Head of Business Operations (Los Angeles)

Company Overview

My client is a cutting-edge hardware startup at the intersection of advanced manufacturing and defense tech, seeking a Business Operations leader to support their rapidly growing team.

This is a high-impact role for someone who thrives in dynamic, early-stage environments and knows how to design systems that keep a company moving fast while also building long-term durability.

Responsibilities

• Design and improve operational systems, processes, and policies to support rapid scaling.
• Partner with executives on strategic planning, budgeting, and company-wide decision-making.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives requiring alignment across technical and commercial teams.
• Oversee compliance programs and regulatory obligations in highly regulated environments.
• Develop vendor strategies, negotiate long-term contracts, and manage procurement workflows.
• Manage facilities operations, leases, and workspace planning to support team growth.
• Build dashboards and reporting tools that provide leadership with real-time visibility into KPIs and resource allocation.
• Support proposal preparation, milestone tracking, and external reporting for complex programs.
• Introduce new tools and workflows to improve day-to-day team productivity and knowledge sharing.
• Collaborate with People / HR teams on processes that impact culture, employee experience, and retention.

Qualifications

Required :

• 10-15 years of business operations experience in aerospace, defense, or other complex hardware / manufacturing startup environments.
• Strong exposure to government contracts and compliance requirements in highly regulated industries (e.g. export controls).
• Deep experience designing scalable systems and processes to support growth.
• Experience leading organizational planning cycles, OKRs, and similar frameworks to track progress.
• Skilled at building dashboards and translating KPIs and other data into actionable insights for leadership
• Experience supporting proposal development and management cycles for government programs.
• High-energy, results-driven, thrives in fast-changing, ambiguous settings.
• Strong execution skills combined with a systems-thinking mindset.
• Motivated by the challenge and impact of working in mission-driven, regulated environments.
• ???? If youre craving real ownership in a fast-paced startup environment, apply now! ????
• ITAR : Must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a US person as : any individual who is granted U.S. citizenship; or any individual who is granted U.S. permanent residence (Green Card holder); or any individual who is granted status as a protected person under 8 U.S.C 1324b(a)(3).