Chief Operations Officer
About The Position
Leidos has an opening for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) supporting a contractor‑owned, contractor‑operated manned aircraft program headquartered in Alexandria, VA. This position plays a critical leadership role within the High‑Resolution 3‑Dimensional Geospatial Imaging (HR3DGI) program—one of the largest and most advanced airborne geospatial collection efforts in the world. HR3DGI is a complex operations and technology integration program executed across multiple Combatant Commands (COCOMs). Leidos serves as the sole provider of manned airborne collection, processing, and dissemination of high‑resolution 3D geospatial data worldwide. As COO, you will report directly to the Program Manager and serve as the primary operational liaison to Government Program Managers, military partners, and program stakeholders at CONUS and OCONUS locations. You will lead daily operations across multiple deployed and CONUS sites, oversee collection management, manage personnel, and ensure the program maintains operational readiness and mission success. This role supervises 8–10 Site Operations Managers and coordinates across a program team of 100+ deployed personnel, including direct‑report managers for Flight, Ground, and Technical Processing operations. This position is based in Northern Virginia (Alexandria, VA). Regular travel to local customer sites (Fort Belvoir) is required, with infrequent OCONUS travel.
Requirements
- Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility
- Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years of directly relevant experience (additional experience or training may substitute for degree)
- Minimum 4 years of direct experience in operations‑focused management roles
- Experience leading, managing, or supporting deployed/OCONUS teams
- Ability to obtain a passport and travel internationally
- Willingness to travel OCONUS to Hazard and Hardship locations on short notice
- Ability to meet all program and DoD medical/contractual training requirements for deployment, including CRC requirements
- Knowledge of airborne ISR and geospatial collection systems
- Strong understanding of military operations, terminology, and the Joint Military Decision Making Process (JMDP)
- Ability to maintain working knowledge of airborne collection platforms and remote sensing payload capabilities
- Understanding of flight and ground operating procedures with ability to manage department leads
- Strong communication skills with ability to provide rapid, accurate operational feedback to program leadership and customer
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work independently with minimal direction
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office—PowerPoint, Project, Excel, and Word
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree and 6+ years of relevant experience
- Special Operations Aviation or Aviation Management experience
- Previous ISR operations experience
- AMSOPP1
Responsibilities
- Lead and supervise daily operations across multiple sites, including mobilization and re‑mobilization activities
- Manage all deployed airborne flight operations, collection activities, and onsite processing
- Oversee administration, aircraft maintenance, logistics, facilities, communications, operational systems, and vendor subcontracts
- Coordinate planning, scope development, design, and direction of daily operational tasks
- Maintain operational oversight of staff, equipment, aircraft, and mission systems
- Develop, refine, and implement operating procedures to ensure safe, effective operations
- Partner with QA/QC teams to support Government audits (GFR via AR95‑20, DCMA 8210.1D)
- Team with Lead Pilots and Chief Pilots for flight operations; team with Lead Mechanics and Director of Maintenance for ground operations
- Maintain a monthly Operational Readiness Rate of 90% or higher per aircraft
- Enforce flight and ground safety, regulatory compliance, and operational standards
- Support CONUS resource managers with scheduling, logistics, procurement, and pre‑deployment coordination
- Resolve operational issues or conflicts quickly and communicate effectively with the customer and program leadership
- Develop site standup, shutdown, mobilization plans with accurate lead times and briefings for PMO and customer staff
- Perform all duties necessary to ensure responsiveness and readiness of the HR3DGI program
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
