Operations Coordinator

Operations Coordinator Location: Gaithersburg and Rockville, MD, with time split between both sites and home Travel: Less than 10% Coordinate Operations and Support Business Analysis at an Advanced Materials Startup A Maryland advanced materials startup with proprietary technology and funded federal prototype programs is hiring an Operations Coordinator. Reporting to the CEO, this person will coordinate work across the CEO and leadership team, support Contracts, Business Operations, and Finance, and help the CEO with business analysis and modeling. The company is already executing awarded Department of Defense prototype agreements while it builds from its Gaithersburg R&D lab toward commercial manufacturing. That work creates a steady flow of commitments to track: contract deliverables, proposal deadlines, purchase orders, milestone invoices, and meetings with the board, investors, and government sponsors. This is an early-career role for someone with a business background and federal contract experience who wants broad, hands-on exposure to how a manufacturing company is built and run. The Opportunity Much of this role is coordination: keeping the CEO and leadership team organized, moving action items to closure, and ensuring work doesn't fall between functions. The rest is support for Contracts and Business Operations and Finance, and analysis for the CEO, from gathering data and updating models to preparing the materials leadership uses to make decisions. You will work from objectives rather than task lists, use judgment within delegated authority, and do the detailed hands-on work a small company requires. What You Will Do Coordination and Executive Support Coordinate for the CEO and leadership team: track commitments and action items, prepare meeting materials, follow actions through to closure, and keep priorities moving across the company Coordinate across leadership, the technical team, vendors, and government and consortium partners so handoffs and deadlines hold Arrange meetings, conferences, and domestic and international travel, and manage office and facility needs, supplies, service vendors, and repairs Support human resources, onboarding, and payroll processes as a primary or backup contact, handling confidential information with discretion Business Analysis and Modeling Support the CEO with business analysis: gather and organize data, build and update financial and operating models, and prepare scenarios and summaries that inform decisions Provide data, estimates, and analysis for budget development and monitoring, and identify cost variances or concerns for leadership Build and maintain the spreadsheets, trackers, reports, and presentations leadership uses to run the business, including materials for board, investor, and government sponsor meetings Contracts, Purchasing, and Finance Support Support the Director of Contracts with contract administration: organize agreement and subcontract documents, track obligations, deliverables, and deadlines, and maintain accurate contract records Support federal and commercial proposals by maintaining submission schedules, gathering vendor quotes and other inputs, and preparing and checking proposal materials Support purchasing by gathering and comparing vendor quotes, preparing and tracking purchase orders, and reconciling vendor invoices against orders and receiving documentation Support the Controller and VP of Business Operations with invoices, expense report review, and reconciliation, including assembling the documentation behind milestone-based invoices on federal agreements Coordinate shipments of equipment, materials, samples, and supplies, including delivery tracking and receipt documentation Develop, document, and improve workflows, records, and procedures as the company grows across multiple sites, and take on new assignments as needs evolve, elevating matters outside your authority with a reasoned recommendation What You Bring We target early-career business professionals with 2 to 4 years of experience in operations coordination, business analysis, or business operations support, ideally gained in a small organization where you were trusted with consequential work. Candidates may currently hold titles such as Operations Coordinator, Business Operations Analyst, Business Analyst, Executive Coordinator, Project Coordinator, Program Analyst, Contracts Coordinator, or Financial Analyst. Required Government contracting experience at a company that builds physical products, such as manufacturing, hardware, engineering, or research and development organizations. Experience primarily from IT services or professional staffing contracts is a weaker fit. Experience coordinating work across several people or functions, including schedules, action items, and deadlines Business analysis experience, such as building a financial model, budget, or analysis in Excel that someone used to make decisions. Advanced Excel (lookups, pivot tables, structured trackers, and basic financial modeling), professional document development in Word, and presentation development in PowerPoint, along with Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint. Strong organization, accuracy, and follow-through on detailed work. Clear written and verbal communication with executives, staff, and outside partners. Self-motivation: identifying what needs to happen and doing it without waiting to be asked, and the discipline to escalate early with a recommendation. Discretion with confidential financial, personnel, and contract information. Preferred, Not Required Exposure to contract administration, proposal support, purchasing, or invoicing Familiarity with fixed-price, milestone-based, or Other Transaction agreements Experience in an early-stage company or a startup-to-growth transition Education A Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Supply Chain or Operations Management, or a related discipline is required. Operating Environment This is an early-stage manufacturing company. Success requires comfort operating in a small team with broad roles and priorities that change quickly; a willingness to do detailed hands-on work (filing, receiving, and errands included) alongside analytical work; self-direction; and adaptability as systems and procedures evolve. The position is hybrid, splitting time between the company’s Gaithersburg and Rockville, Maryland locations and home. Because the role requires a regular on-site presence at both sites, candidates must already live within commuting distance of Maryland and the greater Washington, DC area. Minimal additional travel to company sites, vendors, and meetings. Compensation and Benefits Base salary: $95,000 to $105,000, commensurate with experience Bonus: 10% annual performance bonus Benefits: medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, and additional company-sponsored benefits Work Authorization Candidates must qualify as U.S. persons under applicable export-control regulations, including U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and other protected individuals. Visa sponsorship is not available. Equal Opportunity Employer Our client is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Confidential Search | AIJ Search