Operations Lead

Job Summary

The Operations Lead provides strategic leadership over all account support functions, ensuring seamless integration across proposal management, communications, finance, document control, procurement, legal, technology, environmental, permitting, security, and engineering support.

Primary Job Functions

• Direct and mentor multidisciplinary teams, setting priorities, allocating resources, and driving accountability across direct reports.
• Establish and enforce operational frameworks (SOPs, compliance matrices, reporting protocols) to ensure consistency, efficiency, and federal compliance.
• Coordinate closely with Project Director and Account Lead, translating strategic objectives into actionable support plans that align with FAA and federal requirements.
• Oversee proposal development and communications, ensuring high-quality deliverables that reflect client priorities and compliance standards.
• Manage financial oversight and procurement processes, balancing cost certainty with schedule demands while adhering to FAR and federal contract vehicles.
• Ensure document control and legal compliance, maintaining defensible records, contracts, and regulatory approvals.
• Lead environmental and permitting functions, guaranteeing NEPA compliance, timely approvals, and risk mitigation for multi-site projects.
• Supervise technology and security operations, including IT systems, data integrity, and adherence to FAA/TSA security protocols.
• Integrate engineering support roles into operational workflows, ensuring technical inputs are aligned with project delivery and compliance requirements.
• Develop dashboards and reporting mechanisms to track performance, risks, and resource allocation across all support functions.
• Represent operations in executive reviews, providing clear, data-driven updates on support function performance, risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement, scaling operational capacity as project volume increases nationwide.

Education, Experience and Certification

• REQUIRED: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Project/Program Management, Operations Management or related field.
• REQUIRED: 8 years progressive experience in program operations, federal contracting support, project controls or cross- functional leadership in a complex or multi-site environment.
• Preferred: Project Management Professional certification 

Working Conditions

• Occasional exposure to elements such as heat, cold, noise, dust, dirt, chemicals, etc.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep understanding of federal contracting structures, FAR/DFARS/FAC rules, and federal procurement workflows.
• Strong leadership capabilities, with experience directing cross-functional teams in remote and on-site environments.
• Advanced communication skills with the ability to translate executive direction into operational execution plans.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, shifting timelines, and diverse stakeholder expectations.
• Proficiency in project management tools.

Travel Requirements

• Occasional Travel (up to 25%)

Disclaimer

CBRE Government and Defense is thrilled at the opportunity for you to apply to one of our roles. The base salary range for this position is $130,000- $160,000. This position may also be eligible for a wide range of competitive benefits that can include but not limited to: medical, well-being, financial planning and short-term incentives benefits.

This description is not intended to be an "all inclusive" list of the accountabilities of the job described. Rather, it describes the general nature of the job. In addition, some aspects of this job may change over time, according to business needs, and these changes may not be recorded immediately. The requirements stated represent the minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities to qualify and satisfactorily perform this job.

THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS CREATING A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT BETWEEN CBRE GOVERNMENT & DEFENSE SERVICES AND ANY OF ITS