Vice President of Operations (VP)

Position Overview

The Vice President of Operations (VP) is the second-highest-ranking executive position within Chernair and serves as the organization's second-in-command.

The VP of Operations works directly alongside the CEO to oversee the day-to-day operation, administration, and continued development of Chernair.

The VP is responsible for ensuring that the organization's departments are functioning effectively, directors are meeting their responsibilities, and the initiatives established by Chernair leadership are actually being carried out.

The VP should have a comprehensive understanding of Chernair and its various departments and be capable of stepping into virtually any area of the organization when necessary.

Core Mission

The primary mission of the VP of Operations is:

Turn Chernair's vision into action and ensure the organization runs effectively every day.

The VP serves as the primary link between the CEO and Chernair's directors, ensuring that leadership decisions are communicated, implemented, and followed through.

Executive Leadership

As the second-in-command, the VP of Operations shares significant leadership responsibilities with the CEO.

The VP is responsible for:

• Assisting the CEO in managing the organization.

• Overseeing the day-to-day operation of Chernair.

• Supporting and supervising Chernair's directors.

• Ensuring departments are meeting their responsibilities.

• Following up on organizational projects and initiatives.

• Identifying operational problems and developing solutions.

• Coordinating projects involving multiple departments.

• Providing recommendations to the CEO.

• Acting on behalf of the CEO when delegated or when the CEO is unavailable.

• Helping establish and maintain organizational standards.

The VP should be capable of making executive-level decisions while keeping the CEO informed of significant developments.

Second in Command

The VP of Operations is the second-in-command of Chernair.

When the CEO is unavailable, the VP assumes responsibility for maintaining the organization's normal operations and ensuring that leadership decisions continue to be carried out.

The VP should be familiar enough with all major areas of Chernair to step in when necessary and provide direction to staff and directors.

The position is not intended to replace the CEO, but rather to ensure that Chernair never loses leadership momentum when the CEO is unavailable.

Day-to-Day Operations

The VP of Operations is heavily involved in the everyday management of Chernair.

This includes:

• Monitoring departmental activity.

• Following up with directors on ongoing projects.

• Identifying organizational issues.

• Ensuring deadlines and commitments are being met.

• Coordinating between departments.

• Addressing operational problems.

• Reviewing organizational procedures.

• Ensuring leadership decisions are implemented.

• Keeping the CEO informed of important developments.

The VP should maintain a broad understanding of what is happening throughout Chernair rather than focusing exclusively on one department.

Expert Across All Categories

Like the CEO, the VP of Operations should possess a strong working knowledge of every major area of Chernair.

The VP should understand the fundamentals of:

• Flight operations

• Flight tracking

• Virtual airline management

• Community management

• Discord operations

• Console flight simulation

• Events

• Humanitarian operations

• Military operations

• Sports operations

• Pilot recruitment and retention

• Training

• Chernair systems and tools

• Organizational policies

• Staff management

The VP does not need to personally specialize in every department. Department directors remain the subject-matter experts for their respective areas.

However, the VP must understand each department well enough to coordinate them, evaluate their performance, identify problems, and provide informed guidance.

Leadership of Directors

The VP works directly with Chernair's directors and department heads to ensure that the organization is functioning effectively.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintaining communication with directors.

• Reviewing departmental progress.

• Helping directors establish priorities.

• Ensuring departments remain active.

• Identifying departments that require additional support.

• Helping resolve conflicts between departments.

• Coordinating multi-department projects.

• Holding leadership accountable for their responsibilities.

• Reporting significant issues and developments to the CEO.

The VP should empower directors to lead their own departments while ensuring that they remain aligned with the overall direction of Chernair.

Strategic Execution

While the CEO establishes the overall vision and direction of Chernair, the VP of Operations is responsible for helping turn that vision into reality.

The VP should:

• Develop actionable plans from executive decisions.

• Coordinate the staff necessary to complete initiatives.

• Monitor progress.

• Identify obstacles.

• Adjust plans when necessary.

• Report outcomes to the CEO.

• Ensure organizational goals do not remain merely ideas.

The VP should continually ask:

"What needs to happen to make this work?"

Member Experience

The VP of Operations should remain aware of the overall member experience and work closely with the Director of Community Engagement and other directors to address member concerns.

The VP should:

• Review member feedback.

• Identify recurring organizational problems.

• Support initiatives that improve the pilot experience.

• Ensure departments respond appropriately to member concerns.

• Help maintain a positive and professional community environment.

• Ensure leadership remains accessible to members.

Decision-Making

The VP has significant executive authority and may make operational decisions within their area of responsibility.

Major organizational decisions should remain coordinated with the CEO.

When making decisions, the VP should consider:

• The impact on Chernair pilots.

• The impact on staff.

• The organization's long-term goals.

• Operational feasibility.

• Departmental capabilities.

• Community engagement.

• Fairness and consistency.

The VP should be comfortable making decisions independently while knowing when an issue requires the CEO's involvement.

Accountability

The VP of Operations is responsible for ensuring that Chernair's leadership team remains accountable.

If a department is underperforming, the VP should work with the appropriate director to determine:

What is the problem? Why is it happening? What needs to change?

The VP should focus on solutions and improvement rather than simply assigning blame.

The VP is also accountable to the CEO for the overall effectiveness of Chernair's operations.

Working Relationship With the CEO

The CEO and VP should operate as a leadership team.

The CEO provides the overall vision and executive direction of Chernair.

The VP helps execute that vision and manages the organizational processes necessary to accomplish it.

The VP should:

• Keep the CEO informed.

• Provide honest recommendations.

• Raise concerns when necessary.

• Bring potential solutions rather than simply problems.

• Assist with major decisions.

• Support the CEO's organizational direction.

• Provide continuity when the CEO is unavailable.

The CEO should be able to rely on the VP as a trusted executive partner.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate for VP of Operations should be:

• Highly experienced within Chernair

• A proven leader

• Extremely reliable

• Organized and detail-oriented

• An excellent communicator

• Comfortable making executive-level decisions

• Knowledgeable about all major areas of Chernair

• Able to manage multiple departments and priorities

• Strong at problem-solving

• Able to delegate effectively

• Comfortable holding other staff accountable

• Able to work closely with the CEO

• Proactive and self-motivated

• Passionate about Chernair's continued growth

Previous leadership experience within Chernair should be strongly preferred.

The ideal candidate should be someone who has demonstrated that they can lead people, manage responsibilities, solve problems, and understand how the entire organization operates.

What Success Looks Like

A successful VP of Operations will help create an organization where:

• Directors understand their responsibilities.

• Departments remain active and productive.

• Leadership decisions are actually implemented.

• Projects continue moving forward.

• Problems are identified and addressed quickly.

• Departments communicate effectively.

• Staff are held accountable.

• The CEO has a reliable executive partner.

• Members receive consistent support.

• Chernair continues to grow and improve.

Most importantly, the VP should ensure that Chernair continues functioning effectively every day, even when the CEO is unavailable.

The Bottom Line

The VP of Operations is the second-in-command of Chernair.

The CEO establishes the vision and leads the organization. The VP helps make that vision a reality.

The VP is the person who keeps the leadership team moving, ensures departments are doing their jobs, coordinates major initiatives, solves organizational problems, and provides the CEO with the support necessary to lead Chernair effectively.

The CEO should be able to say:

"I know what's happening because my VP is on top of it."

Support the CEO. Lead the team. Keep Chernair moving.