Strategic Certification Operations Lead

Archer; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 166,000 - 207,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, seeks a Certification Operations Manager to partner with the Head of Product Certification and lead a small team in administering the certification program and maintaining records to ensure compliance and timely progress.

You will own program metrics, dashboards, and communications with FAA/foreign authorities, driving alignment across Engineering, Flight Test, Safety, and PM.

Qualifications

• 10+ years leading operations or programs in fast-moving companies.
• Proven ability to manage a small team and develop direct reports.
• Experience building performance dashboards and operating rhythms.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and executive communication.

Responsibilities

• Serve as strategic and operational extension of the Head of Product Certification.
• Establish and manage operating rhythms—leadership meetings, milestone reviews, action tracking.
• Maintain visibility into top organizational priorities, risks, and decisions, elevating them at the right time.
• Manage a small team (~2 direct reports) responsible for certification program administration.
• Own program metrics and dashboards reflecting real-time certification status—basis progress, means-of-compliance, milestones per project.
• Manage the official communication record between Archer and the FAA and applicable foreign certification authorities.
• Maintain organized, audit-ready certification project file records and regular program-progress reporting.
• Identify and remove organizational barriers—process, resource, or communication gaps—that slow execution.

Skills

Leadership

Operations

Program management

Team development

Dashboards

Executive communication

Cross-functional

Travel willingness

Education

Advanced degree

Job description

Archer, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, seeks a Certification Operations Manager to partner with the Head of Product Certification and lead a small team in administering the certification program and maintaining records to ensure compliance and timely progress.

You will own program metrics, dashboards, and communications with FAA/foreign authorities, driving alignment across Engineering, Flight Test, Safety, and PM.