Founders Associate (f/m/x)

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Founders Associate (f/m/x)

Join us in reshaping global trade in a fast-growing startup!

We are traide AI - a B2B deep tech startup based in Berlin, using AI to solve one of the most overlooked yet critical challenges in international trade: customs compliance. Our software automates product classification, reduces regulatory errors, and helps customers save up to 83% of their time.

Trusted by leading brands like Siemens Healthineers, BMW, and Jack Wolfskin , we’ve achieved 3x growth over the past 12 months – and we’re just getting started.

As our Founders Associate , you'll own the operational backbone of traide AI: finance, people & recruiting, and operations. You'll work directly with our Chief of Staff Katharina and our co-founder and CEO Leonie.

This is a full-time role with full responsibility . You don't support processes from the sidelines: you run them, improve them, and automate them.

What You'll Own

Finance

• Run our full invoicing and receivables cycle : monthly invoicing, payment tracking, dunning, and partner commissions
• Own ARR tracking and contract renewals
• Be the main point of contact for our tax advisor and bookkeeping : month-end preparation, DATEV, documentation, and open questions
• Build and maintain finance KPI dashboards for the founding team

People & Recruiting

• Run hiring processes end-to-end : job postings, active sourcing, screening, interview coordination, offers, and onboarding
• Own our HR tooling (Personio) and build workflows and automations around it
• Shape our employer branding

Culture & Events

• Prepare our weekly team meeting
• Plan and run team events , our winter party, and customer gifts, and actively shape our team culture

AI-first & Strategic Projects

• Spot inefficiencies and build AI-first solutions (e.g. internal dashboards and automations with Claude and n8n): we automate what can be automated
• Take on strategic projects with the Chief of Staff and founders, e.g. market analyses or partner management
• Completed Bachelor's or Master's degree , ideally in Business, Economics, Finance, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
• 1 –3 years of experience in a fast-paced environment - whether in a startup, consulting, finance or a similar high-intensity, project-driven setting
• You are motivated to take on a wide range of tasks and bring a hands-on mentality
• Comfortable operating in high ambiguity : you can organize, prioritize, adapt, and maintain quality even when things shift fast
• Precise and reliable with numbers , and confident in spreadsheets
• AI-curious : you enjoy building your own solutions with AI and no-code tools
• You have excellent German (C1 or native) and English skills (B2 or better)
• You possess strong written and verbal communication skills for effective collaboration with team members and stakeholders

Even if you don't meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. Imposter syndrome shouldn't hold you back: we value drive and potential above all.

• Full ownership: You run core functions of a fast-growing company, not a sub-task of them
• Close to the founding team: Work directly with our Chief of Staff and CEO and see first-hand how a VC-backed startup scales
• Room to grow: As we scale, your role grows with us, e.g. toward a lead role in finance and operations
• Competitive salary
• AI-first toolset: Access to modern AI tools (e.g. Claude Enterprise) to build your own solutions
• Regular team events (boat trips, bowling, etc.) and an Urban Sports Club membership
• Team culture: You'll be part of a team that communicates transparently, values humor, and supports each other with respect and sincerity

Location & Logistics

• Hybrid setup: Office days in Berlin, the rest flexible
• Start: Available to start in March/April 2027