Chief Operating Officer COO (all genders)

As a science brand, we are best known for our distinctive animated videos and our elaborate products around the kurzgesagt theme worlds. Through our globally successful YouTube channel with over 25 million subscribers, we aim to inspire people around the world about science and make knowledge accessible and exciting. We believe that well-researched facts are just as important as humor and good storytelling. Nothing in the universe is boring if you tell a good story. Our international team currently consists of about 70 great colleagues. If you want to make an impact and thrive in a collaborative environment, we invite you to apply and become part of our team as: Chief Operating Officer COO (all genders) Location: Munich, Berlin or Remote within Germany Reports to: CEO   How to make an impact - in a nutshell We’re looking for someone who is decisive and deeply human, operationally strong and creatively sensitive. Someone who can challenge people while bringing them along at the same time. We care a lot about: High standards, low ego. Together with the CEO and CCO, you shape the strategic development and long-term direction of kurzgesagt and share responsibility for the company’s sustainable success This is not a “keep the machine running” COO role. You help a highly creative company navigate its next phase with more clarity, stronger prioritization, and thoughtful operational leadership, without losing what makes the company special Working closely with the CEO and CCO, you act as a link between C-Level and senior leadership, guide teams through change, create calm in complex situations and strengthen cross-functional collaboration across the organization You take overall operational responsibility and ensure that strategic decisions are implemented effectively, pragmatically and with foresight You translate visions and ideas into clear priorities, actionable initiatives, structures and processes, continuously improving them with regard to efficiency, scalability and company objectives You create structure without suffocating creativity and help the company move forward decisively instead of getting stuck in ambiguity You oversee key areas such as Finance, People & Organization, Production, Product Operations and Social Media, leading your direct reports with clarity, trust, transparency and a deeply human leadership style You create transparency around KPIs and financial metrics and use them as the basis for thoughtful and well-informed decision-making You anticipate organizational growth before it becomes painful, balancing resources, priorities and team needs thoughtfully and proactively What you are best known for Proven experience as a COO or in a comparable operational leadership role, ideally within a web/video-, creative-, production- or agency- driven environment Strong experience in both disciplinary and functional leadership, paired with a motivating, collaborative, and coaching-oriented leadership style A proactive, solution-oriented and pragmatic approach to challenges, combined with diplomatic execution strength and strong interpersonal sensitivity The ability to anticipate challenges early and develop pragmatic, effective solutions before they become critical A strong track record of translating ideas into clear structures, processes, priorities and goals Experience in leading and supporting organizational change processes Confidence working with creative teams, with a deep understanding of their workflows and needs Strong execution mindset with a focus on outcomes rather than analysis alone Decisiveness paired with a high level of ownership, accountability and responsibility Experience within the YouTube ecosystem is strongly preferred and close to essential, given that it is at the core of our business Experience in e-commerce is a plus Full professional proficiency in English, minimum good level of German   Some perks of working at kurzgesagt A role with real impact: a long-term challenge with significant (creative) freedom, combining strategic initiatives with hands-on operational work in an ambitious and highly creative environment at one of the world’s largest educational channels on YouTube. You take ownership, thrive in responsibility and leave a lasting footprint as a role model Attractive benefits including a heavily subsidized Urban Sports Club membership, contributions to public transport and pension schemes as well as employee discounts and perks with a wide range of partner companies A unique company culture defined by openness, high transparency, and a shared commitment to continuously push kurzgesagt forward A central office location in the heart of Munich (close to the main train station) with excellent transport connections, alongside a creative, collaborative, and highly motivated team And last but not least: you’ll receive your very own personalized avatar and Bird 😊   Like what you see? Don’t wait any longer - apply now and become part of a small but truly cool team. We’re excited to hear from you! In your cover letter, we are especially interested in: Why you want to take on the COO role and how you identify with our vision and culture Examples from your experience in operational leadership roles, project execution, change management, and cross-functional collaboration (ideally within web/video, creative or agency environments) How you motivate and develop teams, drive execution, make decisions, take ownership and actively turn strategy into impact