Overview
Executive Vice President, Treasurer & Chief Operating Officer Jobs in Merritt Island, FL at TalentRise, An Aleron Company
Title: Executive Vice President, Treasurer & Chief Operating Officer
Company: TalentRise, An Aleron Company
Location: Merritt Island, FL
TalentRise is excited to be partnering with Space Florida, a public corporation and innovation connector established to advance the aerospace industry and solidify Florida as the premier global and interplanetary hub for aerospace commerce.
Our client is seeking an Executive Vice President, Treasurer & Chief Operating Officer (COO) to be a critical member of Space Florida’s executive leadership team, serving as the primary operational partner to the President & CEO. The COO is responsible for translating Space Florida’s strategic vision into day-to-day operational excellence, ensuring that the organization’s people, processes, programs, and infrastructure are aligned and performing at the highest level.
This role leads cross-functional operations across business units, drives organizational performance and financial discipline, and oversees major program and portfolio execution. The COO must be a dynamic, mission-driven leader who thrives in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment at the intersection of aerospace, government, and economic development.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Operations & Execution
- Serve as the operational leader for Space Florida, translating strategic objectives into executable plans, performance metrics, and accountability structures across all business units.
- Partner with the CEO on enterprise-wide strategic planning, organizational design, and the development and execution of Space Florida’s multi-year Strategic Plan and Budget.
- Lead regular business performance reviews that synthesize financial results, operational metrics, and program outcomes for the CEO and key stakeholders.
- Identify and implement operational improvements, process efficiencies, and technology solutions that enhance Space Florida’s effectiveness and scalability.
- Oversee the coordination and integration of Space Florida’s business units — including Spaceports, Business Development, Investment, External Affairs, and Workforce — to ensure alignment toward shared mission outcomes.
Financial Stewardship & Resource Management
- Provide executive oversight of budgeting, financial planning, and capital allocation processes to ensure resources are deployed effectively and in alignment with organizational priorities.
- Review and approve significant business transactions, investment structures, procurement strategies, and partnership proposals, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and governance standards.
- Oversee Space Florida’s asset portfolio and ensure balanced, risk-appropriate allocation of capital and resources across projects, programs, and initiatives.
- Monitor organizational financial health, identify risks and opportunities, and ensure sound fiscal management practices are embedded across the organization.
Program & Portfolio Management
- Provide executive oversight of Space Florida’s project portfolio, from spaceport infrastructure investments and innovative financing structures to workforce and economic development programs.
- Ensure robust project governance, risk management frameworks, and performance monitoring are in place across all initiatives and programs.
- Assess and define resource requirements across Space Florida’s projects and systems and develop strategies to secure resources and partnerships necessary to achieve program objectives.
- Lead the organization’s procurement governance, ensuring procurement strategies are competitive, transparent, and aligned with Space Florida’s mission and public obligations.
People Leadership & Organizational Culture
- Build, lead, and develop a high-performing management team, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration, and innovation.
- Champion Space Florida’s core values — Pursue Growth, Embrace New Thinking, Champion Collaboration, Strive for Excellence, and Encourage Balance — in all aspects of organizational leadership.
- Drive talent acquisition, development, and retention strategies that ensure Space Florida attracts and retains world-class professionals capable of advancing its mission.
- Empower and delegate authority appropriately to direct reports and business unit leaders, building organizational capacity and depth.
Governance & External Engagement
- Serve as a key executive representative for Space Florida with the Board of Directors, investment committees, state and federal government entities, and industry partners.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with key aerospace industry stakeholders, state agencies, federal partners, educational institutions, and economic development organizations statewide.
- Serve as an ambassador for Florida’s aerospace ecosystem, articulating Space Florida’s value proposition and impact in public forums, conferences, and legislative settings.
- Maintain current awareness of aerospace market trends, federal policy developments, and competitive dynamics to inform organizational strategy and external positioning.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Public Administration, Finance, or a related field.
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience, including demonstrated success as a senior executive or functional head of a complex organization or business unit.
- Minimum of 10 years of experience in financial management, including budgeting, capital allocation, investment oversight, and fiscal governance.
- Minimum of 7 years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or corporate development.
- Minimum of 7 years of experience leading, developing, and managing multi-disciplinary professional teams.
- Demonstrated experience managing large-scale, multi-stakeholder programs or portfolios in complex organizational environments.
- Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to present effectively to executive leadership, Boards of Directors, legislative bodies, and public audiences.
- Proven ability to lead and influence across organizational boundaries, build consensus, and drive results in a collaborative environment.
- Strong strategic thinking, analytical judgment, and problem-solving capabilities with a track record of translating vision into operational execution.
- Demonstrated commitment to discretion, confidentiality, and the highest standards of ethical conduct.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Experience in the aerospace, defense, or space industry, including knowledge of spaceport operations, launch services, or commercial space markets.
- Knowledge of Florida or federal government operations, public-private partnership structures, and state economic development frameworks.
- Experience with economic development principles, including business attraction, investment facilitation, and workforce development in a regional or statewide context.
- Experience working with or reporting to a Board of Directors or legislative oversight body.
- Familiarity with innovative financing structures, bond financing, tax incentive programs, or capital markets relevant to infrastructure and economic development.
