Director, Business Development – Space & Defense
GHGSAT
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: McLean • Virginia • United States
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Job Level
Tech Stack
About the role
- Directly identify, shape, and pursue U.S. government opportunities from early technical discussions through proposal submission and award.
- Conceive, write, co‑author, and directly contribute to proposals, white papers, concept notes, and technical responses.
- Lead technical and operational pitches to government engineers, mission operators, and acquisition teams.
- Engage customers to surface unarticulated or emerging mission pain points, particularly where existing SDA solutions fall short.
- Translate complex mission needs into credible, executable system‑level solution concepts.
- Build early partnerships where required, while remaining personally accountable for opportunity progression and outcomes.
- Represent NorthStar at industry events, government forums, and defense innovation engagements, including targeted technical forums and customer working sessions.
- Lead pipeline growth and capture plans for SDA products, with full accountability for new business awards and strategic market penetration.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (multiple disciplines in engineering, as well as operations, finance, legal).
- Analyze industry trends, competitor activities, and customer needs to inform strategic planning and pipeline prioritization.
- Contribute to technology investment decisions and advocate for Internal Research and Development (IRAD) funding to deliver cutting-edge solutions for emerging customer needs.
- Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and procedures during the capture process.
Requirements
- Background in systems engineering, space systems, mission operations, or technical program leadership, with subsequent experience in customer‑facing or commercialization roles.
- Demonstrated ability to directly communicate complex technical concepts to U.S. government customers.
- Experience developing solution architectures, CONOPS, or system‑level narratives in response to mission needs.
- Hands‑on experience contributing to proposals, white papers, or technical responses.
- Familiarity with SDA / SSA challenges and limitations, including latency, coverage, and data fusion.
- Understanding of DoD acquisition processes and common contracting vehicles (e.g., FFP, IDIQ, T&M).
- Minimum 10 years' experience in the U.S. space or national security space ecosystem.
- U.S. citizenship; active or eligible TS/SCI clearance.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, astronomy, mathematics, or a related technical field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Benefits
- comprehensive health benefits
- retirement plans
- paid time off
- opportunities for professional development
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard Skills & Tools
systems engineeringsolution architecturesCONOPStechnical program leadershipproposal writingtechnical responsesdata fusioncompliancestrategic planningpipeline growth
Soft Skills
communicationinterpersonal skillsleadershipcollaborationaccountabilitycustomer engagementanalytical skillsproblem-solvingtechnical pitchingadvocacy
Certifications
TS/SCI clearance