Hire a founder's associate
A founder's associate is a versatile operator who works directly with the CEO or founding team to execute high-priority strategic projects. They handle cross-functional work — from market research and fundraising support to operational process building and partnership development.
Our talent works at
What does a founder's associate do?
Key responsibilities you can expect from this role
Own and execute strategic projects end-to-end — from scoping to delivery and follow-up
Prepare investor decks, financial models, and due diligence materials for fundraising rounds
Conduct market research, competitive analysis, and customer discovery interviews
Build operational processes and documentation as the company scales past initial chaos
Coordinate across teams to unblock dependencies and keep company-wide initiatives on track
Manage partnership outreach, vendor evaluations, and key account relationships
Skills & tools
What to look for when hiring a founder's associate
Key skills
Tools they use
Founder's associate salary guide
Typical annual salary ranges in Europe (EUR)
Junior
€35,000–€45,000
0–2 years
Mid-level
€48,000–€62,000
2–5 years
Senior
€65,000–€85,000
5+ years
Ranges reflect full-time salaries in Northern & Western Europe. Actual compensation varies by location, company stage, and candidate experience.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about hiring a founder's associate
How it works
From request to hire in 3 simple steps
Tell us what you need
Share your role requirements, team culture, and timeline. We will scope the search and confirm fit within 24 hours.
Meet pre-vetted candidates
We present 3–5 qualified candidates. Each has been screened for skills, motivation, and cultural fit.
Hire with confidence
Interview your top picks and make an offer. Our 90-day guarantee means zero risk if the hire does not work out.
Hiring tips from our team
Advice for finding the right founder's associate
Give a case study that mirrors a real problem at your company. Watch how they structure their thinking, not just their answer.
Test for speed and judgment together. Ask: "You have 2 hours to figure out whether we should enter the German market. What do you do?"
Look for evidence of initiative in their background — side projects, startup experience, or roles where they created scope rather than just executing.
Assess cultural fit heavily. This person will represent the founders internally and externally — values alignment is non-negotiable.
What companies say
Feedback from founders who hired through us
Keto Software
€1.7M ARR startup • Hired 4+ positions • Focus on European expansion hires
What we've delivered:
"Working with Herizon has been an absolute turning point for our hiring. They have already helped us successfully bring on board a Growth Marketing Manager and a RevOps Manager, and are now supporting us in finding the right AEs and a Partnership Development Manager. What sets Herizon apart is not only their deep understanding of every role in a revenue organization, but also their ability to truly grasp what we are looking for as if they were part of our own team. They don't just present candidates — they challenge our thinking, help us sort through priorities, and go deep with candidates to ensure we're meeting the right people. I couldn't recommend Herizon highly enough for any company looking to build out their revenue teams with the right people."
"Found people who actually understand the problem. They're from regions where sustainability challenges are real and motivation to solve them is high."
Sustainability tech company at €2M ARR
Hired 2 in 14 days
"Other agencies take months. These guys actually deliver. Hired 2 people in a week and brought diversity of thought to our team."
Listed tech company
Fast growth team hire
"Found our PM in 6 days. Remote worker from Finland is super cost-efficient for our German company."
Early-stage startup at €1M ARR
Product team hire in 6 days
Ready to hire a founder's associate?
Choose the path that fits your hiring needs.
Concierge service
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