Senior Office & Project Manager

Job description

The future of aerospace and defense starts here. Ursa Major was founded to revolutionize how America and its allies access and apply high-performance propulsion, from hypersonics to solid rocket motors, satellite maneuvering and launch. We design and deliver propulsion and defense systems that solve the most urgent and critical national security demands. The Role We are hiring a seasoned Senior Office & Project Manager to own the day-to-day operation of our DC office and to build the operational foundation for its growth. This is not a traditional administrative role, and it is not a static one: Ursa Major is scaling rapidly across in- space propulsion, hypersonics, solid rocket motor production and our DC footprint will grow with it. We are looking for someone who has run operations through a company's growth curve before and wants to do it again — someone who can run today's office flawlessly while designing the systems, vendor relationships, and processes that a much larger DC presence will need. The office hosts customer briefings, executive meetings, congressional and Pentagon visitors, and hosted events, and the person in this seat sets the first impression of Ursa Major for every guest who walks in. You will run the office like a small program: anticipating needs, managing vendors and budgets, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks in a fast-moving, high-visibility environment. You will also serve as the DC point of contact for headquarters functions (IT, Security, Finance, People) and help coordinate the flow of visiting engineers and leadership from Berthoud. Where This Role Can Go We expect this hire to grow with the company. Candidates who have taken an office or region from a handful of people to a mature site — and who want ownership over what comes next — will find real runway here. This is a technical company, and the best person for this seat will be energized by that. You do not need an engineering background, but you should be the kind of operator who learns how the products work, understands why an ITAR-controlled document or a cleared visitor requires different handling, and adopts new tools readily rather than waiting to be trained on them. Responsibilities Office operations Own daily operations: keep the office clean, stocked, secure, and fully functional Manage vendor and building relationships (janitorial, maintenance, catering, security, IT/AV, property management); negotiate and track service contracts Oversee shipping/receiving, mail, equipment, and supply inventory Track and manage the DC office budget and expenses; process invoices and corporate card reconciliation Establish and maintain office procedures and SOPs; identify and drive continuous improvements Visitor, meeting & event management Prepare the office for customer visits, executive meetings, and hosted events; coordinate logistics end-to-end (scheduling, catering, AV, materials, follow-up) Manage visitor pre-registration, check-in, badging, and escort procedures in coordination with Security; uphold controlled-access and ITAR-aware practices for guests Support Strategy and Government Affairs teams with meeting materials, printing, and briefing packages Coordinate travel and hospitality for visiting Ursa Major leadership and engineers traveling to and from the DC office Cross-functional coordination Act as the DC liaison to IT, Security/FSO, Facilities, Finance, and People teams at headquarters Onboard new DC-based hires (workspace, access, equipment) and support local culture and team events Build scalable operational infrastructure (vendor portfolio, budgeting cadence, SOPs, onboarding playbooks) that can be replicated at future sites Mentor and, as the office grows, hire and manage junior operations and administrative staff Support light project-management tasks for the DC team (tracking action items, event calendars, conference logistics) as needed Project management Own end-to-end delivery of DC office projects from scoping through close-out Develop project plans with clear scope, schedules, milestones, budgets, and owners; track progress and report status to leadership Run cross-functional working groups impacting the DC office with IT, Security/FSO, Facilities, Finance, and People to keep initiatives on schedule and unblock dependencies Identify risks and issues early, drive mitigation plans, and escalate decisions with clear options and recommendations Maintain the DC team's action-item tracker, event calendar, and conference logistics; run recurring operating reviews and follow-ups Standardize project tools and templates (charters, timelines, budgets, lessons learned) Basic Qualifications 10+ years in office management, workplace operations, facilities coordination, executive support, or a related operations role Experience managing vendors, service providers, and operational budgets, including negotiating and owning contracts Demonstrated experience hosting executives, customers, or external guests in a professional, high-visibility setting Strong organization and prioritization under frequent last-minute changes Comfort operating in a technology-driven environment: proficiency with Microsoft 365, Teams and scheduling/expense tools, plus a demonstrated ability to quickly pick up new platforms (visitor-management systems, ticketing tools, AV/conferencing, ERP or procurement software) Genuine curiosity about what Ursa Major builds and the ability to learn enough about rocket propulsion, hypersonics, and defense acquisition to speak credibly with engineers, customers, and government visitors Ability to work on-site in Washington, DC five days per week U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, refugee, or asylum status is required (role involves access to export-controlled information) Preferred Qualifications Experience in aerospace, defense, government affairs, or another regulated/controlled-access environment and working with front-offices within the Pentagon Familiarity with visitor-control and security protocols (badging, escorts, cleared facilities) Experience planning events, briefings, or congressional/customer visits Experience coordinating with multiple sites and leading office expansions and build-outs Experience hiring, mentoring, or managing operations/administrative staff Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance Notary public or willingness to become one Experience introducing or administering workplace technology (access control, room booking, asset tracking, automation tools) to make operations more efficient Prior exposure to engineering, hardware, or R&D teams and their working rhythms Benefits Include: (Please note, Interns are not eligible for benefits) Unlimited PTO - Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Bereavement Paid Parental and Adoptive Leave Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance Tax Advantage Accounts (HSA/FSA) Employer Paid Short and Long Term Disability, Basic Life, AD&D Additional Benefit Options Including Voluntary Life and Emergency Medical Transport EAP Program Retirement Savings Plan - 401k with Company Match Equity Grants in the Company How To Apply: Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by filling out the application below and clicking "Submit Application". This position will be posted for a minimum of 3 days and will remain open until filled or adjusted based on the volume of applicants. NOTE: Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes they have the skills and the drive necessary to succeed here to apply for this role. Must be a U.S. Person (this includes U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents). Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance. We’re an equal-opportunity employer. You will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. No outside recruiters, please.