Head of Operations & Partnerships

Location: Hybrid (Mid-week London office from Q1 2026)

Salary: £50-60k + 1-2% equity + performance incentives

Reports to: CEO

About FuelQ®

FuelQ® is the UK's most advanced fuel card provider. We've launched a pre-paid fuel card with features no competitor offers: 1% Fuel Back rewards, up to 10% diesel savings, acceptance at 4,300+ locations, and a mobile app that transforms fuel management for businesses.

We serve everyone from individuals and sole traders to established fleets, solving real cost and admin problems with proven product-market fit. Strategic partnerships with Motorsport UK, Halfords, and Charles & Dean are already delivering customer growth.

Why we exist:

Every business with vehicles wastes money and time on fuel. Poor pricing, admin burden, lack of visibility, and cash flow pressure are daily frustrations. We're fixing this with a product that genuinely works better - real savings, instant rewards, complete control, zero hassle. We win by solving real problems better than anyone else.

The Role

This is a commercial growth and execution role, not classic operations management. You'll spend 50% of your time identifying and closing B2B2C partnerships that drive customer acquisition, 40% coordinating our small team and agencies to execute growth strategy, and 10% solving whatever problems need solving.

Commercial Partnerships (50%)

• Identify and personally close B2B2C partnerships with membership organisations, fleet associations, trade bodies, and business service providers
• Negotiate commercial terms and structure mutually beneficial deals
• Build systematic partnership pipeline and playbook
• Target sectors: automotive, fleet, trades, gig economy, business services

Growth Execution & Coordination (40%)

• Work with CFO and Head of Customer Engagement to deliver growth initiatives
• Lead recruitment of senior sales professional
• Manage agency relationships (advertising, development, email marketing) for ROI
• Build scalable processes while maintaining speed
• Own growth metrics and report progress clearly

Hands-On Problem Solving (10%)

• Address operational issues as they arise in an early-stage business
• Fill gaps until specialist hires are made
• Do what needs doing to maintain momentum

The Person We're Looking For:

We need someone with conviction and commercial instinct. You've closed deals yourself, not just managed relationships. You have strong opinions about what works and can back them up with results. You're comfortable making decisions without perfect information and pushing back when you disagree. You thrive on autonomy and ownership, you don't need hand-holding or validation to know you're on the right track. You're resilient when things go wrong and resourceful when resources are tight. You see early-stage chaos as energising, not stressful.

Requirements

Essential:

• Proven track record personally closing B2B2C partnerships or commercial deals (not managing partnerships, closing them yourself)
• Experience in small teams (under 20 people) executing with limited resources
• Commercial acumen: can structure deals, build financial models, make data-informed decisions
• Startup mentality: values equity upside over maximizing base salary, comfortable with ambiguity
• Strong character and conviction: clear opinions, pushes back when needed, resilient under pressure
• Willing to commit to mid-week London office presence

Desirable:

• Experience in automotive, fleet, fuel, payments, or B2B financial services
• Track record building 0→1 initiatives
• Previous pre-Series A startup experience

Our Values:

Execution over analysis - We test and iterate rather than perfect in theory

Authentic communication - Direct, honest, no corporate speak

Commercial thinking - Decisions based on customer value and ROI

Ownership - Own outcomes, no excuses or blame

Resourcefulness - Do more with less, find creative solutions

Customer obsession - Solve real problems better than anyone else

What We Offer

• Base salary: £50-60k depending on experience
• Equity: 1-2% EMI options (4-year vest, 1-year cliff)
• Performance incentives tied to partnership wins and revenue milestones
• Hybrid working with mid-week London presence
• Direct access to CEO and leadership decisions
• High autonomy and ownership
• Pension contribution and professional development support

How to Apply

Apply via LinkedIn with your CV (max 2 pages) and a brief note (max 300 words) covering:

1. A B2B2C partnership or commercial deal you personally closed, how you identified it, negotiated it, and what results it delivered
2. Why you're specifically interested in FuelQ (not generic startup enthusiasm)

Deadline: January 15th 2026