Chief of Staff, Office of CEO

We grow the world’s BEST Strawberries and that wouldn’t be possible without our support teams!

As a right hand person to our CEO, his Chief of Staff’s responsibilities are multifaceted, as you block and tackle anything and everything that is thrown your way, enabling our CEO to focus on the company’s highest priorities.

What you’ll be responsible for:

Prioritizing Time/Administrative Support :

• Own all administrative support to the CEO; managing all aspects of the CEO's business calendar and schedule including: calls, video calls/zooms, appointments, meetings, travel, transportation, Board of Directors coordination, etc.
• Accompany CEO on travel as needed ensuring preparation for all meetings.
• Prepare Word, Excel, PowerPoint presentations, agendas, reports, special projects and other documents in support of objectives for the organization including the creation of materials, research and follow up for meetings and projects on behalf of the CEO.
• Email inbox management to ensure prioritization.
• Conserve the CEO’s time by reading, researching, collecting and analyzing information as needed, in advance.
• Complete ad hoc projects as assigned – such as personal events and/or family needs.

Communication Liaison :

• Manage sensitive matters with a high level of confidentiality and discretion especially decisions directly impacting the global operations of the company.
• Represents CEO in meetings, by email, and phone calls with internal and external stakeholders as needed.
• Be responsive to emails/texts/phone calls, outside of normal business hours to support time zone differences.
• Lead preparation for key company communication events such as All Hands meetings, Senior Leadership offsites, executive retreats, etc.
• Coordinate and support PR activities (ie preparation, scheduling) and coordination between Japanese and US PR teams.
• Support the CEO at press and company events.

Investor Relations :

• Meet with current and potential investors to answer questions, provide follow up, etc.
• Preparation of Investor decks.
• Draft and prepare correspondence for internal announcements, board meetings, investor and community relations with an emphasis on Japanese stakeholders.

Project Management :

• Build effective internal relationships with key stakeholders in core functions such as marketing, PR, product, finance, operations, etc. in order to partner on cross functional projects and drive alignment.
• Serve as liaison and executive representative to Oishii leaders and team members, ensuring that management’s strategic priorities are understood and executed.
• Lead strategic projects related to business development and innovation on behalf of the CEO, acting as an internal liaison cross functionally and an external representative.
• Develop and share market and industry research, trend reports, and competitive insights / intelligence, presenting findings to senior leadership on an ongoing basis.

Who will love this job: Individuals who identify with our Core Values and exhibit skills within those values will thrive at Oishii.

• One Team, One Fight!
  • Ability to quickly shift priorities to meet deadlines and effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, clearly, concisely and with purpose.
  • Outgoing and collaborative work style- Ability to work cross functionally at all levels and collaborate at various levels of the organization.
• Focus
  • Ability to remove obstacles in order to prioritize which could include problem solving, working through ambiguity and using fact based or sound judgment.
  • Ability to work independently, with a high attention to detail, and ability to create structure & process where none may exist.
• GSD (Get Sh** Done!)
  • Capable of prioritizing tasks and always considering the resources available when doing so.
  • A bias for action! Ability to hold yourself accountable and take ownership of driving results that impact company outcomes.

What we look for in a Chief of Staff:

• MUST BE BILINGUAL in Japanese & English; Native fluent in Japanese and advanced, business fluent in English.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Economics, Logistics, Finance or related field. Master’s degree or MBA is a plus.
• 5 years experience in a fast paced, demanding work environment; consulting and/or startup experience preferred.
• Experience working with or supporting an executive team member.
• Proven project management skills and capable of handling multiple complex projects at once of varying scope and complexity.
• Solid computer literacy and familiarity with communication tools such as Google suite, Slack, Asana, etc.
• Willingness to work flexible hours to meet deadlines and coordinate varying time zones.
• Ability & willingness to travel internationally frequently as needed including on short notice. Up to 50% travel.
• MUST have a driver’s license & familiarity with planning travel around Japan with varying forms of transportation.

Perks at Oishii:

• Competitive salary, bonus, & equity packages
• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
• 100% Employer Paid Life Insurance Long Term Disability Insurance
• EAP Access
• Pet Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (Roth & Traditional)
• Paid Parental leave
• Office social events including happy hours, parties, and community service projects
• Employee activity groups for basketball players, Yoga Enthusiasts, runners…

About Oishii:

At Oishii, we grow the best fruit in the world by deploying ground-breaking vertical farming technology that pushes the boundaries of agriculture. We’re the first in the WORLD to grow fruit in an indoor vertical farm at commercial scale. We started with strawberries, which we debuted at Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare, the three star Michelin restaurant considered by critics to be among the best in the world. Since then, we have supplied our strawberries to food-loving consumers, world-class restaurants, and specialty retailers across NYC. Our proprietary technology enables us to grow the very best produce year-round, at the same high level of quality, all without using any pesticides.

Oishii has been profiled in Eater, NPR, Time Magazine, and Fortune. Oishi was also one of the Fast Companies Most Innovative Companies of 2022.

At Oishii, everything we do works toward accomplishing our mission of transforming agriculture sustainably while bringing produce that truly delights people everywhere. This requires farmers, engineers, scientists, product managers, and members of many other backgrounds to work together day-in and day-out to innovate, while operating increasingly large farms. We have an amazing mission-driven team of highly motivated and engaged members.

Learn More https://oishii.com