Product Execution Lead at Forterra – Arlington, Virginia

About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About The Role

The Product Execution Lead is a force multiplier for leadership and a connective tissue across the organization. This role is ideal for a highly action-oriented operator who thrives in ambiguity, moves fluidly between strategy and execution, and takes ownership of getting important things done.

You’ll work closely with senior leadership to ensure priorities are clear, progress is tracked, and communication is crisp—internally and externally. One day you might be shaping a leadership presentation, the next unblocking a cross-functional initiative, and the next tightening up how the company tells its story. This is not a passive or observational role: the Chief of Staff is expected to lead from the middle and make the organization run better.

What You'll Do:

• In this role, you'll act as a trusted partner to senior leadership, helping translate organizational priorities into clear plans and execution.
• Act as the eyes and ears of the senior leaders, driving alignment to strategic vision and keeping teams and initiatives focused around "commander's intent"
• Clarify goals, surface risks, and close gaps
• Prepare high-quality communications and presentations for internal and external audiences
• Identify friction points in how the organization operates and proactively propose and implement improvements
• Step in to lead or execute special projects that don’t have a natural home but are critical to the business

What We're Looking For:

• Strong bias toward action and ownership—you don’t wait to be told what to do
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex topics clearly and concisely
• Comfort operating across levels, from executives to individual contributors
• High judgment and discretion when handling sensitive topics
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution
• Organized, detail-oriented, and disciplined about follow-through
• Molehills out of Mountains: Calm, pragmatic problem-solver who thrives in fast-moving environments

Minimum Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in roles such as operations, program management, executive assistance, chief-of-staff, strategy, consulting, or similar execution-heavy environments
• Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional initiatives
• Strong presentation skills (both content creation and delivery support)
• Proven ability to prioritize competing demands and adapt as priorities shift
• Comfort working with incomplete information and driving clarity
• A mindset aligned with ownership, accountability, and progress over perfection

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior Chief of Staff experience or experience working closely with executive leadership
• Background in startups or scale-ups
  
  

US Salary Range

$110,000—$160,000

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain. All qualified applications will receive equal consideration for employment.