Founder's Associate – Operations & Strategy

Join us at the forefront of entertainment innovation! We at Malao are on a mission to transform the entertainment industry, creating inspiring stories with positive role models that spark change in our world. Across innovative technology platforms, original films and unique location-based experiences, at Malao you'll dive into a game-changing environment where we combine human intuition with artificial intelligence to bring the world more Meaningful Entertainment.

We are building two platforms to enhance the entertainment ecosystem: Twinkle is a B2C entertainment discovery app that aims to become the go-to destination for users overwhelmed by content choices, being a cinematic compass that combines the best of artificial intelligence with human intuition to transform how people find and share films they'll love. Sputo is our "Studio of the Future" — a platform for tomorrow's filmmakers that combines project management, game engine technology and intelligent agent-based systems into one coherent product. Both depend on the same foundation — deep, high-quality film data.

With successful fundraising from investors, Creative Europe MEDIA and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, EIT Culture & Creativity, we're now working to build and bring these platforms to the wider market.

• Talent Recruitment: Supporting recruitment end-to-end — from writing job descriptions and sourcing candidates through to screening, interview coordination, and onboarding — and helping build the hiring structures and documentation that scale with the team
• Project Coordination: Managing teams across our tech, film and LBE projects to ensure all members have the resources and knowledge they require, and working with our COO to ensure our goals are achieved
• Operational Processes: Keeping the operational backbone of Malao running, working alongside the founders to ensure our CRM, project management, and financial systems are up to date, and improving cross-functional workflows with no-code and AI-assisted tools (AI-assisted prototyping welcome)
• Fundraising Support: Supporting on investor fundraising and public funding efforts, including investor materials, grant applications, project budgets, impact narratives, and reporting
• Team Logistics: Handling the practical logistics that keep the team functioning and connected, such as organizing team events, coordinating travel, and ensuring the founders are prepared and unblocked for what is coming next

Plus, jumping into wherever the need is greatest — this role does not have a fixed lane, and that is intentional. You might work on a funding application in the morning and prototype an internal automation in the afternoon. We want someone who is a generalist — flexible, a quick-learner and up for a challenge.

• A competitive compensation package: a fixed salary plus virtual shares (VSOP), so you share in the company’s success
• Monthly team events, such as free dinners, game nights, internal hackathons and active offsites
• Access to any AI and productivity tools you need to do your best work
• A paid cinema ticket every month (your choice of movie)
• Wellpass subscription, giving you free access to over 400 gyms, fitness clubs and spas in Munich alone
• A great office in the heart of Munich’s innovative business quarter, with the flexibility to work remotely
• Support with relocation to Munich, including access to the WERK1 apartment program (flat for only €850 per month on short-term contract)
• ... and being part of a team building projects with the potential to make a real, positive difference in our world

• You are currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's program, or are a recent graduate, with a strong interest in operations, strategy, HR, or fundraising, and the drive to get things done rather than just observe
• You are fluent in both German and English, written and spoken
• You have strong analytical and structured thinking — you can hold multiple complex threads at once, prioritize under pressure, and produce clear, well-organized work
• You either have experience building automations, internal tools, or systems — or you are genuinely motivated to learn quickly using no-code or AI-assisted tools (e.g. Lovable or similar)
• You have a flexible approach to challenges, coupled with the readiness to pivot as required in a dynamic startup environment
• Malao's values of truth, justice, courage, gratitude and joy resonate with you, and you thrive in an environment of open communication and candor