Director, Business Development - Space & Defense

Northstar Earth and Space, Inc.

$120K — $150K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Minimum 10 years' experience in the Canadian space or national security space ecosystem.
  • Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, physics, astronomy, mathematics, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
  • Proven experience in customer-facing or commercialization roles with a solid technical background.
  • Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to varied audiences.
  • Hands-on experience in drafting technical documents like proposals and white papers.
  • Understanding of government acquisition processes and contracting vehicles (e.g., FFP, IDIQ, T&M).
  • Canadian citizenship with active or eligible TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

  • Develop trusted relationships with national and allied defence organizations and industry partners.
  • Collaborate directly with operators and technical experts to identify emerging operational needs.
  • Advance the adoption of NorthStar's services into operational environments.
  • Articulate future operational concepts and capability roadmaps, driving internal R&D efforts.
  • Engage with customers and partners to foster strategic partnerships and growth initiatives.
  • Analyze industry trends to inform strategic planning and development efforts.
  • Ensure adherence to relevant regulations and procedures.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health benefits including medical and dental coverage.
  • Retirement plan options to secure financial future.
  • Paid time off to support work-life balance.
  • Performance incentives to reward accomplishments.
  • Opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement.
Full Job Description
Location: Montreal, QC or Ottawa, ON

Security clearance: Canadian Citizen, Active or prior Top Secret/SCI clearance (or eligible) is preferred.

Position Summary

NorthStar is seeking an experienced business development and strategic growth leader with a strong technical background in defence, intelligence, aerospace, space systems or advanced technologies.

This position is responsible for developing trusted relationships with government, defence, and industry stakeholders while helping to identify emerging operational needs and opportunities where advanced commercial space domain awareness (SDA) services can deliver mission value aligned with national government priorities.

What you will do

  • Develop trusted relationships across national and allied defence organizations and industrial partners, including DND, CAF, CSA, DRDC, NATO.
  • Engage directly with operators, technical specialists and mission architects to understand emerging priorities.
  • Advance customer adoption of NorthStar's services into operational environments.
  • Articulate future operational concepts, mission architectures, and capability roadmaps that leverage commercial innovation and guide Internal Research and Development (IRAD).
  • Work closely with customers, partners, engineering teams, and senior leadership to support market engagement, opportunity development, strategic partnerships, and long-term growth initiatives.


Additional Responsibilities
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams.
  • Analyse industry trends and competitor activities to inform strategic planning.
  • Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, policies, and procedures.

Important Role Characteristics
  • This role is not a large-team management or staff-oversight position.
  • Success in this role requires personal initiative and execution, including leading proposal development and direct technical customer engagement.
  • The role is for an individual who enjoys building new capabilities from first principles and engaging deeply with technical customers.


What you bring to the table

Required Qualifications
  • Background in systems engineering, space systems, mission operations, or technical space program leadership, with subsequent experience in customer-facing or commercialisation roles.
  • Demonstrated ability to directly communicate complex technical concepts to customers and partners.
  • Experience developing solution architectures, or system-level narratives in response to mission needs.
  • Hands-on experience contributing to and co-authoring proposals, white papers, concept notes, or technical responses.
  • Understanding government acquisition processes and common contracting vehicles (e.g., FFP, IDIQ, T&M).
  • Minimum 10 years' experience in the Canadian space or national security space ecosystem.
  • Canadian citizenship; active or eligible TS/SCI clearance.
  • Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, physics, astronomy, mathematics, or a related technical field; Advanced degree preferred.
  • Motivated by solving hard, real-world mission problems that lack clean or mature solutions.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Familiarity with SDA
  • Experience in orbit dynamics, mission design, and mission operations.
  • Established relationships within the IC or National Security Space ecosystem.
  • Experience transitioning capabilities from R&D into operational use.


Compensation & Benefits

NorthStar offers a competitive compensation package, including base salary, performance incentives, comprehensive health benefits, retirement plans, paid time off, and opportunities for professional development. Salary range and benefits are commensurate with experience and market standards.

About NorthStar

NorthStar is a global leader in space-based data and analytics, specializing in Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Domain Awareness (SDA) for government and commercial clients. Operating across North America, Europe, and allied markets, NorthStar delivers advanced space surveillance and analytics capabilities that support national security, operational resilience, and the safe and sustainable use of space. With a truly global footprint, NorthStar delivers first-in-class space surveillance capabilities, validated by leading defense agencies such as DARPA, and directly supporting the security, resilience, and sustainability objectives of NATO, the US, Canada, the EU, and allied partners.

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