Director, Business Development - Commercial

Job description

At ClearSpace, we believe in reusability, in affordability driving disruption, and that no progress is real unless it is sustainable. Our company was founded in 2018 out of the realization that in-orbit servicing and space debris removal are vital services for the future of space exploration and operations. Today ClearSpace has assembled an expert engineering team and is leading the way toward sustainable space operations. From a garage in Switzerland, we now operate across UK and Europe, and are working with world-leading institutions and companies to bring our dream of a sustainable space ecosystem to life. We are looking for a Business Development Director to join our team who will work on both our current missions and future projects. The Role We are looking for an experienced Business Development Director to support the growth of our commercial pipeline across the ClearSpace Group. You will sell to satellite operators, space and satellite insurers and underwriters, in-orbit servicing customers, and other private space companies. You will build and deepen relationships with these customers, shape and lead proposals, and win new commercial revenue for ClearSpace. You will also own cross-cutting BD activities- proposal production and capture management - working with the wider ClearSpace commercial team to maintain close relationships with operators, insurers, and commercial partners. ClearSpace's work environment is fast-paced and dynamic, with plenty of opportunities to learn and contribute. This role would suit an established professional with a strong track record in commercial sales or business development in the space sector, and a strong network across commercial satellite operators and the space insurance market. Key responsibilities The Business Development Director will draw on the responsibility areas below, covering capture management, bid production, and wider BD/commercial activities, with a focus on commercial customers and revenue generation. Capture Management Keep track of commercial opportunities from sources such as commercial satellite operators, space and satellite insurance companies and underwriters, in-orbit servicing customers, and other private space companies, and make propositions as to which future products and services fit which opportunities. Maintain a database of the future commercial pipeline suitable for different customer types and proposal formats, and work with the business team to support prioritisation of projects and R&D, feeding into service and capability strategy. Be responsible for the successful coherence of commercial captures across ClearSpace entities. Work with the business development team to evolve customer, market, and competitor analyses across the commercial space sector, including pricing and market-demand insights. Support development of commercial financial models, pricing, and business cases, including insurance-driven demand for life-extension, de-orbiting, and debris-removal services. Track commercial market developments (e.g. operator fleet renewal, constellation deployment, space insurance market trends) that shape future commercial opportunities. Bid Production Take responsibility for managing and coordinating commercial proposals and bids, or parts of bids as required, through the Business Acquisition Process from opportunity identification to proposal submission and contract close (leading or supporting negotiation as needed). Control overall production of the proposal volumes to ensure delivery on schedule and alignment with customer requirements and commercial terms. Draw on other relevant teams in ClearSpace (as needed for larger bids), including projects, engineering, procurement & contractual, finance, and commercial teams, and independently take initiative for smaller bids. Ensure bid execution according to the bid Product Assurance/Quality Assurance philosophy; conduct bid/no-bid reviews and later-stage bid reviews (e.g. gold/red team) as appropriate, and conduct win-theme analysis. Control bid and proposal finances, working with the finance team, managing directors and with external partners on multi-partner/consortium-style bids to assign and control finances, including pricing, margin, and commercial risk. Coordinate partner inputs (scope, finances), with the procurement team as needed, for multi-partner commercial deals. BD/Commercial Activities Support BD events and conferences, customer-facing engagements with commercial operators and insurers, and partner engagement for key partners. Own account management for commercial satellite operators, space insurance companies, and in-orbit servicing customers, specifically around In-Orbit Servicing (IOS) and Active Debris Removal (ADR) activities. Develop and negotiate commercial agreements, service offerings, and pricing structures with commercial customers. Support the Product Development team in defining new and/or iterative products and services aligned to commercial market demand. Must Have Significant experience in commercial sales or business development in the space industry, with a preference for direct commercial sales of products and services to satellite operators, insurers, or in-orbit servicing customers. Excellent understanding of the commercial space ecosystem — satellite operators, the space insurance market, and in-orbit servicing and active debris removal — and of commercial customer negotiations. Strong commercial awareness and risk and opportunity management, including pricing and margin management. Excellent interpersonal, organisational, and written/verbal communication skills, including to both technical and non-technical audiences. Nice to have Technical knowledge of spacecraft systems (upstream and space segment preferable). Familiarity with the space insurance market and underwriting considerations for in-orbit servicing and debris removal. Understanding of export control considerations (e.g. ITAR, dual-use export licensing) as they affect commercial deals. Existing relationships with commercial satellite operators, space insurers, or in-orbit servicing customers. Experience bidding into or selling domains such as in-orbit servicing, active debris removal, and space situational awareness; space segment capacity desirable, ground segment capacity also useful but not essential. A team player, willing to get stuck in and collaborate wherever is needed. Agile, flexible and able to work across a geographically-distributed teams A great communicator Information about our data processing is set out in our candidate data privacy notice.