SVP, Operations

Summary

Be more than just an employee number! Join Terran Orbital, a leader in innovation, manufacturing, and operations in the satellite industry. We are a pioneer in the miniaturization of space technologies and the delivery of responsive space solutions. We are a unique, fast-growing, and trusted team focused on quickly and economically designing, building, launching, and operating state-of-the-art satellites for advanced mission constellations.

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Senior Vice President of Operations to join our growing team. Reporting to the President & CEO, the SVP, Operations will lead our manufacturing execution and engineering design functions while esuring operational excellence from concept to launch.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Work closely with the CEO and leadership team to develop company-wide strategy.
• Provide leadership to promote the company’s critical priorities, mission, values, and culture initiatives.
• Build and lead high-preforming engineering and manufacturing teams, fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency.
• Develop operational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), monitor performance, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with Finance to manage budgets, cost reductions strategies, and capital expenditures for manufacturing and engineering.
• Represent the company in strategic partnerships, board of director meetings, and industry engagements.
• Ability to travel and work irregular and/or long hours, including weekends and holidays, as needed to execute on related initiatives.

Manufacturing Execution

• Oversee end-to-end satellite manufacturing, from prototype development to full-scale production.
• Establish and optimize manufacturing workflows, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
• Implement lean manufacturing principles and automation strategies to enhance production capabilities.
• Develop supplier and vendor relationships to ensure robust and resilient supply chain.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, quality control measures, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead factory and production facility setup and expansion efforts as the company scales.

Engineering Design

• Oversee the engineering team in the development of innovative small satellite architectures and subsystems.
• Ensure seamless integration between design, prototyping, and manufacturing teams.
• Drive the transition from R&D to full-scale production, balancing innovation with manufacturing.
• Develop and maintain engineering best practices, design reviews, and system validation processes.
• Collaborate with technical teams to align design goals with business objectives.

Requirements

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s or Mater’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 10 years of experience in manufacturing, operations, or engineering leadership, preferably in aerospace or satellite industries.
• Proven track record of scaling manufacturing and engineering operations in a high-growth environment.
• Strong understanding of satellite development, including systems engineering, propulsion, avionics, and integration.
• Experience implementing lean manufacturing, automation, and supply chain optimization.
• Exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience leading teams and supporting senior leadership.
• Ability to assess team and organizational health/dynamics and drive culture change.
• Experience leading talent management and succession planning strategies, including long-term organization design.
• Experience driving strategic workforce planning.
• Applied project management experience.
• Exposure to high-risk situations, assessing risk and developing risk mitigation strategies.
• Experience designing and leading strategic people initiatives.
• Ability to measure performance through data driven analysis and outcome impact.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and strong presentation skills.
• Teaming and collaboration skills across all levels of the organization.
• Strong organization skills, ability to effectively manage high-volume workload and competing priorities.
• You will need to be a U.S. Citizen and must be able to obtain and maintain a US DoD Secret clearance.

Benefits

• 100% Company-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
• 401(k) Match
• Flexible Time Off (FTO)

Salary Range $250,000-$375,000

Your actual level and base salary will be determined case-by-case and may vary based on the job-related qualification, knowledge, skills, education, and experience. In addition to base salary, we offer 100% covered medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) match, Flexible Time Off (FTO), covered life insurance, maternity and paternity leave, tuition reimbursement, employee referrals, and lots of swag!

About Terran Orbital

Terran Orbital is a leading manufacturer of satellite products primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries. Terran Orbital provides end-to-end satellite solutions by combining satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and on-orbit support to meet the needs of the most demanding military, civil, and commercial customers. Learn more at www.terranorbital.com

Work Environment

The job operates in a professional office environment but in a manufacturing company. This job routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and scanners.

Disclaimers

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. In addition, please note that this position may require a current United States National Security clearance or eligibility for such a clearance.

Terran Orbital is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or membership in any other group protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at hr@terranorbital.com.

Terran Orbital does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with Terran Orbital, a Master Services Agreement (MSA) must be executed and confirmed prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed MSA, Terran Orbital shall not be responsible to any individual or entity for any payment relating to any form of fee or compensation.

And, in the event that a resume or candidate is submitted by a recruiter, an employment agency, or a staffing firm without a fully executed MSA, Terran Orbital has the unrestricted right to pursue and hire any of those candidate(s) without any legal or financial responsibility to the recruiter, agency, and/or firm.