Senior Director, Flight Operations

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale the Flight Operations organization across Flight Test, Deployed Operations, Mission Control, and Training.
• Establish governance, decision frameworks, operating standards, and scalable strategies for global V-BAT operations.
• Oversee developmental flight testing, contractor-operated missions, customer demonstrations, deployed operations, and training events.
• Ensure safe, efficient execution in accordance with regulatory, contractual, and company requirements.
• Set readiness standards for aircraft, personnel, equipment, and operational sites; oversee risk management, scheduling, and mission execution.
• Provide executive oversight of aircraft allocation, configuration, mission prioritization, and high-impact operational conflicts.
• Lead operator, maintainer, and instructor training, including qualification, currency, standardization, evaluation, curricula, simulators, and technical publications.
• Partner with Engineering, Aviation Sustainment, Program Management, Business Development, and executive leadership on aircraft capabilities, fleet availability, customer readiness, demonstrations, and strategic planning.
• Establish metrics for mission success, fleet utilization, aircraft availability, training throughput, schedule adherence, and safety.
• Capture lessons learned and incorporate them into procedures, training, engineering improvements, and organizational processes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aviation Management, Aerospace Engineering, Business, Operations Management, Military Science, or a related field.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in military aviation, commercial aerospace, defense, or advanced aviation operations.
• Experience leading large, multidisciplinary aviation organizations with multiple operational functions and senior leaders.
• Strong understanding of aircraft operations, operational risk management, mission planning, aviation safety, and operational governance.
• Ability to balance customer commitments, engineering schedules, operational readiness, and business objectives.
• Experience developing operational strategy, organizational governance, and scalable processes.
• Exceptional leadership, organizational development, communication, and executive decision-making skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Aviation Management, Engineering Management, or a related discipline.
• Senior military aviation leadership experience, such as Operations Group Commander or Squadron Commander.
• Experience managing complex flight operations involving developmental testing, deployed operations, operational training, or globally distributed aviation organizations.
• Experience leading developmental or operational flight test programs or advanced autonomous aircraft programs.
• Familiarity with FAA, DoD, DCMA, and international aviation regulatory frameworks.
• Experience supporting government and international customers.
• FAA Commercial Pilot, Airline Transport Pilot, Military Aviator, or equivalent aviation qualifications.
• Experience integrating enterprise fleet management, operational planning, and resource prioritization across multiple product lines.
• Experience scaling operational organizations during rapid aerospace or defense growth.