Chief of Staff (Member of Leadership)

At Vara, we believe better breast cancer detection should be a standard offering for every woman, everywhere. 

We are a European medical AI company building the infrastructure for the future of breast cancer screening, working in close collaboration with radiologists to make screening more effective and accessible.

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Berlin on the AI Campus, Vara has grown into the market leader in Germany, now covering 50% of the entire market. We have published the world’s largest clinical trial in healthcare AI (PRAIM, published in Nature Medicine) with 463,094 women. In the study, we have demonstrated a 17.6% increase in cancer detection rate and a workload reduction by 56%.

Right now, Vara is growing globally through partners in 13 countries. We are backed by long-term oriented investors. Behind our technology is an international team of entrepreneurs, engineers and healthcare experts – all working toward one shared goal: transforming the early detection of cancer.

We are looking for a Chief of Staff who is part of the leadership team, represents the company in board meetings and directly reports to the founders. 

The Chief of Staff is at the heart of building Vara’s new phase – growing globally through direct and indirect sales channels, and rebuilding processes with AI.

This is a high-trust role for someone who wants a front-row seat to how a pioneering deep tech company in healthcare grows from an early-stage startup into a mature, global organization. You’ll move between strategy and execution with full transparency into the company’s objectives, board priorities, strategic opportunities and operational health. 

The role can emerge into a C-level role, or prepare you for your own future as a startup founder. 

What you'll do

• Run the operating cadence the leadership team relies on: quarterly planning, board prep, all-hands, leadership offsites. 

• Lead strategic projects end-to-end, particularly the ones that cut across functions (e.g. fundraising campaigns, development of new strategic partnerships, development of new sales channels, new product launches, pricing strategies,...)

• Act as a thought partner to the Founders, especially for difficult conversations or complex decisionsYou'll see the full shape of the company in a way few others do, and you're expected to use that perspective.

• Automate processes with AI, to increase the speed at which Vara executes even further. Work alongside technical colleagues to get end-to-end workflows with AI off the ground.

• Support the commercial development with direct revenue impact by attending industry conferences, supporting in distributor development, or closing and managing enterprise customers.

• Translate between the Founders and the rest of the team. That can mean writing the all-hands script, drafting an investor update, or making sure a strategic decision actually reaches the people who need to act on it.

• Analytical strength, ideally with technical affinity, with a passion for deeply complicated subject matter (keen to contribute to engineering meetings, read clinical whitepapers, discuss with medical key opinion leaders).
  Structured communication and thinking, incredibly high consistency and reliability even amid day-to-day chaos.

• Entrepreneurial risk-taking, taking decisions under uncertainty, breaking down complexity into actionable execution day-to-day. 

• High-integrity, low ego, intellectual honesty, having clear opinions but always open for the better argument.

• Genuine interest in healthcare, deep tech coupled with patience for solving complex problems in interdisciplinary environments.

• A genuine curiosity or proven track record in embracing AI technology to leverage yourself; at the very least a willingness to learn technical skills even if it means getting up to speed outside of regular work hours.

We believe much of these foundations are typically learned in management consulting, venture capital or similarly demanding but structured environments, followed by exposure to the chaotic world of early-stage startups (either as early employee or founder experience). 

Most probably our ideal candidate has a technical or scientific degree or studied at a leading business school. 

Important: This is a senior leadership role for people that are ready to take the next step from e.g. Founder Associate or Business Development roles in Seed- or Series A-startups. We expect multiple years of experience.

Why this role matters

Vara is at the inflection point where the company stops being a product and starts being a business. The decisions made in the next 18 months — how we sell, how we hire, how we scale a regulated AI product into European screening — will define what Vara becomes. The Chief of Staff is the operator who sits next to those decisions every day. In 18 to 24 months you will be one of the most prepared people in Europe to either start your own company or take a real operating role at the next stage of Vara.

Flexible Work & Team Spirit

Whether from home or at our Berlin office, you’re free to shape your workday in the way that suits you best. We believe the best ideas come from collaboration, which is why we actively foster team spirit through regular get-togethers, offsites, and team events.

Work at the Merantix AI Campus

Join us at the Merantix AI Campus – the heart of Berlin’s AI scene. Connect with inspiring people, innovative startups, and be part of a community that thrives on creativity and knowledge-sharing.

Fair & Competitive Compensation

We regularly benchmark salaries within the tech and healthcare sectors to ensure that your work is recognized and fairly rewarded.

A Range of Benefits That Fit Your Life

Enjoy monthly perks tailored to your needs – from Urban Sports Club subsidies to over 100 discounts across health, fitness, retail, and travel. Choose the benefits that support and motivate you the most.

Your Growth, Our Priority

Your personal and professional development matters to us. You’ll work on exciting projects and have regular development talks with your leads to help shape your career path and reach your goals.