Chief Operations Officer

The organisation

Bananas from Ecuador, blueberries from Morocco, and broccoli from Spain; our supermarkets are filled with produce from all over the world. In the Netherlands, for example, 75 percent of all consumption is imported without clear visibility on how it is produced. At the same time, 75 percent of everything that is produced locally is sent abroad. Today’s anonymous retail food system – through agriculture, transport, and packaging – puts a large burden on the environment.

Holos – the working title of a Dutch new venture – wants to make it easy for consumers to do the right thing by providing healthy, locally sourced, and seasonal food options at reasonable pricing and maximum convenience. They bring radical transparency about where food comes from and how it is produced. Holos works with local farmers and chefs to create meal solutions that are tasty, modern, and influenced by cuisines from all over the world.

““Food retail is still largely based on international trade. It is one of those sectors that is not pulling its weight in terms of climate change and environmental degradation. The current system makes it difficult, even for the most conscious of consumers, to make the right choices. We are here to change that.” – Founder & CEO

Holos is planning to provide a full range of food options: ready to eat and ready to heat meals, frozen ingredients, recipe kits, and veggie boxes. The start-up is developing a business model that combines brick-and-mortar locations and online delivery through a proprietary platform. Being an early-stage venture, Holos is currently building its product offering, developing its digital platform, setting up a distribution system, and putting together a strong team. The first step is to get the model working in a small geography, e.g., a neighborhood in a big city. Once the ball gets rolling, Holos has the potential to become a billion-euro business. The company will quickly scale and help consumers across the country – and beyond – to eat locally, seasonally, sustainably, and deliciously.

The position

Holos (working title) is a start-up that is set out to change the way we eat: locally, seasonally, and sustainably. The COO will build and run operations, including, e.g., sourcing, fulfillment, and distribution. They get the chance to pioneer and build a company from the ground up.  

Tasks & responsibilities

One of the first key hires of Holos will be a COO who will be responsible for building, running, growing, and improving Holos’ operations, including, e.g., supply, stores, dark stores, and distribution. They will become part of the start-up’s leadership team, shaping the organization and strategy. A position that will include frequent interactions with (potential) investors and will be eligible for equity-based remuneration.

The first priority for the COO will be to set up operations and create a daily rhythm for the identification, analysis, and resolution of operational issues. Initially, Holos’ scope will be limited and will involve a more traditional approach to sourcing, third-party production kitchens, and delivery using cargo bikes. As Holos scales, the operations will quickly get more complex, e.g., with its own production and circular packaging facilities, automated mini fulfillment centers, and full crop sourcing from local farms. It will be up to the COO to get operations up and running in the short term while immediately working towards mid-term scalable solutions.

“For the COO position, we’re mainly focused on talent and execution power. Someone with the right mindset who can accelerate our business. Experience is secondary, even though it does help to have a background in, e.g., operations and consulting.” – Founder & CEO

As part of Holos’ leadership team, the COO will be responsible for hiring and developing a strong team consisting of A-players. They will work closely together with, e.g., IT to create the infrastructure required to scale operations and with commercial teams to create circular packaging designs. The wide variety of counterparts and responsibilities asks for a COO who possesses the right mix of analytics, strategy, and execution.

Joining Holos now means becoming part of an exciting and promising adventure from the very start. For a COO who is energetic and self-driven, this role presents the opportunity to make a significant contribution to society and have the experience of a lifetime.

Candidate profile

Requirements*

• MSc in an analytical field (e.g., engineering or econometrics)
• Over 8 years of experience
• Strategy Consulting
• Experienced working with and modeling financials (P&L, cash flow, balance)
• Hands-on operations

* Research shows that while male candidates feel confident enough to apply when they meet about 60% of the requirements, female candidates only apply when they tick every box. So if this role has your name on it, but you’re not sure about the criteria, we still want to hear from you.

Interested?

You can apply to this position by using the link below. Holos has appointed Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.