Vice President – Operations

Modern Synthesis is a biotech company bringing life to new materials. Founded by ex-Adidas designer Jen Keane and synthetic biologist Dr. Ben Reeve, we work with bacteria to produce an entirely new class of nanocellulose-based materials, which deliver performance without plastics and aesthetics without animal inputs. Designed for applications within fashion and beyond, our 100% biobased materials not only displace animal leathers or plastic-based materials, but also generate entirely new textile possibilities for designers. You can read more about our technology on our website.

We believe that big breakthroughs happen when disparate disciplines, perspectives and ideas collide. As a team of biologists, chemists, designers, engineers, business experts, and microbes, we benefit from these creative collisions on a daily basis. From our strong culture of debate (hot takes always welcome 🌶️) to our bi-weekly deep dives, we intentionally embed collaboration and growth into everything we do.

We hire people, not roles, so we can be flexible on scope. We strongly encourage you to apply if you think you’re qualified for a portion of this role, and can demonstrate a proven ability to take on new skills and challenges.

ABOUT THE ROLE:
We’re seeking a dynamic VP Operations to join our leadership team and propel us to new heights as we embark on the next growth stage of our business. Reporting directly to the CEO, you’ll play a pivotal role in setting and executing our operational strategy and fostering innovation in our product development and manufacturing. You will be at the forefront of a team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of sustainable material technologies.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the development and execution of the company’s operational strategy, ensuring alignment with our mission and commercial goals.

• Build and manage a high-performing team across functions, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration.

• Oversee end-to-end operations, with an immediate focus on building manufacturing, supply chain, and quality control functions

• Develop and manage relationships and commercial agreements with strategic supply chain and manufacturing partners

• Collaboratively work with the leadership team, CEO, CTO to define short-term and long-term growth goals, and translate them into actionable plans

• Drive operational excellence through data-driven decision-making, performance metrics, and continuous improvement initiatives

• Champion a culture of excellence, safety, sustainability, and compliance in all operational activities

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Proven track record of 8+ years in leadership role(s), with experience of growing and leading a team in a material development or manufacturing setting

• Expert understanding of manufacturing processes and material supply chains

• Experience in scaling operations, with a passion for innovation and disruption

• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, adept at turning challenges into opportunities

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to engage with employees and stakeholders at all levels

• Demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity and make decisions in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving environment

DESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

The following skills and experience are not required for the role, but would be beneficial for a successful applicant:

• Experience working in fashion or sportswear materials, textiles, composites, or coatings

• A passion for innovation within the fashion/sportswear/textiles industry

• Experience with small teams, in a pre-revenue startup or rapid-growth organisation

BENEFITS

• Stock option plan

• Company pension scheme

• Private Health Insurance, including vision and dental stipends

• Enhanced Parental Leave Policy

• Flexible working hours

• Cycle-to-work Scheme

• Wellbeing benefits including Headspace subscription

• Support from world class investors and advisors

• Individual training budget for professional development

OUR VALUES

Co-Culture – We Co-Culture Change

Co-Culture reflects our commitment to cross-pollination internally and externally, our ability to lean on one another, and our role as a catalyst in both business and culture.

Growth – We Put Growth on a Pedestal

Growth speaks to our inspiration and creative use of biology, our bias towards impact and scale, and our dedication to empowering industry to ‘grow up’ from a harmful past.

By Design – We Do It All By Design

By Design articulates the intentionality, empathy and creativity built into every aspect of our work. It also denotes the importance of accountability and our adherence to core design thinking principles.

MODERN SYNTHESIS ED&I STATEMENT

Innovation rarely happens in a vacuum. The greatest ideas stem from a variety of perspectives, and an environment that supports equal representation and opportunities for all.

We are committed to driving global change. We only have one planet we all call home, and we need to work together to protect it. We believe in collaboration and a culture of debate. Disagreements are a chance to refocus our direction. We call this co-culture.

We welcome people of all races, genders, religions, ages, backgrounds, and abilities to our workplace and are committed to ensuring all our employees are safe, heard, represented and provided with every opportunity to thrive.

Equally we will act with integrity, purpose and respect in everything we do. We too are human. We will likely make mistakes and need to continue evolving our approach to ED&I as the world around us changes.