Operations Associate

About 323 Ocean

323 Ocean is a principal-led strategic advisory firm serving mid-market companies through M&A, turnaround execution, systems and process optimization, AI implementation, branding and go-to-market, and leadership development. We are a small, fast-moving team that treats AI as our operating system rather than as a feature. We are hiring an Operations Associate to become the operational backbone of the firm.

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief of Staff, you will coordinate the day-to-day operations of the firm, maintain our internal infrastructure, and produce the documents and workflows that drive client engagements. You start with administrative and operational responsibilities and grow progressively into broader scope as the firm scales.

Roughly two-thirds of the work is administrative and operational. The remaining third involves maintaining our existing AI infrastructure and supporting our Founder & CEO and Chief of Staff with beginner-level AI assistance that makes their client work more efficient. The technical scope is intentionally bounded at the start and grows as fluency develops.

If you are hungry, curious, and ready to grow inside a firm actively building its operating model, this is a rare opportunity to sit close to senior leadership and earn expanding scope as you demonstrate impact.

How We Operate

We are small with a large reach, technology-forward, and hold each other to a quality bar you would recognize from a much larger organization. Our values live in the OCEAN acronym: we are Operators who run businesses rather than just observing them, we are Committed to follow-through, we are Energized about the work, we are Active in moving things forward, and we are Nimble as priorities shift.

We value candor, ownership, and follow-through. We are less interested in polish, enthusiasm, or the appearance of hard work. If you thrive where your work is visible and your growth is tied to what you produce, you will fit here.

What You Will Do

•        Coordinate calendars, meeting logistics, and pre-read materials for the Founder & CEO and Chief of Staff

•        Format, finalize, and quality-check documents against 323 Ocean standards

•        Manage task and project execution in ClickUp across client and internal work

•        Own file organization across OneDrive, SharePoint, and Google Drive

•        Reconcile transactions in QuickBooks and support routine financial operations

•        Handle basic office management for our Broad Ripple office

•        Maintain our Claude ecosystem and internal AI tooling

•        Provide beginner-level AI support to the leadership team on client engagements

•        Conduct AI-augmented research for vendor comparisons, market scans, and meeting preparation

•        Document recurring internal processes as our operating playbook expands

What You Bring

•        Three plus years of professional work experience in a role requiring strong organizational skills, written communication, and stakeholder coordination

•        Bachelor's degree, or equivalent professional experience demonstrating the ability to manage complex, deadline-driven work

•        Exposure to AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT, with the willingness and curiosity to deepen quickly on the job

•        Demonstrated ability to learn new technology platforms fast and apply them to real work

•        Strong written communication with attention to grammar, formatting, and tone

•        High attention to detail across documents, data, scheduling, and process execution

•        Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion

•        Reliable, professional, and self-directed

Bonus Points

•        Practical experience using AI tools for sustained personal or professional work

•        Experience in a professional services, consulting, finance, legal, or healthcare environment

•        An intuitive sense of how a small firm operates without needing to be told twice

Where and How You Will Work

•        In-office at our Broad Ripple office in Indianapolis, five days per week, Monday through Friday

•        Occasional work from home is acceptable with prior coordination

•        Standard business hours, with occasional flexibility for time-sensitive client deliverables

Compensation and Benefits

•        Starting with $50,000 annualized, depending on experience. Paid ona non-exempt (hourly) basis, plus eligibility for a discretionary annual bonus

•        A true growth path: expanding scope, responsibility, and advancement as 323 Ocean scales

•        Health and dental options

•        Unlimited paid time off and observed holidays

•        Direct mentorship from the Chief of Staff and Founder & CEO

•        Exposure to enterprise advisory engagements, M&A transactions, and AI-enabled business operations at a firm actively building its operating model

Your Growth Path

323 Ocean is in active growth mode, with revenue and capacity targets that anticipate meaningful scale over the next two to three years. This role is the first step on an operational leadership track, with scope and responsibility expanding as we grow. Your trajectory is intentionally structured to move in step with the firm's.

How to Apply

Submit your resume and a short cover letter about why this role interests you and why you are a good fit. We read every application personally and respond to candidates we advance. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with an immediate start available for the right candidate.