Chief Operations Officer - UAS

OverviewJob Title: Chief "Operations" Officer (COO)Location: Baltimore County, MDCompensation: $200K+ base + annual bonus + equity + relocation (if needed)Industry: Autonomous Drones / Dual-Use Defense TechAbout the CompanyA fast-growing drone company building autonomous systems for critical defense, government and commercial missions. Backed by meaningful contract traction and a proven core platform, the company is transitioning from R&D and prototyping into full-scale production.Focused on providing strategic solutions that enable safe, efficient, and successful UAV operations in the most challenging environments, ensuring unmatched support for a new era of aerial exploration and industrial applications.About the RoleThis is for a hands on Chief “Operations” Officer will serve as the company’s top operations leader. Responsible for translating strategic objectives into on-the-ground results across manufacturing, fulfillment, and operational performance.This is not a strategy-only role. It’s not for someone used to delegating from a distance. We are seeking a high-trust, hands-on operator—someone who can lead programs, manage vendors, solve problems, and build processes without layers of support staff.You’ll manage U.S.-based production operations—while staying tightly aligned with revenue-driving priorities. The ideal candidate brings a dual lens: executional rigor and customer-facing awareness across defense and commercial markets.Why Join UsStep into a high-impact COO role where your decisions directly shape the company’s growth trajectory. This is a fast-moving, hands-on environment—not a “big company” bureaucracy. You’ll own operational execution, scaling U.S. and international production, and bringing market-ready products like our CAV radio and white-label systems to life.Key ResponsibilitiesExecution & DeliveryOwn operational performance across internal teams and third-party manufacturers.Translate strategic priorities into execution roadmaps with clear accountability and metrics.Monitor delivery schedules, quality benchmarks, and cost performance—course correct as needed.Manufacturing & Supply ChainOversee and optimize U.S manufacturing.Evaluate and implement U.S.-based production pathways in response to customer and regulatory expectations.Manage supplier performance, negotiate terms, and maintain strong SLAs with key vendors.Cross-Functional LeadershipBalance day-to-day operational oversight with strategic business development initiatives, ensuring both internal execution and external growth remain aligned.Partner closely with the CFO on budget execution and performance-to-plan.Serve as the connective tissue across engineering, production, and program delivery teams.Build out lightweight but scalable operational processes, systems, and dashboards.Mindset & CultureLead with urgency, clarity, and accountability.Help instill a builder’s culture: ownership over bureaucracy, execution over presentation.Ideal Candidate10+ years in operations, manufacturing, or supply chain leadership roles.5–10 years+ of hands-on experience in the UAS/Drone industry, spanning defense, government, and commercial markets—including operations, product development, and sales.Must have FAA Part 107 minimum, FAA PPL, CPL, ATP a plus.An experienced operations leader within the UAS industry.Experience in complex hardware environments: robotics, aerospace, defense, industrial automation, etc.Proven ability to lead operations while supporting business development or customer-facing initiatives.Background in scaling contract manufacturing from prototype to production.Must be able to find, draft, and submit winning proposals, tenders, and RFP’s without additional training or fortable operating without traditional “big company” infrastructure.U.S. citizenship, Clearance is a big plus #J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2025-09-17