Manager, Military Operations

Blue Ops - A Red Cat Company; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Ops INC in the United States is seeking a Manager of Military Operations to lead and develop a team of Military Operations Specialists. You will translate program objectives into executable field plans and supervise on-site operations to ensure readiness and mission success.

You will coordinate across operations, training, engineering, and business administration, ensuring proper briefing, safety, and post-event debriefs.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field; equivalent experience.
• 5–7 years in defense operations, maritime or autonomous systems.
• 2+ years supervisory/leadership in operational or technical environments.
• Experience planning and executing operational events, exercises, or defense programs.
• Familiarity with USV systems, autonomous platforms, C2 software, or maritime operations.
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Active DoD Secret clearance or ability to obtain one.

Responsibilities

• Directly supervise Military Operations Specialists; manage scheduling, tasks, and priorities.
• Conduct regular performance conversations and developmental coaching.
• Identify training needs and development opportunities; create improvement plans.
• Onboard and integrate new team members; ensure readiness before field roles.
• Foster accountability, safety, and mission focus across the team.
• Coordinate team participation in events, exercises, and testing.
• Develop pre-event plans, timelines, and readiness checklists.
• Ensure briefing, equipment, and field readiness before departures.

Skills

Leadership

Supervisory experience

Operational planning

Field operations

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering / maritime operations / military science / instructional design / defense systems

Tools

USV systems familiarity

Command-and-control software

Job description

Position Summary

The Manager, Military Operations is a people-first leadership role responsible for the day-to-day oversight, coordination, and development of Blue Ops INC's Military Operations Specialists. This position serves as the connective layer between frontline operators, instructors, and senior leadership — ensuring that teams are prepared, resourced, and aligned to execute across all operational events, defense programs, and training initiatives.

The Manager translates program objectives and strategic direction into executable plans at the team level, directly supervising Military Operations Specialists while maintaining a working knowledge of USV systems, mission planning, and instructional delivery. This role is expected to be present and engaged in the field alongside the team — not managing from a distance.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Personnel Management

• Directly supervise Military Operations Specialists personnel; manage day-to-day scheduling, task assignments, and team priorities.
• Conduct regular one-on-one check-ins, performance conversations, and developmental coaching with direct reports.
• Identify training needs, skill gaps, and professional development opportunities within the team; develop plans to close them.
• Support the onboarding and integration of new team members; ensure personnel are qualified and ready before being placed in operational or instructional roles.
• Foster a culture of accountability, safety, continuous improvement, and mission focus across the team.
• Provide input to the Senior Manager on team performance, staffing needs, and personnel actions.

Operational Planning & Event Execution

• Coordinate team participation in all assigned operational events, demonstrations, military exercises, and testing activities.
• Develop and manage pre-event planning timelines, task assignments, and readiness checklists for all near-term events.
• Ensure all operational personnel are fully briefed, equipped, and prepared before departing for field events.
• Serve as an on-site operational lead or designate qualified team leads for events where the Manager is not present.
• Oversee post-event debriefs and AAR completion; ensure lessons learned are captured and incorporated into future planning.
• Maintain working familiarity with USV operations, command-and-control systems, and mission execution procedures sufficient to support, guide, and evaluate the team in the field.

Mission Planning & Coordination

• Support the development of mission plans, CONOPs, and operational documentation for assigned programs and events.
• Coordinate with government customers, partner organizations, and internal stakeholders to define mission requirements and manage operational expectations.
• Ensure team compliance with applicable maritime regulations, safety procedures, and program-specific operational standards.
• Escalate mission risks, resource conflicts, or schedule impacts to the Senior Manager in a timely manner.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Serve as the primary day-to-day coordination point between Military Operations, Training, Engineering, and Business Administration teams.
• Coordinate closely with:
  • Senior Manager, Military Operations & Training
  • Engineering & Autonomy Teams
  • Demo / RDT&E Specialists
  • Payload & Sensor Integrators
  • Logistics & Field Support Personnel
  • Government Training Managers & Contracting Officers
• Represent the team in internal planning meetings, program reviews, and status updates.

Reporting & Documentation

• Maintain accurate records of team activities, event outcomes, training completions, and personnel qualifications.
• Produce periodic status reports and team updates for the Senior Manager.
• Support development of program deliverables, data calls, and government-required reporting as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has direct supervisory authority over Military Operations Specialists and other as may assigned to the team. Responsibilities include daily task assignment, performance feedback, scheduling, field readiness oversight, and input into formal performance evaluations. The Manager reports to the Senior Manager, Military Operations.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, maritime operations, military science, instructional design, defense systems, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of experience in defense operations, maritime systems, autonomous systems, or unmanned vehicle operations.
• Minimum of 2 years in a supervisory, team lead, or personnel management role in an operational or technical environment.
• Demonstrated experience planning and executing operational events, exercises, or defense programs.
• Familiarity with USV systems, autonomous platforms, command-and-control software, or maritime operations.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams across operations, training, and engineering functions.
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Active DoD Secret clearance, or ability to obtain one.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or special operations military experience with surface warfare, maritime patrol, or expeditionary operations.
• Experience operating or overseeing operations of USVs, UAS, or other autonomous systems.
• Background in both operational execution and training program delivery.
• Familiarity with government program management, SOWs, CDRLs, or defense contract environments.
• PMP, CAPM, or equivalent program/project management certification.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in office, laboratory, and field operational environments including shipyards, test ranges, and outdoor maritime settings.
• Ability to stand, walk, and move around operational environments for extended periods during field events.
• May be required to lift or move equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time to testing sites, demonstration events, training locations, and operational deployments.
• Must be able to work in varying environmental conditions including heat, humidity, wind, and marine environments.
• Occasional evenings, weekends, or extended hours required to support mission operations, exercises, or customer demonstrations.
• Valid driver's license required; ability to operate government or rental vehicles at event and training sites.

Background Check

This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal and state law.

EEO and ITAR/EAR Work Authorization Disclosure

Red Cat Holdings provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software, technology or technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Successful candidates for positions subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

E-Verify

The company participates E-Verify ensure eligibility for employment and compliance with Right to Work rules.

Compensation: Salary plus generous annual equity package and potential bonuses.