Operations Manager

AURA Technologies, LLC (AURA) is an advanced research and development (R&D) company creating game-changing innovations for the U.S. Department of Defense and the private sector in cutting-edge technology. If you are smart, capable, organized, and operations-minded — someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, wants to chart your own course based on your capabilities, and is willing to be accountable for both failures and successes — then keep reading. You may be the ideal person to join our exponentially growing R&D business. Bigger challenges. Bolder ideas. Global impact. At AURA, we’re on a mission to deliver solutions with the capacity to change the world. We’re a North Carolina company behind some of the most unique technology in government, hi-tech, AI, commercial, and healthcare services. The Opportunity AURA is seeking a highly capable Operations Manager to serve as a right hand to our Head of Operations and help run the day-to-day operations of a growing government contractor that is actively scaling into the commercial market. This is a broad, hands-on role built on strong project management, sharp organization, and a willingness to learn. We are looking for someone smart and adaptable who can absorb complex tasking across multiple areas, bring structure to it, and execute — the kind of person who becomes more valuable the more they take on. You do not need to arrive an expert in every domain below; you need to be someone we can hand hard, varied problems to and trust to run with them. The successful candidate must be located within commuting distance of our corporate office in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is a full-time hybrid role reporting to the Head of Operations. Due to Department of Defense contract requirements, candidates must be U.S. Citizens to be considered for this position. What You Will Do - Bring strong project management to cross-functional initiatives, deadlines, and deliverables across both our government and commercial business — keeping work on scope, on schedule, and moving. - Support day-to-day operational, HR, and administrative needs of the business, working hand in hand with internal teams and external partners. - Coordinate talent operations: track staffing requirements, support recruiting, and coordinate new-hire onboarding and paperwork. Administer general HR processes in consultation with Executive Operations and the Head of Operations. - Support the contracts lifecycle — review, administration, tracking, and close-out for both government and commercial agreements — and support proposal development and coordination (schedule management, compliance reviews, costing inputs, and supporting documentation). - Coordinate companywide training, engagement, and recognition — delivering operational and required training, closing gaps, running the employee recognition program, and supporting company engagement. - Coordinate asset tracking and tagging, space allocation, telecommunications, and physical-space planning as the company expands. - Project-manage IT and security initiatives in coordination with our external MSP and IT partners, helping keep work on scope, schedule, and deliverables. - Support AURA’s compliance and security efforts — including cybersecurity and CMMC readiness — partnering with our compliance lead, IT team, and external MSP. This is a supporting role; you’ll help coordinate and track the work, not own the program. - Serve as a backup to Executive Operations on procurement, accounts payable, NDAs, and export compliance, providing support as needed. - Help identify operational gaps and inefficiencies, and support process and policy improvements as the company grows. - Pitch in across functions as needed — at a company our size, everyone helps wherever the team needs support, regardless of whose lane it technically falls in. What We’re Looking For - Strong project management skills, with a proven ability to run cross-functional initiatives and coordinate external vendors…