Launch & Operations Manager
hace 3 días
Valencia
About Pollen Pollen is a venture-backed company on a mission to decarbonize and electrify the way people and things move around in cities. Motorcycles are the most petrol-dependent vehicles circulating in our streets. The reason is that electric scooters are expensive, have a very limited range, and take many hours to charge. Pollen is here to fix this. We’re here to make riding an electric motorcycle more affordable, convenient and reliable. We've developed a universal swappable battery that fits most 50cc and 125cc electric scooters, available through a subscription service backed by a network of automated swap stations. Instead of plugging in for hours, riders swap a depleted battery for a fully charged one in seconds, making electric riding more affordable, convenient, and reliable than petrol. We are a Lisbon-based startup, currently operating in Portugal and starting our expansion into Spain. We're looking to grow by attracting people with outstanding talent who want to help us build from the ground up. The role As part of the team at Pollen, you'll be the operational engine behind our expansion into Spain. Your job is to launch new cities and keep them running, being on the ground to make things happen, then staying close enough to each market to ensure they don't break once they're live. You'll start with Valencia, our first Spanish market: building the operational foundations, onboarding our 3PL partners, supporting our first clients, and ensuring stations perform from day one. As the network grows, you'll be building the playbook for how Pollen scales. This is a role for someone who is energised by building in the field, comfortable with the uncertainty that comes with early-stage expansion, and able to move between cities as the network grows. You'll report to the General Manager Iberia and work closely with our operations, customer support, and maintenance teams based in Lisbon. The ideal candidate is comfortable being based in Valencia in the first months, and open to relocating as the network grows. Duties and responsibilities Launching new cities Own the end-to-end launch plan for each city: go-live timeline, station readiness checklist, 3PL onboarding, and local permit coordination Be the point of contact between operations team in the HQ and local players: station locations, logistic and maintenance partners, clients and users Validate that all stations are operational before launch: escalate any hardware or technical issues to the field maintenance team Brief and train 3PL staff on swap protocols, battery handling procedures, and escalation paths Be on the ground daily during the launch and ramp-up window to resolve operational blockers, coordinate logistics, and keep the city running smoothly from the start Keeping cities running Stay close to each live market: monitor operational health, catch issues early, and escalate what needs escalating to the team Be the ongoing point of contact for 3PL partners, hold them to agreed procedures, resolve recurring problems, and flag performance issues Support client relationships and station site operators on operational matters, coordinating with HQ teams where needed Write SOPs and process documentation that local teams and future hires can own and operate independently Feed ground-level insights back to the GM Iberia to inform decisions on network performance and expansion priorities We're a small and dedicated team, which means you'll never be stuck in a silo, and everyone wears multiple hats. Expect to spend time in the field regularly: visiting stations, troubleshooting operational issues, and jumping into all-hands challenges as they arise. You'll collaborate closely with the GM Iberia to stay aligned on priorities and with our field maintenance team to resolve technical issues efficiently. Requirements ♀️ 3–5 years in operations, field ops, or logistics - experience launching or managing distributed infrastructure is a strong plus Proven ability to coordinate vendors or 3PL partners, including holding them to agreed procedures and timelines Able to identify what's off on the ground and escalate or act without waiting for direction Able to brief partners, escalate issues crisply, and document processes others can follow Fluent in Spanish, working level English Based in Spain and willing to move between cities as the network grows, flexibility on location is essential for this role. Starting point: Valencia. We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every criterion above — we care about what you've built and how you've solved problems, not whether your background fits a checklist exactly. Bonus points ✨ Background in mobility, e-moped, EV, or hardware operations Familiarity with Spanish regulatory processes for logistics or mobility services Previous experience in a startup or fast-paced environment
