Deputy Chief of Platform Operations

Overview

Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) delivers high-impact, technical solutions to complex national security issues. With over 50 years of business expertise and consistent growth, we are known for continuous innovation for our government customers, in both the US and abroad. Our exceptionally talented team is highly collaborative in spirit and practice, producing Results that Matter. Come work with the best! We offer opportunity, unique challenges, and clear-sighted commitment to the mission. SPA: Objective. Responsive. Trusted. 

The Space and Intelligence Division provides professional services to the US Space Force, Combatant Commands, Intelligence Community, and NASA. Our work includes enterprise architectural assessments, systems engineering and integration, test, planning and execution, cost estimating and analysis, acquisition support, and cybersecurity.  We are trusted partners developing approaches and concepts to meet emerging high priority needs, assessing cutting-edge technologies, and supporting capabilities for our National Defense.  Come join the fastest growing Division at Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc.!

The Space Systems Group (SSG), part of SPA’s Space and Intelligence Division, provides timely and objective assessments and recommendations integrating technical, operational, programmatic, policy and business analysis. We focus on our key clients in the Space community including the US Space Force’s Space Systems Command (USSF/SSC), one of the three designated Field Commands under USSF. We work tirelessly to provide integrated solutions based on information and communications throughout the chain of command.  We provide clear and consistent analysis and recommendations which are aligned to strategic and leadership goals while balancing the ability to  execute on time and on budget within the technical communities. Come join an organization responsible for being a key enabler of Spacepower!

SPA has an immediate need for a Deputy Chief of Platform Operations.

Responsibilities

The Deputy Chief of Platform Operations serves as the second‑in‑command for all operational aspects of the KM Platform across environments and classifications. Acting as the senior integrator within the Platform Operations division, this role supports the Chief of Platform Operations in driving reliability, performance, and mission readiness while ensuring seamless coordination across branches, environment leads, and the Systems Engineering division.

Reporting directly to the Chief of Platform Operations, the Deputy leads assigned high‑priority technical initiatives, enforces operational standards, and provides hands-on expertise during critical mission events or skills-gap scenarios. This role functions as the designated backup incident commander, maintaining full operational authority whenever the Chief is unavailable and ensuring continuity of leadership during outages or mission‑impacting events.

The Deputy Chief of Platform Operations strengthens cross-functional integration with the Systems Engineering division – particularly across governance, compliance, architecture, cybersecurity, QA, and change management – to ensure unified execution of platform strategy, adherence to policy, and alignment of operational workflows with system design. This role reinforces operational discipline, drives continuous improvement, and ensures the platform consistently meets mission requirements at scale.

Core Responsibilities

• Serve as second‑in‑command of Platform Operations, supporting division-wide leadership, execution, and operational readiness.
• Act as designated backup incident commander, assuming full operational authority during outages or mission-critical events when the Chief is unavailable.
• Lead high‑priority, high‑technical initiatives delegated by the Chief, including platform enhancements, automation efforts, reliability improvements, and cross-environment integration projects.
• Enforce operational processes, SLAs, quality standards, and readiness expectations across all branches and environment-aligned teams.
• Provide hands-on technical expertise during incidents, major operational challenges, mission surges, or when team skill gaps require direct support.
• Drive cross-functional integration with Systems Engineering to ensure alignment on governance, compliance, cybersecurity controls, architecture, QA, test, and change management.
• Advise on new operational policy, governance structures, and compliance requirements; ensure Platform Operations adheres to SE-led policies and contributes operational insights.
• Own capacity and performance forecasting across all environments, supporting scale modeling, resource planning, and operational readiness.
• Guide the lifecycle of core operational tooling, including monitoring, logging, pipeline health, and automation frameworks, to ensure consistency, effectiveness, and proper adoption across teams.
• Serve as escalation lead for complex troubleshooting and multi-team operational issues, coordinating response between environment teams and Systems Engineering.
• Maintain accountability for operational documentation quality, ensuring runbooks, SOPs, and incident guides are accurate, current, and actionable.
• Partner with the Chief of Platform Operations and Technical Director to align operational improvements, tooling strategies, and technical architecture with mission priorities.
• Provide operational insight and interpretation of observability metrics, trends, and readiness indicators to leadership and stakeholders.
• Represent Platform Operations in mission engagements, readiness discussions, and leadership forums when delegated by the Chief.
• Promote operational excellence through automation, workflow optimization, and disciplined execution across all teams and environments.

Expected Outcomes

• Platform Operations maintains continuity of leadership and consistent performance even when the Chief is unavailable.
• Major operational initiatives led by the Deputy are delivered efficiently, technically sound, and aligned with division priorities.
• Operational workflows, tooling, and documentation are standardized, integrated, and optimized across branches and environments.
• Cross-team collaboration with Systems Engineering is strengthened, resulting in tighter alignment on governance, compliance, architecture, cybersecurity, QA, and change management.
• Capacity and performance forecasting improves operational preparedness and enables proactive scaling decisions.
• Complex incidents are effectively triaged and resolved under deputy command, reducing mission impact and improving response coordination.
• Operational standards and SLAs are upheld through disciplined enforcement and hands-on technical engagement when needed.
• The division operates as a cohesive, integrated organization with clear alignment between strategy, execution, and mission priorities.
• The platform experiences increased efficiency, reliability, and user satisfaction due to deputy-driven improvements and operational rigor

Qualifications

Must Have

• Active Secret clearance at time of application
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• 9 years of relevant hands-on experience in cloud engineering, Kubernetes, DevSecOps, or platform operations
• Demonstrated experience supporting or leading multi-disciplinary operations for high‑availability, mission-critical platforms
• Hands-on technical expertise with cloud infrastructure, Kubernetes orchestration, DevSecOps tooling, observability systems, and automation frameworks
• Experience driving operational improvements including automation, reliability engineering, workflow optimization, and cross-team integration
• Strong ability to serve as a senior integrator – aligning diverse teams, enforcing standards, and coordinating across technical divisions such as Systems Engineering
• Demonstrated capability to lead major technical initiatives and proactively contribute to operational policy, governance, and readiness planning

Pay Range Information

At SPA, we strive to deliver a robust total compensation package that will attract and retain top talent. Elements of the compensation package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities. SPA provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and a number of programs that provide for both paid and unpaid time away from work. The specific programs and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, etc. Please note that the salary information shown below is a general guideline only. Salaries are commensurate with experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations. , Pay Transparency Salary range: USD $180,000.00/Yr. - USD $225,000.00/Yr.