Head of Staff Operations

The world of meal delivery has rapidly developed into an exciting market, that has in recent years become relevant to many consumers and restaurant owners. Takeaway.com and daughter startup Scoober are leading players in this market. After solid growth in its first two years, Scoober is now looking for a Head of Staff Operations, as addition to the MT. This person will have the opportunity to help shape the future of Scoober, in a very strategic role. The Head of Staff Operations will be responsible, among other things, for setting up streamlined and growth-focused processes, and for leading the internal team, to enable Scoober’s ongoing growth and market leader ambitions.

Takeaway.com and Scoober: Market leader and daughter startup

Takeaway.com is market leader in meal delivery in Continental Europe. Takeaway.com started as a platform where restaurants can offer their own meals and delivery services. In 2016, Takeaway.com founded daughter company Scoober, allowing Takeaway.com to also offer meals on its platform from restaurants that do not have their own delivery service.

‘This is a winner takes all market. We intend to be that winner, and we are on track. To make this happen, it is crucial that we turn Scoober into a best-in-class company with the right people, technology, and processes.’ – Mark Deumer, Head of Operations

Scoober allows Takeaway.com to also be relevant in, for instance, meal delivery in a higher segment, with meals from ‘slow food’ restaurants that usually don’t offer delivery. The meals are ordered through the Takeaway.com platform and then delivered by Scoober deliverers. High competition in this segment and within this business model is creating an exciting market, in which delivery parties do everything they can to gain and maintain market share.

Takeaway.com and Scoober are growing fast in revenue and number of orders. Last year, Scoober’s share in Takeaway.com’s total orders has doubled. Orders are now being delivered by circa 3.500 Scoober deliverers. Takeaway.com sees investing in Scoober as a priority to support the continued growth of both businesses.

Operations Team

The team which the Head of Staff Operations will manage consists of circa 10 people, responsible for creating and improving the processes behind Scoober’s operations. The team plays a crucial part in Scoober’s success. They face questions such as: What are the best IT systems for our business? How do we make our processes lean? How do we make sure the communication to consumers and restaurant owners is as streamlined as possible?

On the one hand, Scoober is a startup without legacy – so problems were often solved ad hoc by a team of creative thinkers. With Scoober’s current growth rate, that way of working is no longer sufficient. On the other hand, Scoober is supported by Takeaway.com, which has been around for longer and operates like a corporate. This means there are plenty of resources available to create and implement best-in-class solutions. Scoober therefore has the best of both worlds, creating a highly exciting environment to excel in.

Vacancy: Head of Staff Operations

At Scoober, a passionate Head of Staff Operations has the opportunity to show what he or she has to offer in terms of leadership, strategy, and professionalization. The ideal candidate is a visionary thinker, and is able to turn that vision into best practice processes for Scoober through solid structuring and good leadership. Meanwhile, the Head of Staff Operations will further strengthen an international, dynamic team into a force that will help develop Scoober from a startup to a mature and successful company.

Process Improvement

This role is about analyzing and improving underlying processes, that enable the Scoober user interface (for consumers, restaurant owners and deliverers) as well as the actual meal delivery operations. The Head of Staff Operations has a strategic perspective and a long term vision that is well thought through. He or she continuously looks ahead: What risks can we expect in the long term, and how to mitigate those? This includes formulating new, smart insights into the existing business and in how it answers to the operations that the (future) market demands. IT processes are in scope, as well as legal aspects of the business, or sales and operations planning. Therefore, the ideal candidate is a conceptual, strategic, and structured thinker, who focuses on the bigger picture and can think multiple steps ahead. The candidate is also able to convey these ideas to all relevant stakeholders, including the board of Takeaway.com and the board of investors, and to provide counter arguments if needed.

Leadership

The role is also about leadership. The Head of Staff Operations will be responsible for a young, dynamic and ambitious team of, among others, project leaders, lean experts, and engineers. The Head of Staff Operations will further expand and professionalize this team. The role therefore has a strong coaching component. The ideal candidate is able to coach team members individually and as a team, to help them be at their best and deliver great results.

Growth perspective: Senior leader with in-depth expertise

A successful manager from a corporate or consultancy, passionate about dynamic new markets, can develop in this role into a senior process expert and team leader. Working closely with the Head of Operations, this person gets a unique inside look into both an established market leader and a startup. The Head of Staff Operations has the opportunity to help shape the future of Scoober, by setting up a solid organization that is ready for the future.

Candidate Profile

Personality

• Conceptual, strategic, and structured thinker
• Practically minded
• Able to counterbalance opinions and challenge the status quo
• Social team player and leader

Experience

• + 7 years’ experience at a corporate or a management consultancy
• Leadership qualities and experience with project management
• Knowledge of business processes
• Ability to see the big picture, as well as focus on details where needed

Takeaway.com works with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
Contact Annelijn Nijhuis at annelijn@topofminds.com for more information.