Operations Lead - Defence (f/m/d)

As our Operations Lead - Defence, you are responsible for ensuring that our operations for clients in the defence industry run reliably, predictably, and at a high operational standard.

You own the day-to-day operational performance of defence key accounts — from deployment and ramp-up phases through stable live operations. Working closely with on-site teams and internal stakeholders, you ensure that our robotic kitchen systems are executed and operated in line with institutional requirements and real-world conditions.

Through strong ownership and disciplined execution, you directly impact system uptime, food safety, customer satisfaction, and the successful transition from pilots to repeatable defence operations at scale.

• Own operational execution for defence deployments and live operations.
  
• Lead rollout and ramp-up phases for modular robotic kitchens, including installation preparation, commissioning coordination, and go-live execution.
  
• Ensure site readiness, operational stability, and compliance in structured, security-sensitive environments.
  
• Own the transition from pilot deployments into stable, repeatable operations.
  
  

• Serve as the primary accountable operational owner for defence.
  
• Own the day-to-day customer relationship on an operational level, including expectations, timelines, and issue resolution.
  
• Lead operational reviews, reporting, and continuous improvement discussions with customers.
  
• Operate with discretion, authority, and professionalism in defence environments.
  
  

• Own and enforce SOPs for operations, hygiene, maintenance, and contingency scenarios.
  
• Ensure compliance with hygiene, HACCP, safety, and institutional standards.
  
• Own operational KPIs (e.g. uptime, output, incidents, service quality) and drive corrective actions where required.
  
• Ensure structured documentation, data collection, and reporting.
  
  

• Steer cross-functional execution across Operations, Product, Engineering, Culinary, and Supply Chain teams.
  
• Direct and prioritise on-site Operations Technicians and Deployment & Operations Managers for assigned accounts.
  
• Lead troubleshooting and escalation management, coordinating resolution across teams.
  
• Drive feedback loops from live operations into product and deployment improvements.
  
  

• Own and coordinate selected international defence deployments and pilots.
  
• Contribute to the standardisation of defence operations across sites and regions.
  

• Several years of experience in operations leadership, deployment, or accountable customer-facing roles.
  
• Strong background in food operations, hospitality, food-tech, logistics, or comparable environments.
  
• Experience owning hardware-enabled or infrastructure-heavy operations.
  
• Familiarity with SOP-driven, compliance-heavy environments.
  
• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to make decisions and drive execution.
  
• Experience owning operations for defence, governmental, or institutional customers (e.g. Bundeswehr, Nato etc.)
  
• Native speaker German and strong English.
• Willingness to travel within Germany and occasionally internationally.

• Exposure to robotics, automation, or electromechanical systems.
  

• Experience transitioning pilots into stable operations.
  

• Strong KPI and reporting discipline.

• Competitive Compensation: Receive a competitive compensation package with offered stock options for full-time employees.
• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy regular team events, a hybrid work setup, 2 months/year remote work (Workation), and unlimited vacation days, along with a corporate pension plan.
• Personal Development: Personal annual training budget, access to internal trainings, and strong growth opportunities in a fast-paced environment.
• Mobility: Benefit from a monthly mobility or expense budget and a subsidized Dance Mobility Subscription for E-Bike/E-Moped.
• Well-Being: Access discounted Urban Sports Club membership and Wellhub for a wide variety of health and well-being offerings.