Project Manager, North America Flight Ops

Vexcel•Centennial, CO

1d•Remote

About The Position

Help lead the daily operation behind the world's largest aerial imagery program. Lead day-to-day aerial data collection operations across North America. Determine what gets flown, by whom, and in what order. Coordinate aircraft, crews, vendors, and priorities as conditions change. Balance schedule, quality, operational efficiency, and cost. Drive continuous improvement across flight operations.

Requirements

Experience managing field operations involving multiple crews, vendors, or partners.
Familiarity with geospatial data and common formats such as GeoJSON, KML, CSV, shapefiles, and GeoPackages.
SQL and general database knowledge.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
Sound judgment in dynamic operational environments.
Familiarity with aerial survey, remote sensing, or aviation operations.
Experience with GIS software, Jira, and Excel.

Nice To Haves

Flight-planning experience or the ability to learn quickly.
Experience improving workflows through automation, software tools, AI, or system integrations.
Programming experience and a track record of developing tools or process improvements.
Experience with QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, TopoFlight, and TrackAir.

Responsibilities

Run Daily Flight Operations: Direct daily flying activities across company aircraft and third-party flight partners. Monitor weather and operational conditions across active collection areas. Make real-time decisions to redirect aircraft and resolve conflicts. Ensure collection assignments are completed as planned.
Plan and Assign Work: Convert collection goals and weather forecasts into operational plans. Assign work across aircraft and flight partners. Manage schedule changes and reassignments. Review plans for accuracy before execution.
Protect Data Quality: Verify collected data meets planned coverage and quality requirements. Maintain accurate collection status throughout the project lifecycle. Track rework and maintain operational records. Support audit-ready documentation and reporting.
Manage Performance, Partners, and Cost: Analyze aircraft utilization and operational efficiency. Review fleet and vendor performance. Manage relationships with outside flying partners. Resolve operational and performance issues. Review invoices and support cost forecasting.
Drive Operational Improvement: Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and scalability. Implement improved processes, automation, and technology solutions. Support planning tools, reporting enhancements, and system integrations. Leverage AI and automation to streamline workflows.