Business Operations Associate

About Kernel

Enterprise AI only works when the underlying data is accurate — but most CRMs are filled with duplicates, broken hierarchies, and outdated information that undermine forecasting, territory planning, and AI deployments.

We've raised a $14M Series A from top VCs and operators at Plaid, OpenAI, Slack and others to solve this with Agentic Company Data — the AI-native alternative to Dun & Bradstreet.

RevOps teams at Gong, Navan, Mistral, AlphaSense, and Zip use Kernel to eliminate duplicates, fix hierarchies, and deliver the accuracy they need to operate with confidence. What a RevOps expert can do manually for a single record, Kernel can do safely at scale for an entire CRM. Our platform gives teams confidence in the data foundation that powers enterprise decision-making and AI.

The Role

We're looking for a Business Operations Associate who thrives at the intersection of finance and execution. This is a high-impact, project-based role where you'll act as a force multiplier for our Head of Finance & Operations - tackling diverse challenges from financial modeling and GTM hiring to operational systems and key initiatives.

You'll be part chief of staff, part operator, part problem-solver. You'll drive critical finance and operations projects that shape how we grow.

This role is perfect for generalists who are intellectually curious, commercially minded, and energized by variety. You'll need to be comfortable with ambiguity, quick to learn new domains, and able to deliver results across finance, operations, and hiring.

We're looking for A-star players with a get-it-done attitude - “you're a top performer who is willing to take out the trash”.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Act as a force multiplier for the Head of Finance & Operations, supporting key initiatives end-to-end

• Lead financial planning and analysis - including forecasting, budgeting, unit economics, KPI dashboards, and cross-functional planning cycles

• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Revenue teams on cross-functional initiatives related to LLM spend and pipeline generation

• Own back-office finance and operations tasks - reviewing accounting, managing Carta (cap table), supporting SOC 2 compliance, vendor contracts, and other administrative tasks

• Drive diverse operational projects - from compliance and office leases to compensation design and software contract optimization

• Support GTM recruitment and hiring operations end-to-end (in partnership with the Talent Lead and hiring managers), including sourcing, calibration, and closing offers

What You Bring

• 2-4 years of experience in consulting, investment banking, or a high-performing startup environment

• Strong financial acumen - comfort with financial modeling, data analysis, and quantitative problem-solving

• Highly numerate and analytical; proficient in Excel/Google Sheets and comfortable learning new tools (Salesforce, Notion, data visualization platforms)

• Proven ability to manage ambiguous, cross-functional projects from start to finish

• Excellent written and verbal communication - you can distill complexity into clear, actionable insights

• Intellectually curious, self-directed, and comfortable working independently with minimal oversight

It is a plus if you also have:

• Experience in GTM operations, sales operations, or revenue operations at a B2B SaaS company

• Previous involvement in hiring or talent acquisition (especially for GTM roles)

• Exposure to early-stage or high-growth startups; comfort with rapid iteration and changing priorities

⚠️ This role may not be for you if you:

• Prefer deep specialization over breadth - this role requires switching contexts frequently between finance, hiring, operations, and strategy

• Prefer steady-state work over project-based sprints - priorities shift as the business evolves and new challenges emerge

• Only want "strategic" work - a portion of this role is unglamorous back-office admin (accounting reviews, Carta updates, compliance work)

❌ This role is definitely not for you if you:

• You need every task to be clearly scoped before starting - ambiguity and learning on the fly are constant

• You're seeking a pure finance or pure recruiting role - this is a generalist position that blends both and more

• Avoid operational grunt work - you'll be doing plenty of it alongside the strategic projects

What We Offer

We will do our best to offer you a ride of a lifetime. It will not be easy, but it will be thrilling.

• 💰 Salary: £60K - £85K + equity

• 🗓️ 24 days holiday per year + bank holidays + 2 weeks work-from-anywhere

• 💼 Pension plan

• 💻 Top-spec equipment and central London office

• 🍽️ Dinner provided when working past 6 pm

• 🎉 Team events and dinners when we hit weekly targets

• 🚀 A fast-paced ride in the early innings of a new technology wave

❤️ Team

Arvin Ashrafi, Head of Finance & Operations

De-Vene Swanepoel, Talent Lead

🎫 Visas & Relocation

We generally require candidates to have the right to work in the UK. However, for exceptional candidates, we may offer visa sponsorship.

Interview Process

• Stage 1: Screening - Intro call

• Stage 2: Technical - Take-home task with follow-up in-person discussion

• Final Stage: Values - Interview with founders for culture and values alignment

If there is mutual fit, we move to references and offer.