Chief Operating & Sales Officer (m/w/d) - immediately

We are redefining assisted living by creating modern, lively senior residences where community, quality of life, and individual support take center stage.

Together with our residents and local teams, we foster an active and inspiring community. On the spacious common areas, a vibrant atmosphere emerges through an active course and event program that connects people and enriches daily life.

After the successful proof of concept at our locations in Gronau and Duisburg, we are now scaling up for our 8 secured objects in NRW. To achieve this, we are looking for you – a entrepreneurial leadership personality who will professionalize our operational basis and take our sales to the next level.

Aufgaben

As Chief Operating & Sales Officer (m/w/d) with clear development prospects, you will take on a central leadership role in the next growth phase of lively, shaping the operational and strategic further development, scaling up existing concepts, and building structures. You will represent lively externally.

You will accompany our locations comprehensively – from the pre-opening phase to ongoing operations. At the same time, you will identify new business fields and growth opportunities within the lively ecosystem.

A particular focus lies on building a professional rental and sales model (broker-like structure in the name of the owners), which currently only exists in its infancy.

We are looking for an operational leadership personality with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and the ambition to take responsibility and build structures sustainably. The role offers a mid-term development perspective up to expanded management as an addition to our existing founder structure.

This position is aimed at those who seek a genuine entrepreneurial challenge: the opportunity to shape the rollout and scaling of a young, ambitious brand from scratch.

Your tasks

1. Operations & Growth

• Safeguarding a professional, economically viable, and high-quality operation at all existing lively locations
• BUILDING scalable operational structures and processes for the expansion of lively
• Responsibility for HR and quality management and accompanying new openings
• Identifying new business fields around the lively concept

2. Sales & Marketing

• BUILDING a professional rental and sales model
• Developing marketing strategies including KPIs and budget control
• Potentially building your own sales team

3. Team & Leadership

• Fostering and developing operational teams
• Responsibility for the operational implementation of strategy and goals

Qualification

Persönlichkeit

• You think entrepreneurially with a hands-on mentality and can take on operational tasks when needed
• You move confidently in the people business and understand how to build a trusting, emotional relationship with our residents and team without losing sight of economic goals.
• You are intrinsically motivated and eager to take responsibility in a dynamic, growth-oriented environment. You work reliably, trustfully, and on an equal footing
• You are a communication talent, well networked, and sales-oriented
• You are travel-ready and enjoy being present at the market

Erfahrung

• You have at least 4 years of relevant work experience in a senior-focused service environment, in a startup, as founder or in an entrepreneurial consulting role with strong practical focus.
• You have more years of experience in rental and sales processes and the successful establishment of – ideally in the senior living sector.
• Experience in real estate, hospitality, or adjacent sectors is a plus.
• Ideal experience in opening new locations

Fachlich

• You have long-standing experience in dealing with seniors or similar areas.
• Ideal experience with financing and accounting structures in the care insurance sector.
• Experience in team building and leadership on an equal footing
• You are strongly deal- and goal-oriented without losing sight of company culture, teamwork, or our values.

Rahmenbedingungen

• You speak German at a native speaker level as well as good business English.
• You have your residence in NRW (ideally Cologne/Düsseldorf) or are willing to relocate.
• Presence on site at our locations, including regular travel, is part of the role and essential for cooperation and operational business.
• The existing headquarters structure currently works mainly remotely, but very closely, coordinated, and connected. When you're not on-site, you'll work from home office until we establish a shared office location in the long term.

Benefits

What you can expect at lively

• Genuine entrepreneurial responsibility from day one
• Fast decision-making paths and high implementation tempo
• Collaboration on an equal footing with our founder, team, and shareholders
• Clear development prospects towards management
• A highly motivated, performance-driven team with a lot of energy building up a scalable company
• Fixed salary combined with virtual company participation – your entrepreneurial impact on lively's growth will be directly considered and involved.

Our values

• Hands-on mentality: We know our goals, take action outside of our responsibility area, and support each other.
• Flexibility & learning: We learn continuously, adapt quickly to new requirements, and act pragmatically rather than dogmatically.
• Innovation & entrepreneurial thinking: We consistently question existing structures and processes, develop new solutions, and have the courage to approach things differently.
• Team spirit, trust, and reliability: We meet each other and our partners with respect, honesty, and connection. We rely on each other – in everyday life as well as in decisive moments.