Operations Team Lead

Operations Team Lead | Operations Officer

BLUF

Tactical Analyst III is a senior operational or technical leader responsible for shaping experimentation strategies, leading scenario design, and delivering authoritative assessments to customers. This role represents the highest level of expertise within the Tactical Analyst job family and provides strategic guidance across programs, events, and analytic efforts.

Company Overview

Covan Group is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) based in the National Capital Region. Our team consists of high-performing, experienced, and adaptive veterans and civilians who bring a multi-tiered perspective and deep expertise to our clients. Covan Group combines military and civilian experience across key areas, including MAGTF Planning, MEU and Special Operations, Military Instruction, Fires, Networking, Data Analytics, and Multimedia Production. Our capabilities are rooted in experience at all levels, from squad leaders to division leaders. With a strong foundation of recently separated service members—many still serving in the reserve component—Covan Group provides clients with firsthand military insight into research, development, and operational innovation.

Key Outcomes (First 90–180 Days)

• Learns and understands the deployment, employment, and support requirements of the assigned Operations team, providing informed recommendations on readiness and execution.
• Develops a clear understanding of Operations systems, watch procedures, reporting standards, and event support requirements.
• Demonstrates sound judgment in maintaining situational awareness, identifying risk, and elevating decisions within delegated authority.
• Builds effective working relationships with project managers, functional leads, safety, and technical personnel to support synchronized execution.
• Identifies practical opportunities to improve team readiness, training, turnover, and procedures based on rehearsals and lessons learned.

Core Responsibilities

Operational SME Track

• Lead scenario development across experiments, tests, and operational evaluations.
• Oversee after-action reviews (AARs) and synthesize findings into actionable insights.
• Provide thought leadership on how emerging technologies can be integrated to enhance operational capability.
• Drive end-to-end planning of events, ensuring alignment with mission objectives and customer priorities.

Project Responsibilities

The Operations Team Lead directs the assigned Operations team during preparation and execution of experiments and operational events. The role organizes watch coverage, operational reporting, technical readiness, and coordination with supporting functions. It produces a prepared team, dependable situational awareness, and disciplined event execution within delegated authority.

• Lead assigned Operations personnel and establish team priorities and daily work plans.
• Prepare team staffing, watch schedules, shift coverage, and event readiness checks.
• Coordinate team operations-center setup, communications, systems checks, and sustainment.
• Synchronize execution requirements with the project manager and functional team leads.
• Direct watch reporting, operational status tracking, and routine coordination activities.
• Monitor risks, incidents, schedule changes, and constraints; escalate required decisions.
• Coordinate authorized response and recovery actions with safety and technical personnel.
• Maintain team SOPs, checklists, training, and turnover procedures.
• Brief Operations leadership on readiness, execution status, and resource needs.
• Mentor team members and implement improvements from rehearsals and after-action reviews.

Required Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.
• Military experience at the senior SNCO or senior officer (O4/O5) level, OR equivalent senior-level operational leadership experience within a federal or state organization.
• Demonstrated senior-level operational expertise relevant to experimentation, test, or event execution.
• Education requirement may be satisfied with appropriate experience.
• Demonstrated ability to direct teams, watches, and event execution.
• Demonstrated coordination, briefing, readiness, and incident-management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading complex experimentation, wargames, or multi-agency evaluations.
• Expert-level understanding of emerging technology integration and operational employment.
• Ability to shape analytic methodologies and guide strategic assessments.
• Experience leading experimentation or test events.
• Relevant degree or equivalent experience.
• Operations-center experience and familiarity with communications and technical support.

Specialized Tools / Systems / Capabilities

• Operations status displays and watch logs.
• Readiness checklists and schedules.
• Reporting and collaboration systems.

Clearance Requirements

• Secret required; TS/SCI strongly preferred depending on program.
• Must maintain full compliance with all clearance reporting and security protocols.

Work Environment & Travel

• Remote-first role with approximately 50-80% annual travel to customer, laboratory, and event locations.
• Event execution may require extended days, shift work, early mornings, evenings, weekends, and schedule changes.
• Travel governed by Covan Group's Travel Policy.

Compensation

2026 Pay Band: $95,000 – $150,000

EEOC & Accommodation Statement

Covan Group provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.