Business Operations Manager

Business Operations Manager

We are seeking an experienced business operations manager to support our team in Washington, DC. This role is pivotal in translating financial analysis into actionable program decisions, collaborating closely with technical leads and program management to ensure projects remain on track, on budget, and strategically aligned with sponsor expectations. The position requires part-time on-site presence in a classified environment, with no remote work available.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary liaison between the financial analyst, cost account managers (CAMs), and the program manager, synthesizing data and operational insights to inform program decisions.

Collaborate with engineering system leads to identify programmatic issues, resource gaps, and potential risks, and propose actionable solutions.

Lead the development and management of the staffing plan, ensuring proper alignment of personnel to project needs and funding levels.

Coordinate with the scheduler and systems engineering teams to assess and mitigate programmatic risks.

Interface directly with new and existing government sponsors, developing funding profiles and managing 'color of money' (COM) allocations across contracts.

Act as the business advisor to the technical program manager, providing strategic guidance on funding execution, procurement planning, contract actions, and staffing forecasts.

Lead and facilitate program management reviews (PMRs) with the sponsor, ensuring clear, data-driven communication of program status and strategy.

Support internal and sponsor-driven reporting requirements, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely delivery.

Essential skills

Program management

Process improvement

Operation

Project management

Operations management

FAR, DFAR

Bachelor's degree in related field and 12 or more years of industry experience

Current active security clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain SCI

Exceptional understanding of business operations and program management recurring tasks, reports, and workflows across supporting functional areas and operational teams

Strong working knowledge of DoD financial management, including funding @types (RDT&E, O&M, etc.) and contract execution processes

Proven experience supporting engineering-led programs with cross-functional coordination (engineering, finance, contracts)

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to lead sponsor-facing presentations and reviews

Demonstrated ability to assess program risks and work across teams to implement mitigations

Additional skills & qualifications

Experience supporting NRL, DoD labs, or other R&D-focused government organizations

Familiarity with earned value management (EVM) principles

Experience outlining and executing project objectives, goals, milestones, and completion

Comfortable serving as focal point for coordinating with multiple geographically separated work centers in different time zones to achieve time-sensitive deadlines for products, work plans, or deliverables

Strong attention to detail; excellent organization, planning skills, verbal and written communication

Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment and collaborate with others

Ability to quickly learn new scope of work and grow with a scaling team

Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite

Pay and benefits

The pay range for this position is $190,000.00 - $200,000.00 / hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following :

Medical, dental & vision - critical illness, accident, and hospital - 401(k) retirement plan - pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available - life insurance (voluntary life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) - short and long-term disability - health spending account (HSA) - transportation benefits - employee assistance program - time off / leave (PTO, vacation or sick leave)

Workplace type

This is a fully onsite position in Arlington, VA.

Application deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 10, 2025.

About Aston Carter :

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing double diamond winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.