Business Operations Manager

Job description

BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER Location: Los Angeles, CA Reports to: Vice President of Operations ABOUT OBSERVABLE SPACE At Observable Space, we're redefining how humanity observes and connects with the universe. We're a vertically integrated, high-growth, space technology company building industry-leading precision optics platforms for Earth and in space. Our systems are trusted by NASA, JPL, SpaceX, Boeing, Raytheon, and the US DoD, among others, and power the work of leading research institutions. We combine precision opto-mechanical hardware, embedded computing, cloud orchestration, and developer-friendly APIs into world class products. From advanced ground stations, on orbit sensor suites, free space optical lasercom, to distributed compute platforms, we deliver the foundational systems enabling continuous, real-time navigation, observation, and communication in space. Observable Space is backed by top-tier institutional investors including Lux, Upfront Ventures, RTX Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners and Embedded Ventures. ABOUT THE ROLE We are looking for a Business Operations Manager to build the planning, measurement, and operational systems that enable Observable Space to scale. Our planning and reporting processes today are manual and rapidly evolving. This role will help establish the metrics, planning processes, and systems infrastructure that give leadership visibility into operations and enable better decision making as we grow. This is a hands-on builder role reporting directly to the VP of Operations. You will work closely with Manufacturing, Sourcing, Sales, Managed Services, and Finance to align planning across the business, bring quantitative rigor to key decisions, and develop the operational capabilities needed to support our next stage of growth. WHAT YOU'LL DO QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT - Build and maintain the company's core operational metrics and reporting (e.g., throughput, yield, cycle time, WIP, on-time delivery, labor productivity, inventory health, and cost per unit) - Build dashboards and executive reporting that provide visibility into operational performance and support data-driven decision making - Drive continuous improvement efforts by identifying bottlenecks, supporting root-cause analyses, and measuring the impact of operational changes over time - Evaluate major capital investments and equipment purchases through financial and operational business cases - Conduct ad hoc quantitative analyses across the business, including pricing and cost analyses, market assessments, and other strategic initiatives PLANNING - Build and maintain forecasting and capacity planning processes across manufacturing and operations - Develop long-range operational plans that balance demand, manufacturing capacity, inventory, and resource constraints - Support site, facility, and manufacturing footprint expansion, evaluating cost, capacity, timeline, and risk tradeoffs SYSTEMS ROADMAP - Help shape our long-term operations systems roadmap, including ERP, reporting, and planning capabilities - Maximize the value of Global Shop Solutions (GSS) while identifying opportunities to improve reporting, forecasting, and operational workflows - Develop interim reporting and planning solutions where existing systems fall short - Evaluate build-versus-buy tradeoffs and recommend pragmatic, scalable systems that support long-term growth CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION - Partner closely with Manufacturing, Sourcing & Logistics, Sales, Managed Services, Finance, and Engineering to keep priorities, commitments, and execution aligned across the business - Support high-impact cross-functional operational initiatives with structured analysis and decision support - Serve as a trusted thought partner to operational leaders, supporting high-impact cross-functional initiatives and decisions with structured analysis TRAVEL - Regular travel to Detroit, MI facility WHAT YOU'LL BRING - 5+ years of experience in business operations, manufacturing, strategy, consulting or a related analytical role, ideally supporting a hardware/manufacturing environment, with experience partnering with or influencing senior stakeholders - Strong quantitative skills — comfortable building models, dashboards, and metrics from messy or incomplete data - Track record of building measurement systems, planning processes, or operational infrastructure from scratch - Comfortable moving between hands-on operational problem solving and strategic, data-driven analysis - Strong Excel/Sheets skills; SQL or other data tooling a plus - Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders without direct authority - Experience with an ERP/MRP system (Global Shop Solutions, NetSuite, or similar) is a plus - Experience in precision optics, aerospace, defense, or another highly regulated/technical manufacturing environment is a plus - Lean/Six Sigma or formal continuous improvement training is a plus WHO YOU ARE - A builder who's comfortable creating structure and process where none exists yet - You see where processes, data, and systems fall short — and you build practical solutions that scale - You build scalable processes without unnecessary bureaucracy and have a bias toward using data to drive decisions - Proactive and self-directed — you don't wait for a fully-scoped project to start adding value - Comfortable moving fluidly between hands-on analysis and cross-functional coordination - You care as much about building repeatable systems and processes as you do about solving today's problem WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT HERE - Be part of a mission-driven company helping shape the future of space infrastructure - The opportunity to build planning, measurement, and systems infrastructure from the ground up - A collaborative culture that rewards initiative, curiosity, and results - Competitive salary, equity opportunities, and comprehensive benefits