Alexandria, VA, USA | Full Time
Overview:
JHNA, CTSi, and EXPANSIA have come together to form a Defense Technology platform focused on delivering high-impact technologies, technology-enabled services and advanced manufacturing solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense and related national security customers. Backed by Falfurrias Management Partners, the platform brings together deep domain expertise across Army, Navy, and Air Force and Space Force programs, digital engineering, systems integration, and specialized manufacturing capabilities.
The combined organization operates as a multi-entity aerospace and defense technology and tech-enabled services and manufacturing enterprise positioned for scalable growth, operational excellence, and long-term value creation.
As the platform enters its next phase of disciplined growth and enterprise scaling, we are seeking a dynamic Chief Operating Officer (COO) to architect operational infrastructure, drive execution excellence, and strengthen profitability across the organization.
Full-time/Permanent Employee
Location: Washington, DC / Virginia / Maryland (DMV region) (Regular presence at operating sites required.)
Roles/Responsibilities:
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for enterprise execution, operational scale, and profitable growth across a multi-entity aerospace and defense services and manufacturing platform. This role owns delivery performance across defense technologies, professional services and manufacturing operations, with direct accountability for P&L, operational rigor, and scalable execution.
The COO partners closely with the CEO, technical leadership, and growth leaders to translate strategy into disciplined execution-ensuring the company can scale efficiently while maintaining high-quality delivery to government and commercial customers. While the CEO retains selective involvement in strategic priorities and key customer relationships, the COO is the senior executive accountable for operational performance and profitability.
Enterprise Operations & Execution
Own end-to-end execution across all delivery organizations, including advanced technologies, tech-enabled services (Army, Navy, and Air & Space Forces business units) and manufacturing
Lead and develop Delivery Vice Presidents and enterprise operations leadership across operating companies and business units
Design and institutionalize enterprise operating cadence, performance dashboards, and accountability systems
Ensure predictable execution across schedule, cost, quality, and customer satisfaction
Manufacturing Leadership & Profitability
Directly oversee manufacturing operations, including fabrication, build-to-print, prototyping, and production support.
Own manufacturing P&L, including: Gross and contribution margin performance, Labor planning, utilization, and workforce productivity, Pricing strategy, cost estimating, and bid inputs for manufactured solutions.
Drive structural improvements in manufacturing throughput, cost structure, quality systems, and production scalability.
Ensure alignment between manufacturing strategy, capital investment, capacity planning, and enterprise growth objectives.
Build and lead strong manufacturing management teams with clear performance and accountability.
Provide executive oversight of manufacturing safety programs and cultivate a strong safety-first operating culture.
P&L Ownership & Financial Performance
Full P&L responsibility across technology, tech-enabled services and manufacturing delivery organizations.
Drive margin expansion through pricing discipline, labor optimization, cost control, and execution excellence.
Partner with Finance to enhance forecasting accuracy, variance management, and operational financial transparency.
Ensure operational decisions support enterprise growth and profitability objectives.
Scale & Growth Enablement
Design and implement scalable operating models to support organic growth and future acquisitions.
Ensure collaboration across service and manufacturing teams to optimize capabilities delivered to clients.
Partner with technical leaders to align delivery capabilities with differentiated technical offerings.
Collaborate with growth and business development leaders to ensure operational readiness for pipeline conversion and program ramp-up.
Remove structural operational constraints that limit growth velocity or margin performance
Talent, Leadership & Culture
Build, coach, and retain high-performing operational and manufacturing leaders
Establish clear decision rights, accountability, and ownership across delivery teams
Foster a culture of execution excellence, continuous improvement, and disciplined growth
Relationship to the CEO
Reports directly to the CEO
Has full operational authority over services and manufacturing delivery organizations, including direct oversight of Delivery Vice Presidents and manufacturing leadership
Partners closely with the CEO on strategic priorities, select key customers, and major operational or P&L decisions
Required Qualifications:
Clearance: Active security clearance (Secret or higher)
Years of Experience: 20+ years of progressive leadership experience in the aerospace and defense sector
Senior operational leadership experience with enterprise-level accountability in $300-$500M revenue organizations
Deep experience leading services-based businesses in government contracting environments
Significant, hands-on leadership experience overseeing manufacturing operations, including full P&L ownership
Demonstrated success scaling operations while maintaining margin discipline and execution excellence
Operational & Technical Governance:
Executive-level oversight experience within AS9100-certified environments and Quality Management Systems
Strong qualifications and demonstrated wins in the C5ISR and Advanced Technology space is important
Demonstrated leadership implementing and governing Earned Value Management (EVM) disciplines across program execution and bid support
Experience institutionalizing disciplined Basis of Estimate (BOE) processes and cost-estimating governance frameworks
Leadership experience overseeing manufacturing safety programs and shop-floor safety management systems
Functional Expertise:
Manufacturing economics: pricing strategy, cost estimating, labor modeling, and margin management
Services delivery and complex program execution
Strong financial acumen with enterprise P&L responsibility
Organizational scaling and operational process design
Cross-functional leadership across engineering, growth, and finance
Success in the First 12-18 Months:
Predictable, disciplined execution across services and manufacturing operations
Improved manufacturing and services margin performance with clear pricing and labor models
Scalable enterprise operating cadence consistently adopted across the organization
Improved win-to-execute transitions through close collaboration with growth and technical leadership
Strengthened operational and manufacturing leadership bench capable of supporting continued growth
Enhanced enterprise value through margin expansion, operational discipline, and scalable infrastructure
Demonstrated collaboration across delivery, growth, and technical leadership to enable sustainable expansion
JHNA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic.
