Founding Business & Operations Lead
NationGraph
Location
Toronto
Employment Type
Full time
Location Type
On-site
Department
People Operations
About NationGraph
Our world runs on public infrastructure, yet government data sits fragmented across thousands of portals, PDFs, and poorly designed databases. Finding relevant information —like which city just put out an RFP, or which agency is buying a new software system —often requires detective-level research. NationGraph’s mission is to end that detective work.
By automating data collection, normalizing records, building a knowledge graph with this data, and presenting them in a single, intuitive interface, we do for public procurement what Bloomberg did for finance and CoStar did for commercial real estate.
Our team works hard to simplify the complicated process of doing business with the government by building great software to solve a real problem.
AI applications applied to government procurement is in its infancy, join us in building an industry defining product.
You’ll Join A Small Founding Team That:
Has successfully built, scaled, and sold companies in the past.
Built software infrastructure processing billions of dollars in transactions.
Is backed by world‑class VCs and operating partners who’ve invested in—and built—iconic companies.
About the Role
Own the operating backbone of a fast‑growing, founder‑led startup. As our Founding Business & Operations Lead, you will set up and scale company operations across Toronto (HQ), Miami, and San Francisco—from entity and setup to recruiting/onboarding, events/offsites, travel, and high‑leverage cross‑functional projects (including stakeholder and investor engagement). You’ll build the operating cadence that lets the team move fast with clarity.
What You’ll Do
Company Setup & Finance Ops: Finalize Canadian entity tasks; open/manage banking; vendor & contract administration; light AP/AR; documentation & compliance hygiene.
People Ops & Recruiting: Build a crisp hiring funnel in Ashby; run scheduling, references, offers & comp letters; own onboarding playbooks/checklists; coordinate US/CA payroll & benefits with partners.
Operating Cadence: Own weekly exec prep, notes, and follow‑through; track hiring plan, headcount, and key metrics; drive quarterly planning/OKRs and keep docs current.
Founder/CEO Support: Draft memos, investor/stakeholder updates, and board materials; coordinate meetings; track actions to done.
Events & Travel: Plan offsites and team events; manage policies & bookings (optimize cost vs. experience); vendor coordination.
Toronto HQ Operations: Serve as the on‑site heartbeat—space setup, supplies, visitors, facilities/vendors; cultivate a high‑energy, in‑person culture.
“Whatever‑It‑Takes” Ops: Jump on emergent needs across legal, security questionnaires, procurement, or light marketing ops; create process once, automate next.
What You’ll Need:
4–6 years in operations (startup ops, business ops, people ops, or Chief‑of‑Staff‑style role), with examples of owning outcomes end‑to‑end.
Proven company‑building experience: entity/banking setup, vendors, payroll/benefits coordination, or similar across US + Canada.
People Ops fundamentals: recruiting coordination → offers → onboarding; ATS hygiene (Ashby a plus).
Clear, concise writing and strong documentation—turn chaos into one‑pagers, investor updates, and actionable plans.
Project management rigor: you run lists, hit dates, escalate early, and measure outcomes; comfort with basic budgeting.
High ownership & bias to action. You like being in the room, rolling up sleeves, and closing loops.
What You’ll Get From Us:
Founder‑level exposure: Work directly with the CEO and founding team on company‑critical projects.
Zero bureaucracy: Ship fast, fix fast, and own outcomes end‑to‑end.
Scope that grows with you: Define the playbooks now; hire/lead the team that runs them later.
Real‑world impact: Your work unlocks hiring velocity, investor readiness, and day‑to‑day execution across three hubs.
A culture of builders: High standards, speed, and deep care for the craft.
Compensation
We offer a highly competitive salary + equity as a well funded and fast growing startup.
Benefits
Unlimited PTO
High‑quality health insurance, dental & vision coverage
We believe working in person should be the norm, with WFH days taken as necessary.