Business Operations Manager

The Business Operations Manager serves as a key operational partner to the Chief Business Officer (CBO) and senior leadership team, driving the systems, processes, and cross-functional alignment that enable Fortem to scale efficiently. This role is responsible for translating strategic priorities into executable operational plans — owning the business rhythm that connects marketing, revenue operations, engineering, manufacturing, customer programs, and finance. The ideal candidate is an analytical, collaborative, and organized individual  who thrives in a high-growth, mission-driven environment and is equally comfortable in the data as they are in the boardroom.  

  Key Responsibilities 

• Process Improvement: Conduct efficiency audits across departments, identify bottlenecks, and design scalable workflows that improve productivity and reduce operational friction as the company grows. 
• Strategic Planning & Goal Alignment: Partner with the CBO, revenue operations, and department heads to track company-wide goals, KPIs, and performance metrics. Synthesize data into executive-ready insights and recommendations. 
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as a connective tissue across marketing, revenue operations, sales, engineering, manufacturing operations and production, and customer programs — facilitating communication, resolving cross-departmental dependencies, and ensuring strategic alignment. 
• Data Analysis & Reporting: Build and maintain operational dashboards and reporting frameworks. Use quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate business performance, surface risks early, and inform strategic decisions. 
• Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A): Partner with Finance and the CBO to support company-wide budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting cycles. Track performance against plan across departments, identify variances, and surface data-driven recommendations to optimize resource allocation. Support corporate development workstreams — including business case development, financial modeling, and due diligence activities — as directed by the CBO 
• Project & Program Management: Lead high-priority, cross-functional initiatives from scoping through delivery. Manage timelines, resources, and stakeholder communications to ensure on-time, on-budget completion. 
• Vendor & Tool Management: Evaluate and manage relationships with third-party vendors, software platforms (CRM, ERP, project management), and service providers that support operational efficiency. 
• Team Enablement: Partner with HR and department leaders to identify capability gaps across teams and support a high-performance culture. 

 Required Skills & Qualifications 

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field.  
• Experience: 5+ years of experience in business operations, strategy, management consulting, or a related role; experience in a technology, defense, or manufacturing environment strongly preferred. 
• Analytical Abilities: Highly proficient in data analysis — able to build models, interpret trends, and communicate findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. 
• Leadership & Communication: Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, influence without direct authority, manage change, and communicate effectively at all levels of the organization. 
• Project Management: Skilled in scoping, planning, and executing complex, multi-stakeholder projects from initiation through completion. PMP or equivalent certification a plus. 
• Technical Proficiency: Hands-on experience with project management platforms (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Jira), CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot), and data analytics or BI tools (e.g., Excel, Tableau, Power BI). 
• Process Mindset: Comfort with ambiguity and a demonstrated track record of designing and implementing scalable processes in fast-growing or fast-changing environments. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• MBA or advanced degree in a relevant field. 
• Experience supporting a CBO, COO, CEO, or C-suite executive in an operational capacity. 
• Background in defense technology, UAV/drone technology, government contracting, or hardware+software companies. 
• Familiarity with OKR and KPI frameworks and experience supporting company-wide goal-setting processes. 
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., Odoo, NetSuite, SAP) in a manufacturing or field-deployment context. 
• Active U.S. security clearance or ability to obtain one.