Operations Associate

About Arq

What we do

Arq Foundation is an independent, philanthropically funded think tank based in Brussels. We focus on preparing for advanced AI and what it means for Europe – from economic competitiveness and industrial policy to safety, governance, and scientific progress. We produce research that shapes how policymakers navigate these dynamic, global, and unprecedented changes.

We are building an organisation from scratch. That means every early hire shapes what Arq becomes. We’re looking for people with high agency who see incomplete systems as opportunities, think in positive-sum terms, and bring genuine curiosity about the technology and policy questions we work on.

Our values

• High agency – You take ownership and drive things forward. You don’t just execute; you think along, notice what’s missing or could be improved, and take initiative to fix it. You follow through to outcomes, and use sound judgment about when to act independently and when to align, particularly where there are reputational or stakeholder implications.
• Intellectual humility – You update your views when presented with evidence.
• Positive-sum thinking – You believe in solutions that grow the pie, not zero-sum competition.
• Authenticity – You mean what you say, and you say it with respect and good judgment. You’re consistent in how you show up across contexts.
• Optimism – You believe things can be better and that it’s worth trying.

About the Role

The role

You’ll help build and run Arq’s operational backbone across finance, HR, compliance, IT, and internal operations. This is a broad generalist role in a small, fast-growing organisation: part systems-building, part day-to-day execution. As one of Arq’s early operations hires, you’ll help shape many of the systems and workflows Arq will run on for years.

You’ll work closely with the Director of Operations, who sets overall direction and supports higher-stakes decisions, while you help keep the organisation running reliably day to day. You’ll also work closely with the Events Associate on operational aspects of convenings and vendor coordination.

Because Arq is still early-stage, operational needs will evolve quickly. Part of the role is identifying gaps, improving workflows, and helping systems scale as the organisation grows. As Arq grows, there will be opportunities to take on broader operational ownership.

Core areas

• Finance, HR, and compliance – You’ll coordinate payroll, HR administration, contracts, invoices, expenses, and compliance workflows together with external providers (e.g. payroll, accounting, legal). The role is less about being a Belgian law specialist yourself, and more about driving coordination reliably and keeping systems organised.
• IT and information security – You’ll help administer Arq’s SaaS stack (Google Workspace, Notion, Slack, etc.), manage accounts and access, coordinate laptops and onboarding, and maintain strong day-to-day security hygiene. More technical infrastructure and security work is handled through external IT support.
• Internal operations – You’ll support the operational running of the organisation: onboarding, vendors, office operations, internal tooling, documentation, and process improvement. We care a lot about operational leverage – using automation and AI tools to reduce repetitive work and improve reliability.

Practicalities

• Salary: €40k–€60k, depending on experience and fit
• Additional benefits: Equipment budget, learning and development budget and dedicated learning time, meal vouchers, public transport support
• Paid time off: 20 statutory days + 12 ADV days + public holidays (~42 days total)
• Contract: One-year contract, with intention to transition to a permanent role if there is a good mutual fit
• Location: Brussels (on-site)
• Reporting to: Director of Operations
• Start date: ASAP
• Visa sponsorship: Available

What You’ll Do

This is a broad, generalist operations role. Your work will roughly fall into a few areas:

• Keep things running smoothly
  • e.g. invoices, expenses, onboarding, office, vendors
  • making sure nothing falls through the cracks
• Improve how we operate
  • spot inefficiencies, simplify processes
  • automate repetitive work, use AI tools
• Support core operational areas
  • finance, HR, IT, compliance – in coordination with external providers
  • ensuring things are done correctly and on time
• Step into what’s needed
  • pick up new operational needs as they arise
  • could include tools, workflows, internal systems, or one-off projects

What We’re Looking For

Required

• Proven ownership in at least one area of operations. You have taken responsibility for finance, HR, IT, or general operations – not just executing tasks, but owning a piece of work end-to-end and following it through to outcomes.
• Comfort with ambiguity. You operate effectively when priorities shift or when processes are undefined, and you make sensible judgment calls when needed.
• Motivation for Arq’s mission. You care about the challenges posed by advanced AI and want to contribute to work that helps Europe navigate them well.
• Fluency in English. English is Arq’s working language. Strong written and spoken English is essential.
• Working proficiency in French. You can independently coordinate with French-speaking providers in writing and conversation on routine operational matters.
• Based in Brussels. You are based in Brussels or willing to relocate.

Valuable but not required

You don’t need all of the below – these are examples of experience that can help you ramp up faster in the role:

• Bookkeeping or finance experience. You have run day-to-day finance operations – invoices, expenses, reconciliations, monthly close processes – either directly or in close coordination with an external accountant.
• Experience coordinating with Belgian external providers (e.g. accountant, payroll, vendors, auditors)
• Experience with common digital and AI tools. You are comfortable using tools such as Google Workspace, Notion, Slack, and AI assistants (e.g. Claude, ChatGPT, Perplexity, simple automation workflows) to improve workflows and automate routine tasks.
• IT and information security instincts. You have administered SaaS stacks, managed user access, and taken security hygiene seriously in a previous role.
• Familiarity with Brussels or the EU ecosystem. You understand the city, its institutions, or how policy-facing organisations operate.

This role is a good fit for someone who enjoys making messy systems work better.

Hiring Process

*We use a short async interview stage early in the process to reduce scheduling overhead, keep timelines fast, and allow multiple reviewers to evaluate candidates consistently.

How to Apply

Submit your application via our application form and select Operations Associate from the role dropdown.

You will be asked for your CV, a few short answers on your motivation, fit for the role, and a recent example of work you owned end-to-end. The full application should take 30–60 minutes.

Deadline: rolling, with a first review on 1 June 2026. We encourage you to apply early; we begin screening as applications come in.

Encouragement to Apply

If you match the required qualifications and believe you could thrive in this role, we encourage you to apply.

Research shows that people from underrepresented groups are more likely to underestimate whether they are qualified for roles like this, so we especially encourage you not to exclude yourself prematurely.

If you need accommodations during the hiring process, please contact Felicity Reddel.