Chief Operating Officer, Defense Services
SkylightAbout the role
About Skylight
Skylight is a digital consultancy using design and technology to help government agencies deliver better public services. We’re at the forefront of a civic movement to reinvent how all levels of government serve families, patients, and many others in today's digital world.
If you want to play a part in driving this critical movement forward, we’d love for you to join our growing team of public interest technologists. The work we do matters.
About the job
Since launching several years ago, our team has grown rapidly. We find ourselves in an exciting position to further deepen our partnerships within the government contracting space, to continue to attract and retain amazing teammates, and to scale our capacity to make an even bigger difference in the world.
Currently, our company is organized into three main groups: Executive Office (sets and operationalizes the strategic direction of the company), Human Services (focused on clients such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and Defense Services (focused on clients such as the U.S. Air Force).
As the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of our Defense Services business unit, you’ll report directly to Skylight’s Vice President (VP) of Defense Services and be responsible for shaping the business unit’s strategic direction, managing the end-to-end operations, and driving results on a day-to-day basis.
What you’ll do
- Collaborate with the VP of Defense Services and other members of Skylight’s executive team (e.g., CEO, COO, VP of Growth) in setting and driving the business unit’s long- and short-term strategic direction
- Lead the execution of the business unit’s strategic direction through activities such as organizational-wide goal setting, performance planning, operational planning, and performance management
- Manage and engage in the day-to-day operations of the business unit, such as overseeing the work of managers, ensuring our client delivery teams are performing at the highest levels, and troubleshooting a variety of issues as they arise
- Play a direct role in all aspects of growing Skylight’s portfolio of defense services contract work with agencies such as the Air Force, Army, and Navy, including business development, opportunity capture, and bid & proposal
- Maintain ongoing visibility into the financial, operational, and performance health of the organization, including client projects, to facilitate proactive and sound decision-making
- Collaborate closely with Skylight’s Executive Office, including the COO, to ensure that the business unit’s operations align with the core operations of the company as a whole, including finance, accounting, legal, people ops, marketing, communications, growth, contract management, and information technology
- Build a diverse, inclusive, equitable, and performance-oriented culture, ensuring that team members thrive and organizational outcomes are met
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with key customers, partners, stakeholders, and vendors
What we're looking for
Minimum qualifications
- Experience in the defense services industry
- Ability to manage a multi-million-dollar profit & loss business, including multiple client engagements with multiple subcontractors
- Ability to sustain and grow a professional services business through business development, opportunity capture, and bid & proposal
- Strong understanding of how a professional services and government contracting business works
- Startup mentality, including a high degree of entrepreneurialism and resourcefulness
- Excellent general management and leadership skills
- Outstanding organizational skills, including attention to detail
- Excellent people management skills
- Experience building and managing high-performing teams
- Relentless commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Collaborative, supportive leadership style
- Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills
- Strong business acumen
- Superb written and oral communication skills
- Relentless commitment to excellence and quality in everything we do
- Strong understanding of business functions such as people ops, finance, marketing, business development, etc.
- Ability to collect, analyze, and derive actionable insights from financial, operational, and performance data
- Ability to serve as a coach/mentor to other leaders and managers
- Ability to work successfully within a professional services environment (e.g., can communicate effectively with clients)
- Passionate about creating better public outcomes through great government services
- A mindset and work approach that aligns with
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