Principal Director - Space Enterprise Directorate

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

The Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, developmental planning, system of systems engineering, and threat reduction to help shape future space missions across the national security space enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including United States Space Force, United States Space Command, Air Force Material Command, and senior leadership at the Pentagon, but also provides a broad range of services and support across the national space enterprise, maintaining vertical responsibilities with customers but also horizontal, matrixed responsibilities across the corporation.

This requisition seeks an experienced and highly motivated candidate that will be responsible for the leadership, management, technical direction, and operations of the Space Warfighting Directorate within the Space Enterprise and Warfighting Division. This organization is the technical center for The Aerospace Corporation’s support to Department of Defense space operations organizations, including US Space Force (USSF) Space Operations Command (SpOC), USSF Space Test and Readiness Command (STARCOM), and US Space Command (USSPACECOM) and its subordinate organizations. This role requires significant coordination across other parts of Aerospace, including acquisition and force design communities, leveraging “backplane” relationships to provide mutual customer support and deliver combined space enterprise effects.  The role leads a team that delivers mission and capability expertise, technical analysis, and enterprise perspectives to address warfighter needs, both now and in the future.

Work Model

This role is an on-site position located in Colorado Springs, CO.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Provide leadership and direction for effective strategic and tactical positioning of the Space Warfighting Directorate and its activities to ensure relevant, timely support and differentiating value is delivered to the customers
• Ensure organizational alignment and continuity including setting strategy, goals, and expectations; developing, mentoring, and driving engagement of staff; and identifying and retaining top talent
• Conduct budget planning and allocation of resources, including identifying and hiring to fill needed positions and coordinating ETG matrix/reachback support
• Provide leadership, coordination, and collaboration of tasks and special projects assigned to the organization, including providing meaningful impacts as an individual contributor
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with customer senior leadership and leadership across the Aerospace backplane (ETG, Program Offices, Enterprise Support)
• Facilitate collaboration across the Aerospace backplane to ensure comprehensive technical expertise is applied to all tasks and differentiating value is delivered
• Coordinate across missions, programs, and organizational boundaries to identify opportunities for improved enterprise integration
• Build and sustain relationships across matrixed ETG support personnel to effectively deliver on customer needs

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in science, mathematics, or engineering subject area or equivalent experience in leading technical organizations
• Fifteen or more years of progressively responsible professional leadership experience applicable to the position
• Functional awareness/working knowledge of USSF and/or USSPACECOM missions, responsibilities, analyses approaches, and processes
• Demonstrated experience with integrating multi-disciplinary, multi-organizational technical expertise (e.g., ETG, PWW, other program offices, etc.) into analytical tasks
• Proven strategic mindset and systematic approach to problem solving
• Proven ability to professionally engage with all levels of customers and U.S. Government personnel in time critical situations
• Demonstrated ability to establish, maintain, and evolve critical relationships with senior leaders
• Demonstrated organizational leadership experience for a disparate and geographically separated team
• Current Top-Secret/SCI clearance and access, issued by the US Government. U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
• Ability to obtain and maintain SAP/SAR accesses

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of the following:

• Advanced degree(s) in science, mathematics, engineering, or space operations subject area
• Deep technical experience with two or more specific space-related capability areas
• Experience and understanding of the USSPACECOM, USSF, and other service components approach to warfighting and a nuanced understanding of the similarities and differences from other domains and services
• Experience with strategic, operational, and/or tactical space operations
• Experience with USSPACECOM, S4S/CJFSCC national security space, and/or intelligence mission partner organizations
• Experience with STARCOM and Operational Test and Training Infrastructure (OTTI)
• Experience with SpOC and related requirements and operational acceptance processes
• Experience with DoD joint requirements, joint planning, joint experimentation, and joint operations approaches for space and other domains
• Experience with acquisition, systems engineering, and/or requirements development
• Experience with business leadership and management of a business unit or organization
• Proven ability to leverage the whole of The Aerospace Corporation in support of multiple simultaneous efforts
• Current applicable SAP/SAR accesses

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business.  The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below.  Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills. 

(Min - Max)

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change   
• Engage with Impact   
• Foster Innovation   
• Deliver Results  

Ways We Reward Our Employees

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type.  A few highlights include:

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans

• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation

• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options

• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire

• Flexible spending accounts

• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions

• Relocation assistance

• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career

• Education assistance programs

• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from various backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at peoplemangmnt.mailbox@aero.org . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal, as well as the Pay Transparency Policy Statement. 

Salary : $240,000 - $280,000