Director of National Security Partnerships

The role

The Director of National Security Partnerships will build and own strategic relationships across the U.S. national security space mission ecosystem. This person will develop stakeholder strategies, lead capture activities, and connect government capability gaps to company solutions.

What you will do

• Build, maintain, and own strategic relationships across U.S. national security space mission partners, primes, integrators, FFRDCs, labs, and other ecosystem participants
• Develop stakeholder strategies for organizations such as USSF, USSPACECOM, USAF, NRO, and other government partners
• Shape opportunities early by connecting government capability gaps to Katalyst solutions
• Own or lead capture strategy from opportunity qualification through award
• Navigate relevant government acquisition and funding pathways
• Partner with Product, Engineering, Programs, Mission Operations, Finance, Contracts, Security, and executive leadership
• Build and maintain a disciplined national security opportunity pipeline
• Support and lead external briefings, capability demonstrations, white papers, RFIs, proposals, and meetings
• Create repeatable capture and partnership mechanisms

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience
• 10+ years of experience in national security acquisitions, business development, capture, partnerships, government programs, defense technology, or a closely related role
• Demonstrated experience developing relationships with U.S. government partners and converting capability gaps into funded opportunities, contract awards, strategic partnerships, or measurable advancem
• Direct experience in the space sector, including business development, capture, acquisitions, partnerships, or program execution for space missions, systems, or services
• Strong understanding of the U.S. defense / intelligence acquisition environment
• Ability to lead capture activities from ambiguous early-stage opportunity through award transition
• High technical and mission fluency regarding spacecraft, autonomy, RPOD, mission-operations, software, or robotics concepts
• Excellent executive communication and writing skills
• Ability to operate with significant autonomy in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
• Ability to comply with applicable export-control and customer-access requirements
• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed

Nice to have

• Prior experience at a high-growth defense or space technology company
• Experience with SBIR/STTR, OTA, CSO/BAA, IDIQ/task-order, prototype-to-production, or other nontraditional acquisition pathways
• Existing trusted relationships across the national security space ecosystem
• Experience supporting classified or sensitive national security space programs
• An active U.S. security clearance
• Understanding of government contracting fundamentals including scope, statements of work, data rights, intellectual property, security requirements, export controls, compliance, and transition

Benefits

• Stock options & equity
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k)
• Unlimited PTO
• Catered lunches
• Relocation bonus
• Discretionary bonuses

Before you apply

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
• Must comply with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)
• Non-US persons must be authorized access to ITAR information before employment

About the company

Katalyst is an American technology company focused on dynamic space operations. They are building a fleet of dual-use multipurpose robotic space vehicles to enable a new era of space exploration.