Launch Operator

Data Drone builds 0-1 SaaS products and the team that ships them. No bosses, no managers — the playbook manages, the copilot tracks. Every role owns a small, defined space with extreme accountability. The product is expanding — new markets, new business types, new segments. Every expansion is a project: cross-functional, time-bound, and high-stakes. We need someone who owns the launch coordination so the permanent team can focus on running the business while the new market comes online.

You will own launch execution. When the product enters a new market or adds a new business type, you coordinate the cross-functional effort: product changes, localization, GTM content, sales adjustments, compliance, payment processing, onboarding updates. You don't do each function's work — you track it, align it, surface blockers, and make sure launch day goes clean. Then you hand everything to the permanent roles and deactivate until the next launch.

• During a launch: maintain the dependency map and track the launch checklist — every item completed before go-live.
• Within 24 hours: surface any blocker and chase resolution.
• Launch day: run the go/no-go — if 3 items are incomplete, launch day moves. Quality over calendar.
• Post-launch: run 72-hour minimum monitoring, then hand off all artifacts to permanent owners.
• After every launch: run the retrospective and update the launch playbook.

• Execute new market and new business type launches end-to-end
• Track the launch checklist — every item completed before go-live
• Surface blockers within 24 hours and chase resolution
• Hand off all launch artifacts to permanent role owners
• Run post-launch retrospectives and update the launch playbook
• Maintain the New Market Launch playbook; coordinate New Business Type launches (Product Manager owns the playbook)

• You've managed a cross-functional project with 4+ teams involved. Not managed one team's tasks — coordinated across teams with different priorities and timelines.
• You can build and maintain a dependency map. Not just a task list — a map that shows which task blocks which other task, across which functions.
• You can chase without being chased. When a task is stalled, you surface it within hours — not at the next weekly meeting.li>
• You can run a structured retrospective that produces actionable improvements, not generic "went well / could improve" lists.
• You hand things off completely. "I sent them the doc" is not a handoff. "They confirmed they own it and it's in their playbook" is a handoff.
• You're comfortable with project-based work. Active during launches, quieter between them.

• Experience with new market launches (localization, compliance, payment processing)
• Experience with vertical expansion (entering a new industry segment)
• Experience with launch readiness checklists and go/no-go processes
• Experience coordinating across engineering, marketing, sales, and operations simultaneously
• Project management certifications or formal methodology experience (PMP, Agile, etc.)

• You coordinate, not execute. The functions do their work. You make sure they do it together, on time, and without blocking each other.
• Dependencies are visible or they're invisible disasters. If it's not on the map, it will surprise you on launch day. Map everything.
• Chase fast. A stalled task discovered Monday and chased Friday is a week wasted. 24 hours max.
• Launch day is earned, not scheduled. The checklist says go or no-go. If 3 items are incomplete, launch day moves. Quality over calendar.
• Hand off completely. Your goal is to make yourself unnecessary after every launch. If you're still involved 3 weeks later, the handoff failed.
• The retrospective is…