Lead, Sales Operations

Lead, Sales Operations

Varda is scaling two distinct, high-complexity business lines: government contracting (DoW/NASA) and commercial pharmaceutical research and production. To navigate this dual-use market, our Business org requires a sophisticated operating system, not just a spreadsheet.

We are looking for a Sales Operations Lead to own the digital infrastructure of our revenue engine. This role is less about writing the words in a proposal and more about architecting the systems that make the proposal process possible. You will manage our Salesforce instance, build bespoke workflows in Airtable, and implement next-generation AI tooling to automate pipeline tracking and analytics.

You will be the primary interface between the deal-makers (BD), finance and the executive team. Your job is to ensure that our pipeline data is pristine, our forecasting is rigorous, and that the translation of "signed contract" to "recognized revenue" is seamless. This is a role for a builder who loves clean data, optimized tooling, and the satisfaction of a perfectly automated workflow.

Responsibilities

• Tooling Architecture & Administration: Serve as the primary administrator for Salesforce, Airtable, and their connections to the Atlassian stack. You will configure fields, manage integrations, and build automations that minimize data entry and maximize data utility for the BD, Marketing, and Gov Affairs teams.
• Pipeline Analytics & Forecasting: Transform raw CRM data into actionable insights. You will own the weekly, monthly, and quarterly reporting cadence, providing Leadership with a "single source of truth" regarding bookings, weighted pipeline, and contract backlog.
• Finance & Operations Interfacing: Partner closely with the Finance team to reconcile bookings against revenue targets. You will ensure that CRM data structures support accurate financial reporting, billing triggers, and resource planning.
• AI & Automation Implementation: Actively scout and implement new AI-based tooling to modernize our sales stack. You will look for ways to use LLMs and agents to automate competitor tracking, RFP parsing, and CRM hygiene.
• Process Optimization: Relentlessly hunt for friction in the sales cycle. Whether it's streamlining internal deal approvals or automating NDA generation, your goal is to give time back to the BD team so they can focus on the customer. Data Hygiene & Governance: maintain the integrity of our customer data. You will enforce standards for data entry and clean up historical data to ensure our decision-making is based on reality, not guess work.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Information Systems, or a related field.
• 4+ years of experience in Sales Operations, Revenue Operations, or Business Systems in a high-growth technology or aerospace environment.
• Advanced Tooling Proficiency: Deep experience administering Salesforce (building flows, dashboards, permission sets) and Airtable (interfaces, automations).
• Financial Literacy: Strong understanding of how sales data connects to financial statements (bookings vs. revenue, ACV/TCV, backlog management).
• Analytical Rigor: Proficiency with Excel/Google Sheets (complex modeling) and BI tools. You are comfortable manipulating large datasets to find trends.
• U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident: To conform with U.S. Government space technology export regulations under ITAR.

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Experience implementing AI agents or LLM-based workflows into business operations.
• Background in "RevOps" at a Series B/C SaaS or deep-tech company.
• Experience using SQL or Python for data analysis and automation.
• Familiarity with the nuances of Government contracting (understanding how IDIQ and OTA contract vehicles interact with CRM structures).
• A dislike for manual tasks; if you have to do it three times, you write a script or build an automation to do it for you.

Pay Range

• Salary range: $140,000.00 - $180,000.00/per year
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA or Washington, DC (based on candidate's preference)
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance.
• You will be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards.
• Offer compensation also includes the ability to purchase company stock through the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.