Drive sales and growth of Counder's paying membership programme — converting engaged leaders into committed, paying members
• Own membership revenue: acquisition targets, renewal rates, and revenue contribution as a core commercial metric
• Develop the commercial case for membership — articulating the value proposition to prospective members alongside the Head of Communications & Community, who owns member engagement, community programming, and the year-round member experience
• Build and maintain commercial relationships with paying members, ensuring renewals year after year
• Track membership revenue metrics: acquisition, conversion, retention rates, and revenue forecasts

Relationship Management & Value Delivery

• Own ongoing partner relationships year-round. Maintain commercial relationships with paying members alongside the community team
• Ensure partners see clear, measurable ROI through event integration, network access, branded activations, and content opportunities
• Design and deliver partner activation plans that feel organic to the Counder experience
• Drive partner renewals through demonstrated value and proactive relationship management
• Conduct regular partner reviews and satisfaction assessments
• Identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities across Counder's four pillars, including membership conversion from engaged guests

Strategic Growth & New Revenue

• Identify new partnership models and revenue streams beyond traditional sponsorship, including membership tier expansion
• Explore opportunities across Counder's four pillars: Conference, Calendar, Connect, and Context
• Research new markets, sectors, and geographies for partnership expansion
• Develop tiered partnership frameworks that scale with the organisation
• Stay ahead of industry trends in sponsorship, brand partnerships, and B2B collaboration

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work hand in hand with the Head of Communications & Community — you own the membership revenue, they own the member experience and engagement. Together you build a membership programme that sells and retains
• Work closely with the experience team to integrate partners seamlessly into conference programming and event design
• Collaborate with the communications team on co-branded content, partner announcements, and amplification
• Coordinate with operations on partner logistics, deliverables, and contract fulfilment
• Brief the wider team on partner expectations, activations, and key relationships

What We're Looking For

• Deal Closer: Minimum 4–6 years in partnerships, business development, or strategic sales. You've closed high-value deals and can demonstrate a track record of revenue generation.
• Relationship Builder: You earn trust, not just contracts. You're comfortable building relationships with C-suite executives, family offices, and institutional decision-makers across cultures and geographies.
• Strong Negotiator: You can structure complex, multi-stakeholder deals and navigate competing interests to reach agreements that work for everyone.
• Strategic Thinker: You see the bigger picture. You don't just close the next deal — you think about which partnerships build the most value for Counder over time.
• Compelling Communicator: Exceptional presentation and pitch skills. You can tailor your message to a family office, a multinational brand, or a government institution — and make each feel like the conversation was made for them.
• Analytical: You track pipeline metrics, conversion rates, and partner ROI — and you use data to refine your approach.

We're open to non-traditional paths — if your background doesn't tick every box but you've closed real deals and built real relationships, we want to hear from you.

Preferred Qualifications

• Based in Cape Town or willing to relocate
• Experience in events, conferences, media, or network-driven businesses
• Existing relationships with corporate sponsors, institutional partners, or family offices
• International business development experience across multiple markets
• Understanding of the African and emerging-market investment landscape
• Comfortable with AI tools to research prospects, personalise outreach, and manage your pipeline
• Fluent in English (German or another language is a plus)

Why Join Counder

• Uncapped commission — your earning potential is directly tied to your performance. There is no ceiling on what you can earn.
• Equity participation — Counder has an established valuation, a proven model, and a clear growth path. This isn't day-one equity — it's participation in something real, with vesting that reflects what you build.
• Strategic ownership from day one — you own partnerships and memberships end-to-end, working directly with the Founding Partner & CEO on strategy.
• World-class access — your work puts you in the room with investors, founders, and decision-makers shaping global capital flows.
• Right stage, right moment — early enough to shape everything, established enough to have real momentum and a proven network of 500+.
• Mission-driven work — meaningful collaboration through the power of trusted connections.
• How we work — a small, sharp team that runs on trust, not timesheets. Cape Town base, international travel, and the autonomy to do your best work.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive base salary, uncapped commission on partnership and membership revenue, and equity participation with vesting. Counder has an established valuation and clear growth trajectory — details shared with shortlisted candidates. We're deliberately lean, which means real ownership and real growth as the organisation scales. You'll also get access to Counder's events and network, and international travel.

How to Apply

Email your CV and salary expectation to careers@counder.com

You'll be working directly with Michel Weiss, Founding Partner & CEO.

Please include:

1. CV/Resume highlighting relevant experience in partnerships, membership programmes, business development, and/or strategic sales
2. A brief note (optional but welcomed) telling us:
   • Your most significant partnership or deal — how you identified the opportunity, built the relationship, and closed it
   • How you'd approach building Counder's partnership pipeline from the ground up
   • Why Counder, and why this is the right next step for you
3. Availability and compensation expectations

Own the strategy. Build the voice. Grow the network.

Who We Are — Counder

Counder has grown into an extraordinary global network bringing together exceptional leaders from business, investment, arts, sports, culture, and beyond — all shaping tomorrow's most important opportunities.

Backed by 25 South African and global family offices and investors, we bring together operators and investors exploring emerging trends, emerging regions, and frontier technologies as they reshape our world. Our curated events and year-round engagement — from our flagship invite-only Counder Conference in Cape Town to intimate gatherings globally — now connect 500+ hand-picked principals, investors, and C-suite leaders who make allocation decisions.

With an established valuation, a proven model, and a clear growth trajectory, we're now building the senior leadership team to take Counder to the next level. We're looking for someone who can own both how we communicate with the world and how we nurture the community we've built.

The Role — Overview

As Counder's Head of Comms & Community, you'll own two deeply connected functions: our external voice and our internal network.

On the comms side, you'll develop and execute PR, media, and marketing strategy — building journalist relationships, planning campaigns, positioning Counder Conference as the gathering for global decision-makers, and overseeing content across every channel. On the community side, you'll design how our 500+ members stay engaged, connected, and activated year-round — well beyond events.

This is a strategy role with real ownership. You'll work directly with the CEO on communications and marketing strategy, and alongside our Content & Culture Manager to shape Counder's trajectory at a pivotal moment in its growth.

We're not looking for someone to execute a playbook. We're looking for someone to write it — together with the CEO and our Content & Culture Manager. You'll own PR, marketing, and community strategy end-to-end, with direct involvement from leadership on the strategic direction.

Why This Matters

• Own the Narrative: Define how the world understands and engages with Counder — from our mission to our impact across capital markets, emerging trends, and global collaboration.
• Build Global Reach: Establish Counder's presence across strategic media and position Cape Town as a hub for global investment dialogue.
• Grow the Network: Design the systems and touchpoints that keep 500+ high-calibre members connected, engaged, and bringing others in.

Key Responsibilities

PR, Media & Content Strategy (Primary)

• Develop and own Counder's year-round PR and media strategy — decide which publications, journalists, and angles matter and why
• Build and maintain journalist relationships across business, finance, and technology media in target markets
• Plan and execute PR campaigns for the flagship Counder Conference and major announcements throughout the year
• Oversee content across all channels: website, newsletters, social media, and press materials
• Set editorial standards, brand voice, and messaging consistency across every touchpoint
• Collaborate with the Content & Culture Manager on content strategy and the Creative Designer on visual storytelling
• Support the CEO's thought leadership positioning — op-eds, speaking engagements, public profile

Marketing & Campaign Strategy (Primary)

• Own the marketing calendar and plan campaigns across the full annual cycle: membership recruitment, conference build-up (Big Bang announcement, speaker reveals, early bird), partner activations, post-event momentum
• Think strategically about audience segmentation, messaging hierarchy, and conversion — what moves high-calibre people to engage
• Design and execute invitation strategy for events — the copy, the sequencing, the channels
• Track campaign performance, learn from data, and refine — you measure what matters
• Identify partnerships and co-marketing opportunities that amplify Counder's reach

Community Building & Activation

• Design and own the year-round member engagement strategy — what happens between events matters as much as the events themselves
• Build onboarding journeys for new members that make them feel welcomed, connected, and clear on value
• Facilitate introductions and connections within the network — be the connective tissue
• Create regular touchpoints: community updates, curated content, small-group activations
• Monitor community health — engagement, retention, sentiment — and act on it
• Understand what makes accomplished, busy people stay engaged in a network and design for that

Stakeholder & Partner Communications

• Craft high-stakes copy for partner proposals, sponsorship materials, and co-branded communications
• Support the events team with conference communications: save-the-dates, speaker announcements, pre/post-event materials
• Collaborate with the partnerships team on partner amplification and co-marketing
• Serve as communications point for high-profile stakeholders and external organisations
• Comfortable writing for diverse, international, high-calibre audiences across cultures

What We're Looking For

• Strategic Communicator: Minimum 4–6 years in communications, PR, marketing, or a combination. You've owned strategy, not just executed someone else's. You can develop a PR plan, a campaign calendar, and a community engagement roadmap — and you can articulate why each matters.
• Strong Writer & Storyteller: Exceptional writing across registers. You can write a press release, a member newsletter, a WhatsApp community update, and a partner proposal — and each sounds right for its audience.
• Media Instincts: You've built journalist relationships and secured coverage. We're not asking for a rolodex of Financial Times editors — we're asking for someone who understands how media works and can build Counder's presence intentionally.
• Marketing Brain: You think about funnels, timing, messaging, and what actually drives people to act. You understand that great PR and great marketing are different disciplines that work best together.
• Community Builder: You've engaged and grown a community, membership base, or network. You understand that retention is as important as acquisition, and that great communities are designed, not just assembled.
• Collaborative: You'll work closely with our Content & Culture Manager and Creative Designer. You lead through clarity and shared purpose, not hierarchy.

We're open to non-traditional paths — if your background doesn't tick every box but you've built a voice and a community that people care about, we want to hear from you.

Preferred Qualifications

• Based in Cape Town or willing to relocate
• Experience in professional networks, events, or membership organisations
• Familiarity with Cape Town and the African business landscape
• International communications experience across multiple markets
• Comfortable with AI tools for writing, research, and content production
• Fluent in English (German or another language is a plus)

Why Join Counder

• Equity participation — Counder has an established valuation, a proven model, and a clear growth path. This isn't day-one equity — it's participation in something real, with vesting that reflects what you build.
• Strategic ownership from day one — you own PR, marketing, and community strategy end-to-end. No waiting for someone above you to set direction.
• World-class access — your work puts you in the room with investors, founders, and decision-makers shaping global capital flows.
• Right stage, right moment — early enough to shape everything, established enough to have real momentum and a proven community of 500+.
• Mission-driven work — meaningful collaboration through the power of trusted connections. You'll feel it at the first event you attend.
• How we work — a small, sharp team that runs on trust, not timesheets. Cape Town base, international travel, and the autonomy to do your best work wherever that happens.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive base salary and equity participation with vesting. Counder has an established valuation and clear growth trajectory — details shared with shortlisted candidates. We're deliberately lean, which means real ownership and real growth as the organisation scales. You'll also get access to Counder's events and network, and international travel.

How to Apply

Email your application to careers@counder.com

You'll be working directly with Mishka Arendse, Content & Culture Lead.

Please include:

1. CV/Resume highlighting relevant experience across communications, marketing, and/or community
2. A brief note (optional but welcomed) telling us:
   • A campaign, PR initiative, or community project you owned end-to-end — what was the strategy, what happened?
   • How you'd approach building Counder's media presence in key markets
   • Why Counder, and why this is the right next step for you
3. 2–3 writing samples that show your range (e.g., press material, campaign copy, newsletter, long-form content)
4. Availability and compensation expectations

Build the machine that lets the network thrive.

Who We Are — Counder

Counder has grown into an extraordinary global network bringing together exceptional leaders from business, investment, arts, sports, culture, and beyond — all shaping tomorrow's most important opportunities.

Backed by a collective of 25 South African and global family offices and investors, we bring together operators and investors exploring emerging trends, emerging regions, and frontier technologies as they reshape our world. Our curated events and year-round engagement — from our flagship invite-only Counder Conference in Cape Town to intimate gatherings globally — now connect 500+ hand-picked principals, investors, and C-suite leaders who make allocation decisions.

With an established valuation, a proven model, and a clear growth trajectory, we're now building the senior leadership team to take Counder to the next level. We're looking for someone who can build and own the operational backbone that makes everything else possible.

The Role — Overview

As Counder's Chief Operating Officer, you'll lead the operational side of the business — owning everything from financial management and systems infrastructure to event operations and team processes.

You'll own operations, finance, systems, and the organisational infrastructure that lets a deliberately lean team operate at the level of much larger organisations. You'll work in direct partnership with the CEO, but operations is your domain. You'll build the processes, controls, and systems that make Counder's ambitions operationally possible — from the flagship Conference to year-round member engagement to financial reporting for our investor collective.

This is a building role. You're not stepping into a finished machine — you're creating one. The right person finds that exciting, not daunting.

Strategy and execution aren't separate at this stage — you'll shape both. We're looking for someone who builds and owns the operational backbone that lets everything else — events, partnerships, community, content — work at the highest level. You think in systems, act with urgency, and care about getting the details right.

Why This Matters

• Enable Everything: Every great event, every partnership, every member experience depends on operations that work. You're the reason the rest of the team can focus on what they do best.
• Financial Discipline: With 25 family offices and investors backing Counder, financial clarity and accountability matter. You ensure the numbers are clean, the reporting is sharp, and the organisation is financially sound.
• Scale Smart: Counder is growing. The systems you build now determine whether that growth is smooth or chaotic. You design for scale without losing the agility that makes a small team powerful.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership (Primary)

• Own day-to-day operations across all functions — ensuring execution quality, accountability, and alignment with strategic priorities
• Design and implement processes, systems, and workflows that let a small team operate efficiently at scale
• Shape operational strategy alongside the CEO and translate it into plans with clear timelines, milestones, and ownership
• Build the internal operating rhythm: team meetings, reporting cadences, project management, and communication systems
• Identify operational bottlenecks and fix them — whether that means building a new process, choosing a new tool, or reorganising a workflow
• Own hiring operations, onboarding, and people processes as the team grows
• Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and corporate governance requirements across operating jurisdictions

Financial Management

• Own budgeting, cash flow management, and P&L oversight across the organisation
• Build and maintain financial models, forecasts, and scenario planning
• Prepare financial reporting for leadership and the investor collective
• Manage relationships with accountants, auditors, and financial service providers
• Track revenue, expenses, and financial KPIs with precision and transparency
• Ensure financial discipline while supporting the investments needed for growth

Project & Team Management

• Drive project management across all departments and workstreams — ensuring priorities are clear, deliverables are tracked, and cross-functional work stays aligned
• Build and maintain the planning cadence: quarterly goals, sprint cycles, team stand-ups, and progress reviews
• Own resource allocation across concurrent priorities — conference production, partnership deliverables, content timelines, and operational projects
• Create visibility and accountability across the organisation — everyone knows what's happening, what's next, and who owns it
• As the team grows, build the management layer: team structure, role clarity, performance frameworks, and development paths
• Work with the CTO on tools, systems, and processes that make the team more effective

What We're Looking For

• Operational Builder: Minimum 6–8 years in operations, general management, or a cross-functional leadership role. You've built operational infrastructure — not just maintained it. You know what good looks like and you know how to get there from zero.
• Financial Acumen: You can build a budget, read a P&L, manage cash flow, and prepare investor-ready reporting. You don't need to be a CFO, but you need to be financially sharp.
• Systems Thinker: You design processes that scale without adding unnecessary complexity. You instinctively look for leverage points — where a small change creates outsized impact.
• Hands-On Leader: You're comfortable being both strategic and operational. In the morning you're reviewing financial forecasts; in the afternoon you're troubleshooting a vendor contract. You don't see that as beneath you — you see it as the job.
• High Integrity: You manage finances, contracts, and sensitive information. Trust is non-negotiable.

We're open to non-traditional paths — if your background doesn't tick every box but you've built something real, we want to hear from you.

Preferred Qualifications

• Based in Cape Town or willing to relocate
• Experience in events, conferences, media, or network-driven businesses
• Background in startups or high-growth organisations
• International operations experience across multiple markets and jurisdictions
• Experience with financial reporting to investors or boards
• Comfortable with AI tools for financial modelling, process automation, communication, and operational analysis
• Understanding of South African corporate, tax, and labour law
• Fluent in English (German or another language is a plus)

Why Join Counder

• Equity participation — Counder has an established valuation, a proven model, and a clear growth path. This isn't day-one equity — it's participation in something real, with vesting that reflects what you build.
• Own the operational side — this is your domain to build and lead, in direct partnership with the founder. You're not a back-office function — you're at the centre of every decision.
• Build from scratch — design the operational infrastructure for a growing global network. The systems you create now will shape how Counder operates for years.
• World-class access — your work enables a network of investors, executives, and decision-makers shaping global capital flows.
• Right stage, right moment — early enough to shape everything, established enough to have real momentum and a proven community of 500+.
• Mission-driven work — meaningful collaboration through the power of trusted connections.
• How we work — a small, sharp team that runs on trust, not timesheets. Cape Town base, international travel, and the autonomy to do your best work.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive base salary and equity participation with vesting. Counder has an established valuation and clear growth trajectory — details shared with shortlisted candidates. We're deliberately lean, which means real ownership and real growth as the organisation scales. You'll also get access to Counder's events and network, and international travel.

How to Apply

Email your application to careers@counder.com

You'll be working directly with Michel Weiss, Founding Partner & CEO.

Please include:

1. CV/Resume highlighting relevant experience in operations, finance, and cross-functional leadership
2. A brief note (optional but welcomed) telling us:
   • A time you built operational infrastructure from scratch — what was the situation, what you built, and what changed as a result
   • How you'd approach your first 90 days as Counder's COO
   • Why Counder, and why this is the right next step for you
3. Availability and compensation expectations