Head of Launch (Middle East)

Job description

ABOUT US Quartermaster AI leverages cutting-edge AI and robotics technology to enhance maritime domain awareness, aiming to become the eyes, ears, and brain of the ocean by enabling every vessel to collaboratively sense, compute, and communicate. Quartermaster is a venture-backed Maritime Domain Awareness company providing near real-time insights to government and commercial partners via our SmartMast™ product. SmartMast™ is a COTS sensor system consisting of a camera, a software-defined radio, and a proprietary onboard AI component installed on vessels worldwide, and managed by Quartermaster. JOB DESCRIPTION We are looking for a Head of Launch for the Middle East to lead Quartermaster's entry into one of the world's most strategically important maritime corridors. This is a high-stakes, dual-mandate role sitting at the intersection of diplomacy and operational strategy: you will be responsible for de-risking our business across a wide range of jurisdictions and regulatory regimes while securing the maritime partnerships that anchor our growth. Success in this role is measured in SmartMast™ units installed, activated, and reporting across the Middle East's maritime corridors. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Build and maintain proactive relationships with national maritime authorities, port authorities, and regional coordinating bodies to secure operational buy-in. - Anticipate regulatory shifts, trade restrictions, and policy changes across port state control and flag state frameworks (including the Riyadh MoU) to develop risk-mitigation strategies. - Partner with Legal and Compliance to ensure market launches align with local labor, customs, trade, spectrum/equipment type-approval, data handling, and maritime safety requirements. - Develop scalable market entry playbooks tailored to the region's distinct commercial, cultural, and regulatory environments. - Establish the import, customs, and logistics framework needed to bring SmartMast™ hardware into target markets, including initial warehousing and staging. - Identify, vet, and onboard local installers, fabricators, and port-side vendors capable of supporting SmartMast™ deployment to quality and safety standards. - Identify, engage, and convert commercial fleet operators, independent vessel owners, port authorities, and maritime organizations suitable for SmartMast™ deployment. - Negotiate and close partnership and space-use agreements that secure vessel capacity and long-term maritime relationships. - Oversee the transition from signed agreement to operational integration, ensuring new fleet, port, and vendor partners meet standards so Field Operations can deploy without delay. - Build durable, trust-based relationships with fleets, ports, and maritime organizations that build brand trust and reduce bureaucratic friction. - Recruit, scale, and mentor a local, cross-disciplinary team spanning field operations, market support, and stakeholder relations. - Align global product, engineering, legal, and marketing teams with the specific requirements of the Middle East market. - Serve as the primary feedback loop to Quartermaster leadership on regional dynamics, technical requirements, and localized risks. QUALIFICATIONS (PREFERRED) - 8+ years in senior operations, market launch, business development, or government relations roles, ideally within maritime, energy, logistics, or other highly regulated sectors. - Deep understanding of the political, commercial, and regulatory landscape across the Middle East's ports and maritime corridors. - Proven track record navigating government relationships, port authorities, and public-private partnerships in the region. - Demonstrated success closing complex B2B partnerships, joint ventures, or fleet agreements. - A bias for action with the ability to draft a market entry plan in the morning and negotiate a stakeholder partnership in the afternoon. - Fluency in English is required. - Professional proficiency in Arabic is highly preferred.