Director, Business Operations

About Merlin: Merlin is a venture backed aerospace startup building a non-human pilot to enable both reduced crew and uncrewed flight. Backed by some of the world’s leading investors, Merlin is scaling alongside our customers to begin leveraging autonomy today to solve some of aviation’s biggest challenges. Merlin Labs offers an innovative, entrepreneurial, and team-focused startup environment. We also offer a top-notch benefits package (health, dental, life, unlimited vacation, and 401k with match) and work/life integration. Being part of the Merlin team allows you to become part of a small team that supports professional development while working together to achieve our mission. Merlin Labs is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, military service or obligation or disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All job offers are contingent upon the candidate passing background and reference checks. At this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or consider candidates who require visa transfers. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.  In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to: people@merlinlabs.com Merlin Labs does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates. country: US all locations: [Washington DC] commitment: Full Time department: Business Development location: Washington DC team: Revenue Operations About You:: You are an operational leader who thrives at the intersection of revenue, execution, and scale. You bring structure to ambiguity, build systems that enable growth, and ensure teams are aligned, efficient, and operating at a high standard.  You are comfortable operating as a peer to senior commercial leaders while also acting as a force multiplier for the Chief Revenue Officer. You translate business goals into operating rhythms, processes, and measurable outcomes.  You are highly collaborative, data-driven, and focused on driving clarity, accountability, and performance across the organization.  Responsibilities: : Partner closely with the Chief Revenue Officer to drive operational excellence across the commercial organization  Establish and manage the operating cadence for the CRO organization (forecasting, pipeline reviews, QBRs, metrics tracking)  Own Salesforce as the operational backbone of the commercial organization, driving data integrity, pipeline visibility, forecasting accuracy, and scalable reporting  Build and scale core business operations infrastructure, including forecasting models, pipeline management, and performance dashboards  Drive cross-functional alignment between Business Development, Programs, Finance, and Operations to support revenue growth and program execution  Own and refine revenue forecasting, pipeline health, and reporting, ensuring accuracy and visibility for executive leadership  Lead strategic planning and execution for the CRO organization, including annual planning and target setting  Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency, consistency, and scalability across the commercial function  Support deal execution by partnering on pricing strategy, deal structuring, and approvals as needed  Build executive-level materials and insights to support decision-making, Board discussions, and investor updates  Act as a connective layer across teams, ensuring clear communication, accountability, and follow-through on key initiatives  Requirements:: 7-10 years of experience in business operations, revenue operations, strategy, or commercial leadership roles  Deep experience with Salesforce, including ownership of pipeline management, forecasting, reporting, and data integrity within a revenue organization  Experience in aerospace, defense, technology, or other complex, regulated industries  Proven ability to build and scale operational systems supporting revenue organizations  Strong experience with forecasting, pipeline management, and performance analytics  Track record of driving cross-functional initiatives with measurable business impact  Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills  Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders  Nice to Haves: : Experience supporting government contracting, defense programs, or enterprise sales cycles  Familiarity with long-cycle sales, complex deal structures, and program-based revenue models  Background in management consulting, revenue operations, or high-growth startups  Experience working closely with CROs or senior commercial leadership teams  Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-scaling environments  Strong financial acumen, including experience partnering with Finance on planning and forecasting