Senior Director, Business Development - Civil & Commercial

The role

You will drive growth in the satellite market by identifying and engaging potential clients. You will develop strategic partnerships and lead efforts to secure contracts for civil and commercial space applications.

What you will do

• Lead business development initiatives focused on satellite solutions
• Develop and execute capture strategies for large contracts
• Engage with key customer stakeholders to build long-term relationships
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to prepare and deliver proposals
• Monitor industry trends and competitor activities
• Grow existing business opportunities and nurture customer relationships
• Create new business opportunities by presenting satellite solutions
• Lead and/or participate in proposal activities
• Develop relationships across all levels of the business
• Represent Rocket Lab at industry conferences and customer meetings

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or other technical discipline
• 15+ years of experience in business development, program management, or systems engineering within the aerospace sector
• In-depth knowledge of commercial acquisition processes, government contracting, and the commercial space landscape
• Proven track record of securing large (>$20M) contracts and managing strategic relationships within the aerospace industry
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
• Ability to support frequent domestic and international travel (up to 50%)

Nice to have

• Master’s degree in aerospace engineering or related engineering field; or business
• Specialization in civil and commercial business development
• Demonstrable record of success in business development, sales, program management and/or engineering of satellite systems, payloads, or platforms
• Extensive awareness of current/ongoing commercial space satellite programs
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills
• Experience leading, managing, and growing geographically dispersed teams on fast-paced projects
• Proficient in all Microsoft Suite products, including MS Project
• General knowledge of industry specific technical requirements and quality requirements
• Experience using customer relationship management (CRM) software
• Experience with proposal development, writing, and best practice capture processes

Benefits

• Company stock
• Employee Stock Purchase Program (15% discount)
• Medical plans
• Dental and vision coverage
• Paid vacation and sick time
• 11 paid holidays
• Flexible spending and dependent care accounts
• Paid parental leave
• Disability and life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match

Before you apply

• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or Department of Commerce
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

About the company

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems. They move fast to build real hardware for meaningful missions.