Chief of Staff to the Head of R&D

R&D is the engine of Innovatrics. As we scale the function, increase the rate at which AI capability is absorbed into how we build, and tighten the loop between research, product, and go-to-market, the Head of R&D needs a force multiplier — someone who can hold the operating system of the function together so the Head of R&D can spend their time on the decisions only they can make.

This is not an executive assistant role and it is not a glorified project manager role. The Chief of Staff is a thinking partner, a closer, and a translator. They run the cadence, surface the right problems, drive the unowned work, and make sure that when a decision gets made it actually lands.

• Operating cadence and strategic rhythm Design and run the R&D leadership rhythm — staff meetings, OKR setting and reviews, quarterly strategy days, monthly business reviews. You decide what gets discussed, in what order, with what pre-read. You hold the line on quality of preparation and on follow-through after decisions.
• Strategic projects At any given time you will be running 2–4 cross-cutting initiatives that don't fit cleanly into any single team's remit — examples might be standing up a new research area, integrating an acquisition, redesigning how R&D interfaces with Product, or driving the R&D side of the AI maturity programme. You own these end-to-end until they have a permanent home.
• Decision quality and follow-through You make sure the Head of R&D walks into rooms with the right framing, the right data, and a clear recommendation where one is needed. You make sure decisions made in those rooms actually get executed — not by doing the work yourself, but by knowing where it stands and unblocking it.
• Communication You draft on behalf of the Head of R&D — all-hands content, exec team updates, written narratives for the exec team, internal posts. You translate technical detail into business language and business pressure into technical priorities. You will sometimes be the only person in the room who can do both directions credibly.
• Cross-functional coordination You are the connective tissue between R&D and the rest of the company — People, Finance, Product, GTM, the strategy office. You build the relationships that let R&D move quickly without breaking trust elsewhere.
• Reading the room You tell the Head of R&D what they need to hear, including the things no one else will say. You notice when something is off — a team losing confidence, a project quietly slipping, a leader struggling — and you raise it early.

In your first months, you’ll...

• have completed at least one strategic project end-to-end. The R&D leadership team trusts you as a peer, not a gatekeeper. The Head of R&D is spending visibly more time on the work only they can do.

Within your first year, you’ll have the opportunity to...

• be the trusted point of contact for the rest of the exec team on anything R&D-related that doesn't require the Head of R&D personally. The function's strategy is legible — anyone on the leadership team can articulate the priorities and how they ladder up. You have surfaced and driven to resolution at least one problem the Head of R&D did not know they had.

Must-haves

• 5+ years of experience in a combination of: management consulting, strategic operations, product management, or a previous Chief of Staff role. Pure ops or pure PM backgrounds both work; what matters is the breadth.
• Track record of driving complex initiatives across multiple teams without formal authority.
• Comfort with technical depth. You do not need to be an engineer or researcher, but you must be able to sit in a deep technical conversation, follow the substance, and ask the question that moves it forward. In our context that means at minimum being conversant in modern AI/ML development, software engineering practice, and the shape of a biometrics or computer vision R&D org.
• Strong writing. Most of your output is written. We will assess this directly in the process.
• Calibrated judgement on what to escalate, what to absorb, and what to delegate back.
• Demonstrated discretion. You will hold information that cannot leave the room.

Nice-to-haves

• Background in a deep-tech, biometrics, computer vision, or applied ML company.
• Experience inside a company going through an AI transformation as either an operator or a consultant.
• Languages: English is required; Slovak or Czech is a strong plus.

At Innovatrics, we offer highly competitive salaries because we value top talent who share our values and goals. Compensation is determined based on your level, skills, experience, qualifications, and location.

Salary starting from: CZK 82,000.00 - CZK 126,000.00 gross per month (approx. 3200 - 4800 EUR/gross monthly)

📈 Beyond base pay, we provide an attractive benefits package. You can learn more at https://careers.innovatrics.com/ .

Here is the typical interview process for this role:

• Recruiter Screen (30 min)
• Principal Screen (45 min)
• Assignment + Interview (60 min)
• CARES Interview (30 min)

We encourage candidates to request additional conversations with anyone they would like to meet.
Learn More About Us

Learn more about our culture, values, and what it’s like to work at Innovatrics:  https://careers.innovatrics.com/