Business Operations Manager

Chaos1 Pty; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Clearance sponsorship

Mobilised from the start

Superannuation above mandated rate

Job summary

Chaos1 is seeking a mission-first Business Operations Manager to own the operations of the Mission Operations business line, including the XFACTORY site and compliance calendar. You will lead a small team across site, Finance, IT and administration, and report to executives.

This predominantly onsite role in Sydney requires Australian citizenship and NV1 clearance. You will manage facilities, travel, procurement, HR administration and policy development in a growing defence SME.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, commerce or related discipline; equivalent experience allowed.
• 5+ years in operations or business management in a similarly sized company; 3+ years back-office ownership.
• Experience across at least four of facilities, IT vendor management, insurance, travel & logistics, HR administration, procurement, and compliance.
• Proven ownership of a compliance calendar with audits or inspections.
• Experience managing vendors and service contracts; renewals and disputes.
• Strong process and document skills; ability to keep processes light.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 and a modern finance/HRIS system.
• Ability to lead a small team and work with executives, engineers and operators.
• Australian citizenship and ability to obtain an NV1 security clearance.
• Onsite at Chaos1's XFACTORY, Sydney; predominantly onsite.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Mission Support Group including site and facilities, IT and business administration, and set its priorities against the campaign calendar.
• Own travel, accommodation, vehicles and freight for field activities; coordinate task forces to defence sites.
• Manage vendors and service contracts across IT, facilities, insurance, fleet and professional services.
• Run HR administration including recruitment coordination, employment contracts, onboarding and offboarding.
• Own the compliance calendar across WHS, insurance, licences, statutory reporting and DISP obligations.
• Write and maintain company policies and processes, keeping them proportionate to the company size.
• Oversee procurement including purchasing policy, approvals and supplier onboarding.
• Set service standards for the Mission Support Group and measure performance monthly.

Skills

Operations leadership

Vendor management

HR administration

Compliance

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, commerce or related

Tools

Microsoft 365

HRIS

Job description

Chaos1 is an Australian defence company with a mission to forge a faster path to warfighter capability. Purpose-driven and mission-first, Chaos1 deploys the people, processes and technologies needed to tackle defence's toughest problems. In a world where time is short and the threats are real, Chaos1 is the catalyst that operates forward to rapidly field warfighter capability in months.

ABOUT THE JOB

Chaos1 is seeking a mission-first Business Operations Manager to support its Mission Operations business line. You will own the business operations of the company, from the XFACTORY site to the compliance calendar. You can expect to lead a small team of site, Finance, IT and administration staff, and to be the person the Mission Operations business line relies on.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead the Mission Support Group including site and facilities, IT and business administration, and set its priorities against the campaign calendar
• Own travel, accommodation, vehicles and freight for field activities. You will get task forces to Defence sites on time with what they need
• Manage vendors and service contracts across IT, facilities, insurance, fleet and professional services, including renewals and performance
• Run HR administration including recruitment coordination with hiring managers, employment contracts, onboarding and offboarding paperwork, personnel records and clearance sponsorship paperwork, and hand payroll the data it needs on time
• Own the compliance calendar across WHS, insurance, licences, statutory reporting and the company's DISP membership obligations, and keep the evidence current
• Write and maintain company policies and processes, and keep them proportionate to the size of the company
• Oversee procurement including purchasing policy, approvals and supplier onboarding, and keep purchasing separate from payment
• Set the Mission Support Group's service standards for the delivery teams, and measure the group against them each month

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in business, commerce or a related discipline. Equivalent experience may substitute.
• Over 5 years in operations or business management in a company of comparable size, with 3+ years owning the back office as a whole
• Experience across at least four of facilities, IT vendor management, insurance, travel and logistics, HR administration, procurement and compliance
• Demonstrated ownership of a compliance calendar, with audits or inspections you carried
• Experience managing vendors and service contracts, including renewals and disputes
• Strong process and document skills, with the judgement to keep processes light
• Working proficiency in Microsoft 365 and a modern finance or HR information system
• Ability to lead a small team and to work directly with executives, engineers and operators
• Australian citizenship and ability to obtain a NV1 security clearance
• Ability to be onsite at Chaos1's XFACTORY, Sydney. This is a predominantly onsite role.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience in a defence industry SME or another regulated environment
• Familiarity with the Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) and its personnel and physical security obligations
• Experience running travel and movements for field or deployed teams
• Experience with WHS management systems and NSW WHS obligations
• Experience with procurement policy and supplier onboarding
• Experience standing up policies, processes and systems in a growing company
• Experience with HR information systems and onboarding programs
• A current NV1 security clearance or above

SALARY

A salary benchmarked against the Australian defence market, plus above-mandated superannuation and annual salary reviews. Where you sit depends on your back-office experience and the breadth of your skills across the areas listed.

BENEFITS

• Superannuation above the mandated rate.
• 25 days of annual leave every year, a full week more than the standard four weeks.
• Clearance sponsorship. We sponsor your clearance and pay the vetting costs.
• Mobilised from the start. Your equipment, access and role brief are ready before you arrive, and you’ll be part of live work within your first fortnight.

Chaos1 is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, and veterans and reservists are encouraged to apply. If you need an adjustment at any point in the process, tell us and we will make it.

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM RECRUITMENT SCAMS

• Chaos1 never asks candidates for money, bank details or identity documents before an offer, and never asks you to buy equipment or pay for training
• We contact candidates only from @chaos1.au addresses and through our applicant tracking system; check anything else with [e-mail] before you act on it
• Report an approach made fraudulently in Chaos1's name to [e-mail] and to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au

DATA PRIVACY

Chaos1 handles your application under Australian privacy law and our applicant privacy notice. Offers are conditional on pre-employment screening, which may be run by a third-party provider and covers identity, right to work, qualifications and licences, references and a national police check. Clearance sponsorship runs through the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency and requires Australian citizenship. The role involves access to technology controlled under Australian export-control law and, on some programs, US ITAR and EAR, with access limited to authorised persons.