# Start-up Chief Operating Officer (9 month contract)

**Company:** [Applied Blockchain](http://jobs.workable.com/companies/gEU3sgoWi1FEKmFdLXsomh.md)
**Location:** London, United Kingdom
**Workplace:** hybrid
**Employment type:** Full-time

[Apply for this job](http://jobs.workable.com/view/ea9ac775-01ab-458b-84e9-42f72f04f808)

## Description

Fixed-term contract · Full-time · London (UK)

This is a fixed-term role, running from early September 2026 until the second week of May 2027. The role exists solely to provide cover during the current post-holder's maternity leave, with a deliberate overlap at each end to allow a thorough handover in and out.

### Applied Blockchain | Applied Edge

Applied Blockchain | Applied Edge helps regulated financial institutions navigate the intersection of AI and digital assets. We build and advise on AI systems using Claude, and we design privacy-preserving infrastructure for digital asset applications using our proprietary Silent Data L2 technology. Our clients include Shell, Archax, Lloyds, and Honda.

### **About the role**

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on operator to cover a broad, business-critical remit during a period of maternity leave. Reporting directly to the CEO, the role centres on two things: company secretarial and governance work, and end-to-end recruitment. Alongside these you will manage a direct report, keep project delivery reporting on track, and provide varied support to the leadership team.

This is a delivery role, not a strategic oversight one. You will be doing the work yourself day to day — administering share options, preparing board papers, running hiring processes, building meeting materials — rather than directing others to do it. It suits a capable all-rounder who is genuinely energised by hands-on execution and can pick up a varied workload quickly and run with it independently. Candidates looking for a purely strategic or figurehead position would not be the right fit.hand back cleanly at the end of the term.

### What you’ll be doing

-   Company secretarial & governance (core). You will personally:

-   Administer the company's share options end to end — approvals, allocations and valuation reports — including day-to-day management in Vestd.
-   Prepare and file the annual confirmation statement.
-   Prepare board packs and coordinate and minute board meetings.
-   Produce and issue shareholder updates.
-   Handle non-standard governance and legal matters, coordinating directly between the CEO, external legal advisers and other stakeholders.

-   Recruitment (core). Own the recruitment process hands-on from start to finish — drafting and posting roles, screening and coordinating candidates, managing interviews and offers, and liaising with hiring managers.
-   People management. Line-manage and support the development of a direct report.
-   Delivery reporting. Run project delivery reporting to the CEO in a portfolio format, including chairing calls with project managers and other stakeholders and holding regular check-ins with the CEO. (Reporting is produced using our AI-assisted portfolio management tooling — training provided.)
-   Executive & administrative support. Take on the varied hands-on tasks that keep things running, such as preparing team and management meeting materials and other ad-hoc support for the leadership team.

## Requirements

-   Hands-on company secretarial and governance experience is essential — including share option administration (approvals, allocations, valuation reports), confirmation statements, board meeting preparation and minuting, and shareholder communications. You should be confident doing this work yourself, unsupported.
-   Direct, hands-on recruitment experience — running end-to-end hiring processes yourself, not just overseeing a team or an agency.
-   Experience line-managing and developing a direct report.
-   Strong stakeholder management, with the confidence and discretion to work directly with the CEO, board members, shareholders and external legal advisers.
-   A genuine all-rounder who is happy switching between senior governance matters and practical administrative tasks on the same day.
-   A self-starter who can build context quickly and work autonomously with minimal ramp-up.
-   Comfortable adopting new tools and ways of working, including AI-based tools.
-   Right to work in the UK (Applied Blockchain does not offer visa sponsorship).
-   Available for the full fixed-term period, from early September 2026 to mid-May 2027.

### Nice to have

-   Experience with Vestd for share option management.
-   Experience working alongside finance, operations and people teams.
-   Experience or interest in the blockchain and/or AI sectors.

## Benefits

-   £1000 Annual Allowance for Training (up to 50% of this value can be used for you to buy workstation equipment to work from home)
-   5 days/per year for Training
-   In-person fun team events/team buildings every 3 months
-   Company equipment and Onboarding kit
-   Annual Bonus (dependant on company and personal performance)
-   Stock Option Plan
-   Birthday Off
-   Amazing referral programme