Business Operations Associate

About us

Still Bright is making copper mining a force for good at a time when global copper demand is increasing at unprecedented rates while global copper supply is actually shrinking. By responsibly converting copper and the toxic elements also located within the ore to products that drive local prosperity, Still Bright is leveraging its proprietary processing technology to change the industry.

Position Summary

As our team grows from a small group of founders and scientists into a real organization, the systems that keep the company running — its books, its payroll, its purchasing, its office, and its HR processes — have to grow with it. This role builds and runs those systems.

The Business Operations Associate is the operational backbone of Still Bright’s headquarters. The role owns the day-to-day mechanics of the business — bookkeeping in partnership with our third-party controller, payroll and HR compliance, purchasing for the office and facility, executive support, and the day-to-day running of the office. This is a fully onsite role: the Business Operations Associate is the company’s “front of house” — present in the Kenilworth office every day, the first team member visitors meet and the steady operational anchor the rest of the team relies on. Reporting to the VP of Operations, this role keeps the company’s foundation stable so that technical and commercial teams can focus on the work only they can do.

This is a hands-on, high-trust generalist role. It spans finance, HR administration, procurement, and facilities, carrying real responsibility across functions. As Still Bright scales, the Business Operations Associate will turn ad hoc routines into repeatable, documented processes so the company’s operational foundation keeps pace with its growth.

Success in this role is measured in reliability and judgment: accurate books, on-time payroll, a well-stocked and well-run office, and a team that experiences Still Bright as organized, professional, and genuinely supportive.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate day-to-day books in partnership with Still Bright’s third-party controller: recording transactions, reconciling accounts, managing accounts payable and receivable, and preparing the clean records the controller relies on for monthly close and reporting.

• Own payroll entry and HR compliance: working with our HRIS, processing payroll accurately and on time, maintaining complete and confidential employee records, and keeping the company compliant with federal, New Jersey, and local employment requirements.

• Manage purchasing for office, administrative, and utility needs: sourcing and ordering office supplies and equipment, managing service and utility vendors, tracking orders and deliveries, and controlling spend against budget.

• Provide executive assistance and calendar management: coordinating schedules, meetings, and travel for company leadership, and protecting their time so they can focus on the highest-value work.

• Serve as the office’s full-time, onsite “front of house”: the first point of contact for visitors, deliveries, and day-to-day questions. Manage facilities, supplies, mail, and equipment and keep the workplace welcoming, professional, and well-organized.

• Coordinate the administrative side of HR in partnership with the company’s external HR resources: new-hire onboarding logistics, benefits enrollment, and employee record-keeping.

• Build repeatable systems and documentation: turning informal routines into reliable, documented processes as the team grows from a small group into a real organization.

• Safeguard confidentiality and accuracy across all financial, payroll, and personnel information, exercising sound judgment with sensitive data.

Definition of Success

In the first 6–12 months, success looks like: books that are consistently accurate and reconciled, with a clean, predictable handoff to the third-party controller; payroll processed on time with zero compliance lapses; a purchasing process that keeps the office and facility well supplied without overspending; an office that runs smoothly and reflects well on the company; and onboarding and HR administration that run smoothly as headcount grows.

Qualifications & Experience

Expected Competencies:

• 3+ years of experience in office management, business operations, bookkeeping, or a combined administrative and finance role, ideally in a small or scaling company.

• Hands-on bookkeeping experience and comfort working alongside an external controller or accountant; fluency with accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks) and strong spreadsheet skills.

• Direct experience running payroll and a working knowledge of HR compliance, including federal and New Jersey employment requirements.

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and trustworthy with confidential financial and personnel information.

• A self-starter who thrives in ambiguity and is comfortable building processes where none or only informal steps exist.

• Excellent written and verbal communication and a service-minded approach to supporting executives, employees, and visitors.

• Able and committed to working full-time, fully onsite in Kenilworth, NJ. This role is the office’s daily front-of-house presence.

Strongly Preferred Experience:

• Experience supporting HR administration (onboarding logistics and benefits enrollment) at a growing company.

• Familiarity with payroll and HRIS platforms (e.g., Gusto, Rippling, ADP, or Justworks).

• Purchasing or procurement experience, particularly for office, facilities, or administrative needs.

• Experience as an executive assistant or in a senior administrative role supporting company leadership.

• Experience in a startup, laboratory, manufacturing, or other technical or industrial environment.

Nice-to-Have:

• Exposure to a scaling organization moving from founder-led operations to formal systems and structure.

• Experience managing office vendors, leases, or facilities at a growing company.

• Notary commission, or willingness to obtain one.

This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Given the financial responsibilities of this role, final candidates will be asked to complete background and credit checks as a condition of employment, consistent with applicable law.

Still Bright provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Still Bright complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Still Bright expressly prohibits and will never tolerate any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.