Founder's Associate - Tokyo, JP

Become the operational anchor and “second brain” to CIC’s Founder and Executive Chair. You will protect Tim’s time, preserve context, close loops, and help turn a remarkable range of relationships, ideas, and commitments into action. This is, at its core, an executive-assistance role - but one with unusually broad strategic and creative reach. You will own the calendar and inbox, masterplan complex international travel, keep important commitments from disappearing, research people and opportunities, steward senior relationships, and help operate Tim’s podcast and public communications. It shares much with a traditional Executive Assistant or Chief of Staff position, but with a broader connotation: a generalist working alongside Tim in his missions. An AI-forward Founder’s Office We want this role to use AI aggressively and thoughtfully: building durable institutional memory, automating routine work, improving research and communication, and continually redesigning inefficient processes. Curiosity and experimentation matter more than arriving with a particular tool stack. ABOUT CIC CIC builds and connects thriving innovation communities around the world. Founded in 1999 in Cambridge, MA, we were one of the first companies to offer flexible office space and coworking. We manage a global network of innovation-focused workspace, laboratories, and event space across North America, Europe, and Asia, and continue to expand globally. ABOUT CIC TOKYO CIC Tokyo is our first site located in Asia. Opened in October 2020 in one of the business districts of Minato-ku, CIC Tokyo is a one-of-a-kind innovation-oriented center in Japan with a total area of ​​about 6,000 square meters on the 15th and 16th floors of the Toranomon Hills Business Tower. We provide a vast workspace with the capacity to house more than 250 companies. CIC Tokyo is centered on companies that aim to grow, and communities and services that are looking to accelerate their business growth and global expansion. Because of its influence in startup and innovation scenery, CIC Tokyo has frequent visits of VIPs such as Prime Minister Kishida, Governor Koike, and other business leaders in Japan. It is now recognized as a prestigious center of new businesses and startups by business leaders throughout the country. Learn more about us here. YOUR DAY-TO-DAY WORK As a Founder's Associate you will be responsible for protecting Tim's time, preserving context, closing loops, and helping turn a remarkable range of relationships, ideas, and commitments into action, while working closely with our Founder and Executive Chair. This is, at its core, an executive-assistance role - but one with unusually broad strategic and creative reach. It shares much with a traditional Executive Assistant or Chief of Staff position, but with a broader connotation: a generalist working alongside Tim in his missions. Potential responsibilities will include: Executive operations. Take end-to-end ownership of Tim's calendar and inbox—triaging, prioritizing, drafting and sending routine responses—and recommend what to accept, decline, delegate, shorten, combine, move or cancel. International travel. Plan complex, multi-country travel end to end, spot disruptions early, and redesign plans calmly when circumstances change. Continuity and decision support. Maintain a trusted system for commitments, decisions, priorities, and follow-ups; prepare concise briefings; research unfamiliar topics; and bring recommendations, not just information. Relationship stewardship. Help Tim stay meaningfully connected to senior colleagues, entrepreneurs, government leaders, diplomats, and partners around the world, including thoughtful outreach before trips. Podcast and media operations. Support Tim's podcast, Where Innovation Happens, including guest research, scheduling, publishing, subtitles, descriptions, clips, social promotion, and basic performance tracking. AI-forward ways of working. Use AI aggressively and thoughtfully: b