Operations Strategist (Cleared)

We value candidates who have significant experience with managing complexity, working independently, and are motivated by hard problems.

• The ability to have real impact on mission-critical workflows

• The chance to use state-of-the-art tech to solve novel problems with mission partners

• The opportunity to define your role through time as we grow

• Competitive salary and equity upside with annual merit refreshes based on impact

About the Role You'll operate at the intersection of company operations and program management. You are the first responder when things go wrong, a process architect when things are going right, and a steady hand and thought partner throughout.

Location This role is open to candidates based in New York, NY.

Qualifications

• Active DoD Secret clearance or higher required at time of hire; this requirement is mandated by the classified nature of work performed under US government contracts and is non-negotiable

• US citizenship required by applicable federal law and government contract obligations (ITAR/EAR); we are unable to consider green card holders or sponsor visas for this role

• 2–5 years working in fast-paced startup environments, specifically venture-backed companies and government-adjacent work

• Experience working with DoD partners, USG, and/or IC components

• Excellent communicator, highly adept at building lightweight processes, and demonstrated ability to adapt quickly in the face of new information or needs

• Numerous examples of how your specific contributions have led to meaningful growth, including but not limited to new revenue, accelerated hiring, process reduction, and/or fostering company culture

• Skilled at the use of modern technology, including LLMs and AI-enabled workflows, project management software (Linear, Notion, Google Workspace, etc.), and are a quick study

• Demonstrated expertise in building relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including engineering, product, and customer team members

• Exceptional references

Desired Qualifications

• Active TS or TS/SCI clearance

• Experience building or managing industrial security programs, FSO responsibilities, or government facility access

• Experience working in or supporting classified environments

What You'll Do

• Own multiple concurrent workstreams in partnership with the Founders and company team members, including planning, operational execution, and stakeholder communications, using lightweight frameworks that enable rapid iteration without heavy overhead

• Maintain a broad, accurate state across all projects you touch; proactively identify risks and surface blockers, and drive prioritization decisions in close partnership with internal, customer, and technical partners

• Act as surge support when operational demands spike, stepping in wherever the team needs the most support

Company Operations

• Build the industrial security function, including employee access to government systems and facilities, clearances, etc.

• Work closely with company leadership to identify specific challenges related to internal company operations, including hiring, communication, program management, tool use, and security, and develop plans to address these challenges to help the company scale

• Partner with the COO to maintain company spaces, manage vendors, plan off-sites, develop company policies, and foster a company culture of collaboration and positivity

• Build and continuously refine scalable processes for onboarding, security, training, and required reporting — enabling the business to grow without sacrificing compliance posture or speed

• Craft and implement process improvements that reduce friction and free up teammates to focus on their highest-value work

• Partner with internal, legal, and government teams on security-related contract preparation, submissions, and compliance tracking

• Identify resources and experts, internally and externally, to assist with security needs, and manage vendor engagements

Technical Fluency and Communication

• Engage substantively with internal company engineers — understanding trade-offs between technical approaches, the timing implications of different options, and the risk profile of any given change

• Develop a robust understanding of how AI can automate and augment processes and cultivate an AI-first mentality for any new tasks

• Proactively develop technical context on any team or project you support, regardless of domain, so you can contribute meaningfully from day one

The base salary range for this role is $120,000-160,000, with the opportunity for significant equity commensurate with a Series A stage opportunity. Candidates with an active TS or TS/SCI clearance may be eligible for compensation at the higher end of the range. Starting pay will be based on a number of factors including qualifications, experience, and location. This range reflects base salary only and does not include equity or other compensation components.

In accordance with the New York City Pay Transparency Law, the base salary range listed above applies to candidates in New York City and was established in good faith at the time of posting. Compensation for candidates based in Washington, DC will fall within the same range and may vary based on local market conditions.

ConductorAI is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, including the New York City Human Rights Law. Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process.