Chief Philosophy Officer — A Job Description

The CPO will be our in-house devil’s advocate, tasked with asking uncomfortable questions.

James Lynden
Nov 5 · 2 min read

At Unreal Co. we believe that it is the quality of our thinking which ensures our competitive edge.

As we rapidly grow as an organisation, we have created the role of Chief Philosophy Officer to ensure our growth aligns with our purpose and values, and our decisions are taken consciously and deliberately.

About the Job

The CPO will be our in-house devil’s advocate, tasked with asking uncomfortable questions which ensure our business success.

We are seeking a practical, business-minded philosopher, with an advanced humanistic education and on-the-ground company experience.

You will work in a consultative role, networking across our organisation, with key stakeholders in the leadership team, marketing, product, research and HR.

You will act as the voice of the human and societal aspects in our product development, ensuring that ethical decisions are made.

As CPO, you will be the guardian of our purpose as an organisation, ensuring decisions are coherent with our values.

You will also champion “deep work” within our organisation, ensuring that processes and environments enable creative and intellectual performance of colleagues.

Responsibilities

  • Ensure that the conceptual foundations of key decisions are sound, working on as a strategic counsel to leadership team.
  • Analyse the ethical and societal implications of decisions, applying ethical frameworks and guiding teams.
  • Guardianship of company values and purpose, working closely with marketing and HR to ensure alignment.
  • Coaching colleagues across the organisation as to decision-making practises and models.
  • Networking externally with academic and research institutions, and representing our organisation at conferences and events.
  • Provide thought leadership content to our public relations department, keeping the organisation sharp on key issues and debates.
  • Support our research team in the identification of future scenarios and macro trends.

Preferred Qualifications

  • B.A in Philosophy and M.A in Philosophy or related discipline such as Cognitive Science, Economics or Psychology.
  • A minimum of 8+ years working across strategic and operative business functions, including marketing, product and technology roles.
  • Deep understanding of a wide-reaching set of conceptual tools such as systems thinking, mental models and game theory.
  • Informed and engaged in trends in technology and society, such as debates in AI, automation, biotech and sustainability.
  • Significant and diverse experience of real-world contexts and problems, having lived in multiple cultures and having taken advanced courses in the school of life.

We look forward to receiving your application.


***Thanks for reading! I’m an innovation manager & facilitator based in Berlin. I write on putting people before technology, and making space for deep work. You can find me on Linkedin ***

James Lynden

Written by

Innovation leader & facilitator @ IXDS Berlin. Putting people before technology. Making space for deep work. Formerly B&O & O2.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade