Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Avalanche Foundation

Looking to help scale one of the most important foundations in crypto?

Avalanche Foundation supports the growth, sustainability, and decentralization of the Avalanche ecosystem, one of the world’s fastest, most scalable blockchain platforms. The Foundation partners closely with builders, investors, and ecosystem participants to steward long-term value creation and responsible innovation across Web3.

We are seeking a hands-on Chief Operating Officer (COO) to own operational execution across the Foundation. 

This is a senior leadership role for a hands-on operator who thrives in high-growth, high-ambiguity environments and knows how to turn strategy into action. The COO will work closely with the Chief Investment Officer and leadership across the Foundation to ensure operational excellence, strong cross-functional coordination, and disciplined execution at scale.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Own end-to-end operational execution across the Foundation, coordinating closely with Accounting, Legal, Human Resources, and Treasury functions
• Oversee and drive complex, cross-functional initiatives to completion across investment, risk, data engineering, ecosystem, and engineering workstreams, ensuring timelines, budgets, and outcomes are met
• Design, implement, and continuously improve operating processes, project management frameworks, and internal rhythms to support scale and speed
• Facilitate tight information flow and operational awareness across globally distributed teams
• Partner with the Chief Investment Officer on resource allocation, budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning
• Lead vendor selection, negotiation, and ongoing relationship management
• Ensure all core operational functions (accounting, HR, legal, and administrative operations) are running smoothly and effectively in support of the Foundation’s mission
• Provide clear operational insights and data-driven recommendations to inform strategic decision-making
• Drive company-wide execution discipline, including goal-setting, performance tracking, and operating cadence
• Act as a force multiplier for leadership, unblocking teams, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring priorities translate into real outcomes

WHAT MAKES YOU A GOOD FIT

• You have a strong bias for action and are comfortable operating both strategically and tactically, no job is “too small” if it moves the organization forward
• You are energized by ambiguity and rapid change, and can impose clarity, structure, and momentum where none exists
• You lead through influence rather than authority, aligning diverse stakeholders toward shared outcomes
• You communicate clearly and directly, balancing precision with pragmatism
• You operate with high integrity, low ego, and a relentless focus on results over credit
• You are deeply aligned with the mission and values of crypto and believe in the transformative potential of blockchain technology

WHAT YOU WILL BRING

• 10+ years of experience in senior operations, business operations, or leadership roles within high-growth, complex organizations
• Demonstrated track record in the cryptocurrency or blockchain space, with a deep understanding of ecosystem dynamics, risks, and opportunities
• Proven ability to deliver complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives on time and within budget, across both technical and non-technical teams
• Experience building scalable processes that improve execution speed, coordination, and organizational efficiency
• Strong financial and operational acumen, with experience partnering on budgets, forecasts, and long-range planning
• Comfort operating in a remote-first, globally distributed organization
• Exceptional problem-solving skills, combining creativity with disciplined execution
  
  

This role is ideal for an operator, Ex-Chief of Staff/Programme Manager type who wants to move into a senior leadership role while also remaining hands-on. They should want to help shape the operational backbone of a leading crypto foundation.

"As requested by Avalanche on behalf of Avalanche Foundation"