Director, US Civil Space Business Development

Wanna join the adventure?
As the Director of U.S. Civil Space Business Development, you will be at the forefront of Loft Orbital's mission to revolutionize space infrastructure. You'll be instrumental in forging partnerships with U.S. civil space agencies—including NASA, NOAA, and other federal entities that utilize space-based data. By leading these efforts, you will play a crucial role in advancing Loft Orbital's mission to simplify access to space, enabling our clients to focus on their payloads while we manage the complexities of satellite operations.
In this role, you will engage with agencies that may deploy a diverse array of payloads on Loft Orbital's infrastructure, including:
Earth Observation Instruments: Such as NASA's MURI (on our YAM-5 satellite), a compact longwave infrared radiometer designed to measure Earth's surface temperature.
Environmental Monitoring Sensors: Instruments for NOAA to track atmospheric and oceanic parameters, aiding in weather forecasting and climate studies.
Scientific Research Payloads: Experiments and instruments from organizations like national labs.
Communication Technology Demonstrations: Payloads to test and validate advanced communication systems, enhancing data relay capabilities.
Responsibilities:

• Strategic Promotion: Position Loft Orbital as a transformative force in the procurement of space capabilities by civil space agencies and product centers.
• Customer Relationship Management: Oversee the entire customer experience, from identifying and qualifying opportunities to building a robust civil space pipeline.
• Capture Planning: Develop and execute effective capture plans to secure new business opportunities.
• Proposal Development: Lead the creation of responses to government and industry partner requests, including technical and business communications.
• Direct Engagement: Interact with key decision-makers and influencers to understand their needs and align them with Loft Orbital's strategic objectives.
• Market Analysis: Identify mid- and long-term customer needs and industry trends to inform internal product development and organizational growth.
• Customer Satisfaction Monitoring: Ensure high levels of customer satisfaction throughout the solution delivery process.
• Industry Collaboration: Establish and negotiate partnerships with industry leaders to enhance Loft Orbital's ability to deliver comprehensive and innovative solutions.
• Marketing Collaboration: Work closely with the marketing team to craft messaging that supports Loft Orbital's strategic pursuits and goals within the U.S. federal market.

Must Haves:

• 5+ years in space-industry business development experience selling to US Civil government entities (NASA, NOAA, national labs, etc.)
• Expert knowledge of their organizational structures, budgeting, and procurement processes.
• Demonstrated success in capturing space system business within the US Civil government ecosystem including lead identification, proposal writing, and relationship management.
• Familiarity with space systems designs and requirements, including satellite subsystems, launch, key performance parameters, etc.
• Proven ability to contribute to organizational strategic planning, aligning goals and capabilities with market needs.
• Experience in building and managing a customer pipeline.
• Exceptional written and oral communication abilities.
• Skilled in delivering presentations both in person and remotely.
• Strong interpersonal skills that inspire trust and confidence.

Nice to Haves:

• Professional Network: Established relationships with private investigators involved in NASA and NOAA programs, semi-public and private centers such as FFRDCs and national labs and private companies closely collaborating with these organizations.
• Industry Connections: Familiarity with major prime contractors associated with U.S. civil space agencies.
• Educational Background: Bachelor's or master's degree in aerospace engineering, business administration, or a related field.
• Government Experience: Experience in government source selection evaluation is highly desirable.
• Security Clearance: Active security clearance isn't required, but preferred.
• Travel Requirement: Willingness to travel up to 30% of the time for client meetings, conferences, and industry events.

Some of Our Awesome Benefits:

• 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance option for employees and dependents
• Flexible Spending (FSA) and Health Savings (HSA) Accounts offered with an employer contribution to the HSA
• 100% employer paid Life, AD&D, Short-Term, and Long-Term Disability insurance
• Flexible Time Off policy for vacation and sick leave, and 12 paid holidays
• 401(k) plan and equity options
• Daily catered lunches and snacks in office
• International exposure to our team in France
• Fully paid parental leave; 14 weeks for birthing parent and 10 weeks for non-birthing parent
• Carrot Fertility provides comprehensive, inclusive fertility healthcare and family-forming benefits with financial support
• Off-sites and many social events and celebrations
• Relocation assistance when applicable

$140,000 - $200,000 a year

State law requires us to tell you the base compensation range for this role, which is $140,000- $200,000 per year which is determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities.  The salary range for this role is intentionally wide as we evaluate individuals based on their unique experience and abilities to fit our needs. Most importantly, we are excited to meet you, and see if you are a great fit for our team. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy.

 *Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalized people tend to only apply when they meet 100% of the qualifications. At Loft, we value respectful debate and people who aren’t afraid to challenge assumptions.  We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t check all the boxes.

Who We Are
Loft Orbital builds “shareable” satellites, providing a fast & simple path to orbit for organizations that require access to space. Powered by our hardware & software products, we operate satellites, fly customer payloads onboard, and handle entire missions from end to end - significantly reducing the lead-time and risk of a traditional space mission.
Our standard interface enables us to fly multiple customer payloads on the same satellite, with capabilities such as earth imagery, weather & climate /science data collection, IoT connectivity, in-orbit demonstrations, and national security missions. Our customers trust us to manage their space infrastructure, so they can focus on what matters most to them: operating their mission and collecting their data.
At Loft, you’ll be given the autonomy and ownership to solve significant challenges, but with a close-knit and supportive team at your back. We believe that diversity and community are the foundation of an open culture. We are committed to hiring the best people regardless of background and make their time at Loft the most fulfilling period of their career.
We value kind, supportive and team-oriented collaborators. It is also crucial for us that you are a problem solver and a great communicator. As our team is international, you will need strong English skills to better collaborate, easily communicate complex ideas and convey important messages.
With 4 satellites on-orbit and a wave of exciting missions launching soon, we are scaling up quickly across our offices in San Francisco, CA | Golden, CO | and Toulouse, France.
As an international company your resume will be reviewed by people across our offices so please attach a copy in English.