Deputy Chief of Staff

Firestorm

• $100K — $140K *
Business Services
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3+ years in a high-stakes executive assistant role or in operations at a startup
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Communications, or related field
  • Ability to manage a complex calendar and inbox with minimal errors
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
  • High proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with AI tools
  • Excellent judgment and trustworthiness with confidential data
  • Demonstrated ownership and proactive problem-solving attitude
  • Ability to quickly learn new domains like legal and finance

Responsibilities

  • Own the CEO's calendar and prioritize effectively
  • Prepare agendas and briefing materials for meetings
  • Manage the CEO's inbox, filtering necessary communications
  • Plan and manage all travel arrangements for the CEO
  • Track action items from meetings to ensure completion
  • Provide support for corporate development and special projects
  • Assist with fundraising processes and investor relations

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
  • 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
  • Equity grants for new hires
  • Unlimited PTO with a generous holiday calendar
  • Generous Parental Leave
  • Lifestyle Spending Account
  • Access to free mental health resources 24/7
  • Comprehensive disability and life insurance coverage
Full Job Description
About the Role

Firestorm is looking for a Deputy Chief of Staff. You will report to the Chief of Staff and work directly with the CEO. The role covers the CEO's calendar, inbox, travel, and meeting preparation, and it extends into the work of the Chief of Staff: fundraising, special projects, operations, presentations for CEO initiatives, incubated ventures and corporate development.

Supporting the CEO comes first. His time and the information that reaches him are your responsibility, and everything else in this role depends on that running smoothly. Once it does, more of your time goes to strategic work, and the scope of what you own grows with it.

What You'll Do

Support the CEO

  • Own the CEO's calendar: set priorities, protect his time, resolve conflicts before they reach him, and push back on requests that do not deserve a slot
  • Know what matters this week and what does not, and make sure his schedule reflects it
  • Prepare him for every meeting with agendas, briefing materials, and context on who he is meeting and what needs to be decided
  • Manage his inbox: sort through the noise, find the context, act on what does not need him, and escalate only what does
  • Plan and manage all domestic and international travel, including flights, lodging, ground transportation, and itineraries
  • Track action items and follow-ups from his meetings and make sure they get done
  • Other duties as assigned due to business growth and needs


Special Projects and Corporate Support

  • Administrative support: support legal, operations, and fundraise admin
  • Fundraise: support the diligence process, including the data room and investor requests, maintain the investor pipeline and follow-ups
  • Investor relations: support investor relations, including updates, correspondence, and meeting preparation
  • Presentations: build presentations for special projects that advance CEO initiatives. This means shaping the narrative and the argument: you think critically about the content, bring in analysis and rationale where they are needed, and understand the business context behind them
  • Special projects: support the CoS on early-stage projects, special initiatives, and corporate development
  • Other duties as assigned due to business growth and needs


Who This Role Is For

  • You enjoy technology, venture capital, and the work of building a company and want to learn how a company is built by working every day with the CEO of a unicorn.
  • You are high agency. You do not wait to be told what to do. You see the gap and close it.
  • You move fast, commit, and make decisions with incomplete information, and you own the outcome
  • You are sharp. You pick up quickly on what matters in a meeting, a deck, or a set of documents.
  • No task is too small for you, and you expect to be given more as you prove it


Required Qualifications

  • 3+ years in a high-stakes EA role supporting a founder, CEO, or C-suite executive, or in an operations position in a startup. If you do not have this background, tell us why you would be a strong fit for the role
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Communications, Political Science, or a related field
  • Proven ability to manage a complex, multi-stakeholder calendar and inbox with discretion and very few errors
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication; you can write in someone else's voice
  • High proficiency with Microsoft Office and comfort using AI tools to work faster
  • Excellent judgment, discretion, and trustworthiness with confidential information
  • Demonstrated ownership and bias toward action; you close loops without being asked
  • Ability to learn unfamiliar domains such as legal, finance, and fundraising quickly and produce high-quality work
  • Eligible to access export-controlled information (see Export Control Compliance below); eligibility for a security clearance may be required


Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in a venture-backed startup, defense, aerospace, or high-growth technology company
  • Familiarity with fundraising, investor relations, or diligence processes
  • Strong business sense; you understand how a company operates and can follow the reasoning behind its decisions
  • Experience preparing board-level or investor-facing presentations
  • Exposure to legal or operations coordination in a lean, fast-moving company
  • A steady, calm presence under pressure and in ambiguity
  • Low-ego, direct communicator who gives and takes feedback well


Work Environment

This role is onsite at our headquarters in San Diego, CA, working directly with the CEO and Chief of Staff.

Relocation assistance is available and may be included in the offer where appropriate.

Occasional travel may be required up to 15% of the time.

Compensation

US Salary Range: $100,000 - $140,000 USD

The posted salary range reflects an estimate based on a variety of compensation factors, including but not limited to relevant experience, education, certifications, specialized skills, geographic location, and business needs. Actual compensation may vary, and this range is subject to change as our compensation structure or market conditions evolve.

Benefits & Perks

Our culture fosters collaboration, respect, and trust, empowering passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth. In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:

  • We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans
  • 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
  • Equity grants for new hires
  • Unlimited PTO
  • Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in November, & December
  • Generous Parental Leave
  • Lifestyle Spending Account
  • FSA
  • DCFSA
  • HSA
  • Hospital Indemnity insurance
  • Critical Illness insurance
  • Accident insurance
  • Basic Life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, 100% covered by Firestorm.Plus, the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family
  • Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, are available to you as well


Export Control Compliance

To conform to U.S. government export control regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce.

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