Vice President, Operations (Defense Contractor)

Career Guide
Senior executive leading day-to-day operations for a defense contractor, ensuring programs deliver on cost, schedule, and quality while meeting strict government and export-control requirements. Oversees production, supply chain, mission assurance, and site operations to support program execution.

Key Responsibilities

  • Set operations strategy and capacity plans aligned to contract deliverables
  • Oversee production, supply chain, and logistics to meet cost, schedule, and quality
  • Ensure compliance with FAR/DFARS, ITAR/EAR, NISPOM, and customer requirements
  • Drive AS9100/ISO 9001 quality, mission assurance, and continuous improvement
  • Lead EVM, KPI dashboards, and corrective actions for program performance
  • Manage workforce planning for cleared staff, site safety, and facilities
  • Partner with engineering, program management, and finance on bids and execution

Career Progression

Can Lead To
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
SVP/EVP, Operations
General Manager / Business Unit President
Transition Opportunities
VP, Program Management
VP, Supply Chain
COO (non-defense manufacturing)
Operations Strategy Executive (Consulting)

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills
FAR/DFARS application to operations and subcontractingITAR/EAR export-control compliance in production flowsAS9100-based quality system leadership and auditsEarned Value Management (EVM) for cost/schedule controlIndustrial security and CMMC readiness for cleared facilities
Development SuggestionsComplete DAU courses on FAR/DFARS and EVM plus ITAR/EAR training; earn AS9100 Lead Auditor and lead a cross-functional readiness project to apply it.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range
Entry Level$180,000–$220,000
Mid Level$220,000–$280,000
Senior Level$280,000–$350,000+
Growth Trend
growing — Defense spending and reshoring sustain demand for experienced ops leaders.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers
Lockheed MartinNorthrop GrummanRTX (Raytheon Technologies)
Industry Sectors
Aerospace & DefenseGovernment ContractingAdvanced Manufacturing

Recommended Next Steps

1
Take Defense Acquisition University (DAU) courses on FAR/DFARS and EVM; complete an ITAR/EAR compliance course.
2
Earn APICS CPIM (or CSCP) and lead a SIOP/ERP improvement project using SAP/Oracle data to deliver measurable OTIF gains.
3
Join NDIA/AIA, network with operations leaders, and target a Director/Operations role at a cleared site to build domain credibility.