Director of Space Reconnaissance

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.

Global Perks

🛰️ Name Your Satellite Program (NYSP)
🚀 Launch Attendance
🌴 Generous Time Off Policy
🎓 Education Assistance Program
🥰 Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
📈 Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
👣 Family Leave
💪 Fitness Reimbursement
🧡 Employee Referral Program
🍉 Healthy snacks & beverages in every office

About Spire

We improve life on Earth with data from space.

Spire Global is a space-to-cloud analytics company that owns and operates the largest multi-purpose constellation of satellites. Its proprietary data and algorithms provide the most advanced maritime, aviation, and weather tracking in the world. In addition to its constellation, Spire’s data infrastructure includes a global ground station network and 24/7 operations that provide real-time global coverage of every point on Earth.

Spire is Global and our success draws upon the diverse viewpoints, skills and experiences of our employees. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status.

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