Founders associate

Job Description

Founder Associate / Early Project OperatorSalary

Starting at £30,000 - £60,000

Location

Hybrid / Wrexham-based activity when required

Role type

Flexible initially, phased or project-based, with potential to grow as the business develops

About The OpportunityOur client is building a long-term framework for connected leisure developments in North Wales

The first live phase is in Wrexham— a city-centre, regeneration-led leisure development in Wrexham designed to activate key opportunity areas through a mix of leisure, entertainment, food and event-led spaces.

The wider vision is for each phase to operate independently while contributing to a broader destination concept over time.

The business is currently at an early development stage. The strategic concept and Phase 1 structure are defined, and the focus now is on turning the first phase into something more structured, practical and delivery-ready.

This is an unusual opportunity to work closely with the founder at the earliest stage of a place-led, regeneration-linked leisure concept.

The Role

We are looking for a Founder Associate / Early Project Operator to work directly with the founder and help move the project from a strategic concept into a more organised, execution-ready first phase.

This is not a standard admin role, PA role or traditional operations role inside an established company.

The right person will help create structure where it does not yet exist. They will organise workstreams, track priorities, support stakeholder and partner-facing activity, and help turn broad founder direction into clear next steps.

The role sits across founder support, project coordination, commercial thinking, stakeholder follow-up and early operational structure.

In simple terms, this person will help take important but messy work off the founder’s plate and create more momentum around Phase 1.

What You’ll Be Working On

You will support the founder across areas such as:

• organising and tracking key Phase 1 workstreams
• turning strategic direction into clearer priorities and next actions
• improving coordination around stakeholder, site and project activity
• supporting follow-ups, sequencing and execution planning
• helping structure the first project as a more deliverable first phase
• keeping momentum across early conversations and practical next steps
• translating a broad vision into focused, organised delivery activity
• supporting preparation for stakeholder, partner and commercial conversations
• helping create the operating layer needed to move from concept toward implementation

What Success Looks Like

After 90 days, success would look like:

• first project more clearly structured as a deliverable Phase 1
• priorities and sequencing are better defined across the main project components
• stakeholder and opportunity-related activity is tracked more consistently
• the overall project is easier to move forward externally
• the founder has more space to focus on vision, direction and high-level relationships
• the business has more operational momentum and less founder-only follow-through

Who This Role Suits

This role would suit someone who is highly organised, commercially aware and comfortable working close to a founder in an early-stage environment.

You may come from a background in:

• founder’s office / Founder Associate roles
• early-stage operations
• project coordination
• commercial project management
• placemaking or regeneration
• leisure, hospitality, events or entertainment
• property / development support
• strategy, consulting or business operations
• stakeholder-heavy project environments

You do not need to have done this exact role before.

What matters more is your ability to create structure, think clearly, communicate well and move work forward without needing a perfect playbook.

What We’re Looking For

The strongest person for this role will be:

• highly organised
• proactive and self-starting
• comfortable with ambiguity
• commercially aware
• strong at follow-through
• clear in communication
• able to turn loose ideas into practical next steps
• confident working directly with a founder
• interested in regeneration, leisure, destination creation and brand-building
• happy to operate in a 0→1 environment where things are still being shaped

What Won’t Work

This role is unlikely to suit someone who needs a highly structured environment, a fixed corporate playbook or a narrow job description.

This operation is still very early. The right person needs to be comfortable helping build the structure, not waiting for someone else to hand it to them.

This is a hands-on founder-side role for someone who wants to be close to the centre of the business and help turn a bold concept into a credible first phase.

Why Join

This is a rare chance to work close to the founder on an ambitious, early-stage leisure and regeneration concept with a defined first phase in Wrexham and a broader long-term destination vision.

You will get exposure to:

• founder-side decision-making
• early-stage project development
• placemaking and regeneration activity
• leisure and entertainment concepts
• stakeholder and partner engagement
• commercial structuring
• 0→1 execution

For the right person, this is an opportunity to help shape the foundations of the business from the inside.

Compensation

Salary of £30,000-£60,000 depending on experience

The structure may include a mix of base compensation and longer-term upside/alignment, depending on the candidate, level of involvement and final role structure.

Working Style

The role is expected to start flexibly, potentially part-time or phased initially, with the opportunity to grow as the project develops.

Hybrid working is likely, with remote work possible, but the person will need to be able to engage physically when required due to the city-centre and place-based nature of the project.

How to Apply

Please email your CV and/or LinkedIn profile to crozero@hirehouse.co.uk and any supporting documents such as past work, or websites along with a short note on why this role interests you and what kind of early-stage project work you have been involved in before.