Chief Operating Officer (COO) — Co-Founder Level
Stuttgart, Germany (Hybrid / Flexible)
Part-Time (Transitioning to Full-Time with Funding)
Equity-Based (Significant Ownership Stake)
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About Merloop
Merloop is a DPPaaS — Digital Product Passport as a Service. We help brands, suppliers, and platforms create verified, compliant, and future-proof product passports for the EU market. But we go further than storing data. We've built our own audit system that verifies every sustainability claim at its source — tracing certifications back through the supply chain so that when a brand says their product is sustainable, we can actually prove it.
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The Role: Architect of Operations
We are looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join our founding team. This is not a "management" role — it is a "building" role. You will be the bridge between our high-level sustainability vision and the day-to-day execution required to scale a SaaS platform in a complex regulatory environment.
As a core leader, you will design the workflows that allow Merloop to move from a high-potential startup to an industry standard.
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What You'll Own
Operational Infrastructure: Define Merloop's next steps — mapping our platform development against evolving EU standards, DPP requirements, and regulatory timelines to ensure we're always ahead of compliance.
Go-To-Market (GTM) Execution: Lead the charge on customer onboarding. You will be the point person for brands and enterprise clients as they integrate their supply chains into our platform.
Systems Integration: Oversee how Merloop integrates seamlessly with the enterprise systems powering global trade — SAP, Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics — ensuring our platform speaks fluently to every layer of the supply chain.
Regulatory Translation: Act as the "Internal Expert," translating complex EU directives (ESPR, Green Claims Directive) into actionable product features and customer success roadmaps.
Strategic Partnerships: Represent Merloop in high-stakes conversations with investors, industry bodies, and Tier-1 suppliers.
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Who You Are
You are likely an experienced operations leader or a former founder who is passionate about the circular economy but frustrated by the lack of technical tools to make it work.
Experience: 3–6+ years in Operations, Supply Chain, or SaaS. You understand how a software company scales.
Technical Literacy: You aren't a coder, but you understand data architecture and how enterprise software (ERP/CRM) sits at the heart of global brands.
Sustainability Fluency: You know your way around GOTS, OEKO-TEX, GRS, and Fairtrade. You understand that these aren't just logos — they are data points that must be verified, not just stored.
Regulatory Sharpness: You've been following the ESPR and DPP developments and recognize the massive market opportunity they represent.
The "Startup Spirit": You are comfortable with ambiguity. You'd rather build a process than follow a manual.
Communication: You speak fluently to engineers, sustainability managers, and enterprise clients — sometimes all in the same day.
Languages: Fluent in English; German proficiency is a significant advantage for our Stuttgart-based ecosystem.
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Why Join Merloop?
Ownership: This is an Equity-Based role. You aren't an employee; you are a co-builder with a real stake in the company's valuation.
Flexibility: We respect your commitments. This is a part-time role designed to allow us to build momentum together as we move toward our next funding milestone.
Impact: You are working on the Frontier of Compliance. The systems you build will directly contribute to a more transparent, circular, and honest global economy.
Stuttgart Ecosystem: Benefit from being at the heart of Germany's industrial and automotive powerhouse, with a hybrid setup that respects your work-life flow.
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Are you ready to build?
We aren't looking for a manager. We're looking for a co-founder who happens to love operations.
If you believe that sustainability needs better systems — not just better stories — let's talk.
Apply now: Send your profile or LinkedIn to
Explore our vision:
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