Chief of Staff

We are seeking an exceptional Chief of Staff to act as the CEO’s closest partner, working directly with Mark at the center of RIFT’s next phase of growth. You are the internal owner of investor readiness, the equity story, and Series C execution, and lead high-impact strategic initiatives across the company to drive our growth strategy.

You define the equity narrative, assess whether RIFT meets institutional infrastructure quality standards, and close gaps across leadership, business model, governance, and commercial execution. As a strategic partner to the CEO, you work across teams and with external stakeholders, including our institutional shareholder base, to ensure alignment and delivery.

We are RIFT

RIFT develops and deploys Iron Fuel Technology to decarbonise industrial heat. After years of development and pilots, we have raised €114 million to scale Iron Fuel (read more). Our first large-scale project is progressing toward Final Investment Decision, while preparation for the next equity phase is already underway.

The strategic opportunity

The Chief of Staff provides strategic leadership as RIFT transitions from a scale-up to an industrial-scale organisation, helping shape a more mature structure and preparing the business for key milestones, including the upcoming Final Investment Decision (FID).

The core focus of the role is to ensure full institutional readiness and strengthen strategic and commercial alignment. This includes aligning priorities, enhancing governance and financial transparency, and sharpening the investor narrative, ensuring the organisation meets the standards expected by institutional investors.

You will take a leading role in investor positioning and capital strategy within a capital-intensive, multi-entity organisation that is fundamentally strong but not yet fully institutionalised. A key part of the mandate is to bring clarity, discipline, and alignment across entities and stakeholders.

The role offers substantial autonomy and accountability, with a strong strategic and execution focus on building the foundations required for long-term industrial scale-up and sustainable growth.

Your main responsiblities

You manage and substantiate the investment thesis behind equity returns across different scenarios, including entry valuation, value drivers, exit options, and the attractiveness of long-term ownership. You assess whether the business model’s repeatability and capital efficiency support value creation, and rigorously test assumptions from an institutional investor’s perspective. In this role, you combine operational execution with strategic thinking and a consulting mindset.

RIFT’s Chief of Staff

• You have at least 6 years of relevant experience, preferably in large-scale energy, infrastructure, or project finance. You have a background in strategy consulting, investment banking, M&A, or infrastructure investing, and bring a strong strategic perspective on growth, capital allocation, and long-term value creation

• You operate at infrastructure-investor level and are able to execute within a scale-up environment. You are strong in structuring, diligence, and investor communication, with solid financial and strategic intuition

• You are a strong stakeholder manager, working hands-on with teams across recruitment, strategy, commercial, finance, and operations to close gaps and ensure a successful Series C

• You are highly proactive and organised, able to manage multiple overlapping timelines while staying focused on what drives impact

• You thrive in a steep learning curve. You move fast, are comfortable with cutting-edge technology, and can quickly build expertise in new domains

Working at RIFT

Working at RIFT means being part of a dynamic, diverse, and driven team. You will help shape the future of industrial decarbonisation while working on complex, high-impact projects.

In addition, we offer:

• Competitive compensation: we aim to attract and retain top talent with a package that reflects the level of this role, including the potential for long-term incentives or equity participation

• A central Eindhoven office: a new office in the heart of Eindhoven, working alongside 70+ colleagues, with the possibility to work partly from Amsterdam as well

• Strong growth opportunities: a steep learning curve with real responsibility and the opportunity to develop your skills quickly

• Experienced leadership: work closely with experienced entrepreneurs in a growing international team

• High-performance environment: an ambitious, fast-paced culture with high ownership, where you can take initiative and drive real impact

This role combines investor-level thinking, hands-on execution, and company-wide orchestration. It is not a comfort zone role, but one for individuals who take ownership, push boundaries, and deliver measurable impact where it matters most.