Head of Operations

Rupi Kaur has sold more than 12 million books in 43 languages, with sold-out tours worldwide. Readers across cultures and borders see themselves in Rupi's poetry. Her live performances are a theatrical one-woman show blending poetry and comedy. The business spans publishing, live performance, brand partnerships, content and media, with new lines in development.

Rupi is hiring a Head of Operations to build and run the business behind the creative work. You would build the operating system behind the business: the team, workflows, partners, financial discipline and execution across content, touring and new lines of business. The work has reached millions on its own. You'd be building the operation to carry it further, with your fingerprints on how far it goes, who it reaches, and what it becomes. The role runs on independence. Rupi spends morning and afternoon in writing sessions so the right person is self-motivated and is able to carry the business through the day.

Responsibilities

Content and media

In the near term, building and stabilizing the content operation will be a core priority of the role:

Today

Social and content

• Own social end-to-end: strategy, production and publishing, plus deciding what runs on each platform.
• Own the numbers: track how each platform is performing, identify where to expand, and change the approach as necessary.
• Rupi's role in social is creative input and filming; everything else sits with you.

Creative team and production

• Hire and manage the creative team: a full-time social or creative lead, contract editors and designers.
• Source, budget, and negotiate production work (film crews, editors, photographers, designers), and handle the legal and finance associated with it.

Partnerships and agents

• Set and scope incoming deals, assess brand alignment, and provide input on the economics.
• Keep external partners accountable.

Newsletter

• Oversee the weekly newsletter: Rupi writes it, the publishing partner produces & distributes it; you confirm if it ships on schedule and review reports.

As it grows

New lines of business

• Stand up new revenue lines: merchandise, prints, e-commerce, online courses (and determine whether each is built in-house or outsourced).
• Move brand work from one-off deals toward long-term relationships: identify the brands worth aligning with longterm.

Book releases and live work

• Lead the operational side of a book release: the tour, marketing, public appearances, and teams that deliver them.

Team

• Define roles, source, screen and hire across content, operations and creative support.
• Manage the team day-to-day, including contractors, freelancers and vendors. Brief and direct their work, and hold them to what was agreed.
• Set standards, give feedback, and make changes when a person or a relationship isn't working.

This role oversees financial operations in partnership with external accountants, bookkeepers and advisors.

• Maintain clear visibility into budgets, cash flow, major commitments and upcoming financial obligations.
• Work closely with external accountants, bookkeepers and a fractional CFO to ensure timely reporting, follow-up and financial discipline.
• Own the operational side of contracts, including scope, economics, invoices, payment terms, renewal dates and key obligations.
• Regularly review company performance and spending, and flag risks or decisions requiring Rupi's attention.

Requirements

• 7+ years in operations, business affairs or chief-of-staff roles, including time in a founder-led, principal-led or artist-led business.
• Self-directed and comfortable owning outcomes with limited day-to-day access to Rupi exercising judgement when needed
• Has built or managed a content or social team before, from hiring creative leads to getting work out the door. You don't need to be a creator, but you need a sharp eye for audience, format, and quality.
• Experience hiring, managing and exiting both employees and contractors
• Comfortable building the team and systems from the ground up, initially as the senior operations lead, with the judgment, discretion and independence that requires.
• Exceptional judgment and discretion, particularly in a principal-led business where personal, creative and commercial matters frequently overlap.
• Culturally engaged: you follow what is happening across media, entertainment, publishing and digital culture, and have good judgment about what is relevant to Rupi's audience and brand.
• Comfortable owning the commercial side: reviewing contracts and invoices, working with accountants and a fractional CFO, and holding your own in a conversation about the numbers.
• Based in North America, with full professional fluency in English

Helpful, not required

• Background in entertainment, media, publishing or a cultural organization
• Experience supporting a multi-hyphenate talent whose work spans publishing, live performance, brand and media

Details

• Fully remote. Occasional travel to New York and other cities
• Core working hours in Eastern Time
• Reports directly to Rupi
• Salary commensurate with experience