Senior Business Operations Manager

About the role

The War Data Platform (WDP) is a key initiative within the U.S. Department of War's (DoW) AI-First strategy. The WDP separates business and financial data from operational warfighting data, aiming to accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) on the battlefield. It extends to Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret environments, and supports collaboration between Combatant Commands, Joint Staff directorates, Senior Executive Service leaders, and operational analysts.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Program's myriad projects, ensuring initiatives seamlessly align with customer mission needs and business goals.
• Act as the operational bridge between strategic leadership and tactical execution within complex government and military environments.
• Governance: Establishing overarching frameworks and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that guide program decisions, enforce accountability, and ensure all project execution aligns with overarching DoW acquisition and operational directives.
• Financial Management: Conducting complex forecasting, managing annual congressional authorizations and appropriations, optimizing spend plans, and tracking historical budgets. Ensure every operational dollar is spent in a cost-effective, audit-ready manner.
• Reporting: Compiling data and generating comprehensive, executive-level reports. This includes creating continuous-feedback loops, decision matrices, and after-action reviews to keep both internal stakeholders and senior government clients fully informed.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Interpreting complex regulatory constraints, implementing safeguards across classified and unclassified networks, and mitigating potential operational or legal risks before they impact mission readiness.
• Metrics: Defining and monitoring Measures of Performance (MOPs) and Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs).
• Process Improvement: Analyzing performance data to identify workflow bottlenecks, eliminate inefficiencies, and drive continuous process improvements.
• Resource Allocation: Managing the acquisition process, planning logistics, and ensuring personnel and materials are effectively directed to support priority missions.
• Capacity Planning: Evaluating current workforce capacity and infrastructure so the program functions reliably despite evolving personnel or mission scopes.
• Standardizing Methodologies: Establishing standardized project management methodologies, and building sustainable digital continuity.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Skills

• Current Secret security clearance.
• 10 or more years of experience in business operations, program administration, or a closely related field supporting federal government contracts or programs.
• Demonstrated experience collecting, validating, and reporting contractor labor hour data in support of annual service contract reporting obligations, including submission through the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).
• Experience supporting program management reporting functions, including the preparation of Monthly Status Reports and Quarterly Program Management Review briefing materials incorporating cost, schedule, personnel, and execution data.
• Proven experience managing procurement and purchasing processes in a federal contracting environment, including tracking Requests to Initiate Purchase, Consents to Purchase, Government approvals, and associated documentation throughout a period of performance.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, with a proven ability to weigh the relative costs and benefits of potential actions and identify the most appropriate solution.
• Highly developed interpersonal and oral/written communication skills, with the ability to effectively and professionally interact with a diverse set of stakeholders (from peers to end-users to executive management).

Desired Skills

• Experience supporting large-scale IT modernization, data platform, or AI-enabled programs within the DoW or other federal departments or agencies.
• Familiarity with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) as they apply to contractor purchasing, procurement, and compliance processes.
• Experience using program management and collaboration tools (such as Microsoft Project, SharePoint, or similar platforms) to track deliverables, schedules, and procurement status in a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent program management credential.
• Experience supporting programs that operate across multiple classification levels (Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret), with an understanding of the administrative and compliance considerations unique to each environment.