Job Description

We are hiring a Chief of Staff to work directly with Hugh & co in expanding the garden3d creative collective
Original job posting link
🌎 About garden3d
We are worker owned creative collective, innovating on everything from brands and IRL communities to IoT devices and cross platform apps. We share profit, open source everything, spin out new businesses, and invest in exciting ideas through financial and/or in-kind contributions.
Our client roster includes Google, Stripe, Figma, Hinge, Black Socialists in America, ACLU, Pratt, Parsons, Mozilla, The Nobel Prize, MIT, Gnosis, Etsy & Gagosian. We’re the software team behind innovative products like The Light Phone & Mill, and we have a global, decentralized community space collective called Index Space.
We think of our garden3d as collective for creative people, prioritizing a happy, talented, and diverse studio culture. We work on projects that bring value to our world, and we balance deep care for the work we do with a genuine curiosity about life outside of our jobs.
Sanctuary Computer — Development
At Sanctuary Computer we’re building a different type of technology shop – one that prioritizes close collaboration between the client and the craftsperson.
Our projects range from design-forward websites, to robust web apps, to native mobile development.
XXIX — Design
When we started XXIX in 2013, we set out to create a different kind of design studio and we’ve thrived because we continually ask what a creative practice can be.
We’re building a radically different kind of organization that values autonomy, growth, transparency, and shared responsibility.
Index Space — Community
A network of physical spaces all around the world, Index provides space for the exchange of knowledge and tools.
We nurture trust within the creative community through generosity and abundance of ideas and care.
garden3d TK — Media
At garden3d, we’re in the early stages of building an experimental media company exploring emerging themes related to the evolving landscape of technology, design and culture.
We aim to monetize this outlet, publish books, produce screenplays, and release music.
Plus, our partner organizations
The Chief of Staff Role The garden3d Chief of Staff role is a senior operating partner responsible for translating our vision into coordinated execution across a collective of creative, technical, and physical businesses, a revolving door of 50+ contributors at any given time. This role serves as a force multiplier - coordinating many parties, aligning priorities, driving clarity, and ensuring that strategy turns into measurable progress. While operating in close partnership with our founder & president Hugh Francis, the Chief of Staff will exercise significant autonomy in day-to-day decision-making and cross-functional leadership. Requirements: 8–15+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, organizational management, or general management roles
Experience in a software development, design consultancy or other creative industry
Proven experience scaling a services-based organization (agency, consultancy, or creative/technical firm) from ~20+ employees to materially larger size
Direct experience with workforce planning, resourcing models, and utilization management in a client-services environment
Demonstrated success building org structures, defining roles, and implementing accountability frameworks
Experience designing and improving hiring processes, including senior-level recruitment
Track record of building performance management systems (career ladders, review cycles, compensation bands, or similar frameworks)
Experience leading cross-functional teams across multiple departments or business units
Ownership of complex, multi-stakeholder projects (e.g., launching a new office/space, standing up a new department, restructuring a team, or executing a strategic initiative)
Strong financial literacy, including comfort reading P&Ls, understanding margin drivers, and evaluating ROI on hires and initiatives
Experience operating in founder-led or entrepreneurial environments with high ambiguity and rapid change
Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and hold managers accountable without relying solely on positional authority
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including running leadership meetings and synthesizing complex information into clear decisions
Evidence of sound judgment under pressure, particularly in environments with cash flow sensitivity or operational volatility
Previous experience working with outside legal counsel on financial aspects of contracts (e.g., NDAs, MSAs)
🧁 Nice-to-have:
A strong sense of design, experience using Figma, experience giving in creative direction or feedback
Prior experience serving as a Chief of Staff, COO, VP Operations, or General Manager in a multi-entity or portfolio-style organization
Exposure to M&A processes, including due diligence, financial modeling, integration planning, or post-acquisition operational alignment
Experience launching or managing physical spaces (retail, coworking, hospitality, or event venues), including vendor coordination and CapEx oversight