About Outsmart

Outsmart is an early‑stage startup on a mission to reimagine higher education. We are democratizing access to higher education by creating an entirely new collegiate experience. With $38M in backing from firms such as Khosla Ventures, Forerunner, DST Global Partners, and Lightspeed - and a founding team of former Duolingo executives - Outsmart is bringing together mission-oriented, detail-obsessed, high-impact team players to build the learning experiences of tomorrow.

About The Role

The Business Operations Associate is a high-trust, high-impact operator who supports and extends the Business Operations Team across core internal functions — people operations, finance, systems, special projects, and executional rigor.

This role is designed for someone who thrives in fast-moving environments, loves bringing order to complexity, and wants deep exposure to how a venture-backed startup actually runs. You’ll work closely with the Business Operations Lead and broader leadership team to keep the company operating cleanly, efficiently, and with momentum as we scale.

You’ll help build and manage the core systems that keep the business running day-to-day, while also helping tackle new challenges that arise as we scale - gathering data, recommending a course of action, and driving execution. In any given week, you might build an AI-based tool to automate invoice approvals, drive a key company expansion project forward, or lead the implementation of a new software platform across the entire company.

This role is designed to be a path to (a) staying here and growing along with Outsmart, (b) heading to grad school, or (c) or starting your own company down the road.

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Reporting: Reports directly to the Business Operations Lead

Qualities we are seeking

Highly organized, systems-oriented thinker who sweats details without losing sight of the big picture
Ownership mindset: reliable, proactive, and trusted with sensitive information
Builder instincts: enjoys improving processes, especially with the help of AI
Clear communicator who collaborates effectively across teams
Comfortable operating in ambiguity with a bias toward action
Team player, who sees no task as too big or too small to own

Responsibilities

Support core business operations

Assist in building, maintaining, and improving internal processes and systems across people ops, finance, and compliance
Support onboarding and offboarding workflows, documentation, and internal tooling (e.g., Rippling)
Help keep internal tools, permissions, and documentation clean and up to date

Special projects and problem-solving

Tackle high-priority special projects that arise regularly as the business scales
Support key initiatives where operational rigor is needed
Be a flexible, generalist operator who can shift focus as priorities evolve

Finance & administrative execution

Support budgeting, accounting, and vendor management
Build tools and systems to streamline financial management, leveraging AI where possible
Help maintain financial hygiene across tools (e.g., payments, contracts, invoices)
Prepare inputs and summaries for financial reporting, forecasting, and leadership updates

Operational coordination & follow-through

Track key operational projects and ensure follow-through on action items
Help create visibility into priorities, timelines, and dependencies
Surface issues early and help resolve blockers before they slow the team

Qualifications

Required

1–3 years experience in operations, consulting, finance, or in an early-stage startup role
Experience using AI to solve real problems
Strong organizational skills and comfort working with spreadsheets, documents, and internal tools
High attention to detail paired with good judgment and discretion
Ability to manage multiple workstreams and meet deadlines reliably
Interest in learning how startups scale from the inside

Nice to have

Demonstrated interest in education, and passion for a mission like ours
Prior experience supporting senior operators or founders
Experience with HR, payroll, or finance tools (e.g., Rippling, Brex, accounting software)
A healthy skepticism of unnecessary process

Perks

Competitive salary and equity
Healthcare for you and your dependents (medical, dental, and vision)
Parental leave for any full-time employee who has been with us for at least 6 months (includes birthing, non-birthing, and adoptive parents)
10 PTO days per year and 12+ paid company holidays per year
Remote work days
Lunch provided in-office daily
Work with super talented people who want to make a difference in the world

Outsmart

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Business Operations Associate