Director of Space Reconnaissance Business Unit

Spire’s Space Reconnaissance business unit delivers radio frequency (RF) intelligence, and geolocation from one of the largest multi-payload satellite constellations in orbit. We enable governments and commercial partners to detect, and understand RF activity globally, supporting missions in defense, intelligence, and security. 

Job Description:

As Director of Space Reconnaissance Business Unit, you will own the strategy, financials, product vision, technical roadmap, and operational strategy for Spire’s global RF geolocation and intelligence portfolio. You will oversee a distributed team spanning product management, engineering, data science, and solutions delivery across the U.S. and Rest of World, ensuring cohesive execution across both U.S. and non-U.S. product lines. 

This role is central to advancing Spire’s next-generation space-based RF capabilities and shaping how persistent global signal intelligence is delivered to mission partners worldwide. 

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership 

• Define and execute the Space Reconnaissance business strategy in alignment with Spire’s corporate objectives. 

• Identify new market opportunities across defense, national security, and commercial intelligence sectors in cooperation with the Government Business Development & Sales teams. 

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with government agencies, defense primes, and industry collaborators. 

• Guide long-term R&D investments to sustain competitive differentiation in RF collection and geolocation. 

Financial Management 

• Own full P&L responsibility for the Space Reconnaissance business unit. 

• Develop annual budgets, revenue targets, and margin goals; monitor financial performance and implement corrective actions. 

• Evaluate and prioritize capital investments in satellite builds, sensor payloads, and data infrastructure. 

• Drive profitable growth through recurring revenue models and long-term government contracts. 

Operational and Technical Leadership 

• Oversee end-to-end operational execution: satellite missions, payload development and data delivery in cooperation with Constellation Planning and Engineering. 

• Ensure system reliability, mission assurance, and data accuracy that meet defense-grade standards. 

• Champion continuous improvement and innovation in data analytics, and automation. 

Product & Portfolio Management 

• Lead the strategic direction and roadmap for Spire’s Space Reconnaissance product offering, ensuring alignment between technology innovation and customer needs. 

• Lead the evolution of multi-intelligence fusion products combining RF and other sensor modalities for advanced insight. 

• Oversee algorithm development, RF performance modeling, and productization of geolocation software pipelines across multiple frequency bands (VHF, UHF, L-band, S/X-band). 

• Drive AWS stack optimization and secure data delivery through API-first architectures in partnership with cloud engineering teams. 

• Drive customer adoption of new offerings through clear value propositions and operational performance. 

Business Development & Customer Engagement 

• Serve as the sponsor for key accounts in the defense, intelligence, and government sectors in cooperation with the Government Business Development & Sales Teams. 

• Lead the go-to-market strategy, including pricing, partnerships, and contract negotiations. 

• Support technical sales, proposal development, and customer tasking, with focus on both U.S. and non-U.S. government customers. 

• Ensure exceptional customer satisfaction through reliable delivery and responsive mission support. 

• Represent Spire at industry events and conferences, articulating the company’s leadership in space-based RF intelligence and ISR. 

People & Culture 

• Manage and mentor a global team focused on RF signal detection, geolocation algorithms, and spectrum analytics, fostering collaboration between U.S., UK, Canda, and EU offices. 

• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and excellence in technical and operational execution. 

• Champion cross-unit collaboration within Spire to leverage shared assets and expertise. 

Risk, Security & Compliance 

• Ensure product compliance with export controls and uphold best practices in data security and system engineering. 

Performance & Reporting 

• Define and track KPIs across financial, operational, and customer success metrics. 

• Report regularly to the COO on unit performance, strategy execution, and market developments. 

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or a related technical field. 

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience in aerospace, defense, space systems, or intelligence sectors. 

• Proven track record managing a P&L and delivering revenue and margin growth. 

• Deep technical or market understanding of RF systems, SIGINT, space-based sensing, or geospatial intelligence. 

• Prior experience working with defense, intelligence, or national security organizations. 

• Demonstrated ability to grow products from concept to operational deployment in international markets. 

• Proven success in leading cross-functional technical teams and managing complex, distributed programs. 

• Experience with regulated, security-cleared programs (e.g., ITAR, export controls, classified work). 

• Excellent strategic, analytical, and executive communication skills. 

Preferred:

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Physics, Aerospace, or Business (MBA or equivalent). 

• Strong relationships with U.S. and allied government/defense organizations. 

• Experience with commercial space ventures or new-space startups. 

• Understanding of AI/ML applications in geospatial intelligence or RF data analytics. 

• Experience with cloud-based architectures (AWS, Azure) and secure data delivery frameworks. 

• International experience working across allied nations’ defense and intelligence markets 

Spire operates a hybrid work model, and this position will require you to work a minimum of three days per week in the office.

Access to US export-controlled software and/or technology may be required for this role. If needed, Spire will arrange the necessary licenses—this is not something candidates need to have before applying. #LI-DC1