IonQ

Director, Channel - Space Solutions

IonQ • $144K — $180K *
US-AnywhereRemote in United States
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years in enterprise sales, with 4+ years in channel or partner program leadership in relevant markets.
  • Proven track record of building channel programs in early or emerging markets, achieving partner-sourced revenue growth.
  • Experience with U.S. government and defense sales, including knowledge of export regulations (ITAR/EAR).
  • Familiarity with structured sales methodologies such as MEDDICC or Challenger, along with CRM/PRM proficiency.
  • Ability to engage with technical and mission stakeholders in remote sensing and data delivery workflows.
  • Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or a related field, with a willingness to travel up to 50%.

Responsibilities

  • Own the revenue quota from channel-sourced sales of Capella DaaS and satellite systems.
  • Design and implement a global channel strategy, including partner segmentation and tiering.
  • Recruit and develop various partners, including resellers and system integrators.
  • Manage joint business plans with strategic partners, ensuring accountability to targets.
  • Create comprehensive partner enablement strategies, including training and certification.
  • Support partner-led pursuits like RFIs and government bids, ensuring compliance with regulations.
  • Accurately forecast channel pipeline and maintain disciplined sales processes.
  • Act as the partner ecosystem voice to internal teams and represent IonQ at industry events.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
  • Matching 401(k) contribution.
  • Unlimited paid time off (PTO) and holidays.
  • Parental/adoption leave.
  • Legal insurance and home technology stipend.
Full Job Description
Location: Remote, U.S.
Travel: Up to 50%, domestic and international. Job ID: 1904

The Role:

IonQ is hiring a Channel Sales Leader to build and scale the indirect route to market for its space portfolio including Capella Data as a Service (DaaS) and satellite systems, Skyloom optical communications terminals and crosslink solutions, and the broader space solutions offering. You will recruit, enable, and grow a global ecosystem of resellers, distributors, value-added analytics providers, systems integrators, primes, and in-country partners, and carry a channel-sourced revenue number. This is a builder's role for a leader who can stand up partner programs from early stage, run long-cycle capital and program-based pursuits through partners, and grow recurring data and capacity subscriptions at the same time.

Responsibilities:
  • Own an annual channel-sourced and channel-influenced revenue quota spanning Capella DaaS subscriptions and tasking capacity, satellite systems, Skyloom optical communications products, and the wider space solutions portfolio.
  • Design and execute the global channel strategy: partner segmentation and tiering, coverage model by region and market, and the margin, discount, and deal-registration framework that governs it.
  • Recruit, onboard, and develop partners - resellers, distributors, value-added analytics and application providers, systems integrators, defense primes, and international in-country representatives.
  • Own joint business plans with each strategic partner: co-selling motions, joint pipeline generation, marketing development funds, quarterly business reviews, and accountability to committed targets.
  • Build partner enablement end to end - sales and technical training, certification paths, demo and evaluation assets, and pricing tools - in partnership with solutions engineering and product marketing.
  • Support partner-led and teamed pursuits: RFIs, RFPs, and government solicitations, prime and subcontractor teaming strategies, and international distribution structures within export-control requirements.
  • Forecast channel pipeline accurately in CRM and PRM, maintain disciplined pipeline hygiene, and administer clear rules of engagement to manage channel conflict with the direct sales team.
  • Serve as the voice of the partner ecosystem to product, engineering, and mission solutions teams, and represent IonQ at industry, defense, and geospatial conferences and partner events.

Requirements:
  • 10+ years in enterprise sales with at least 4 years building or leading channel, partner, or indirect programs in geospatial data, earth observation, satellite communications, satellite systems, defense technology, or adjacent data/SaaS markets, with a consistent record of exceeding quota.
  • Demonstrated success standing up a channel program in an early or emerging market - recruiting partners, defining program economics, and scaling partner-sourced revenue across both recurring data subscriptions and large capital or program-based hardware.
  • Experience driving partner-led sales into U.S. government, defense, and intelligence customers as well as international markets, including familiarity with procurement vehicles, teaming arrangements, and export controls (ITAR/EAR).
  • Command of a structured sales methodology (MEDDICC, Challenger, or similar) plus deal-registration, margin governance, and CRM/PRM forecast rigor.
  • Ability to engage credibly with partner technical and mission stakeholders on remote sensing, SAR, optical communications and crosslinks, tasking, and data delivery workflows.
  • Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or a related field; willingness to travel up to 50%, including international travel.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Direct experience building or managing a channel for SAR, optical imagery, or RF sensing data and analytics.
  • Background in satellite systems, optical communications terminals, ground segment, or space mission integration.
  • Experience in early market development or category creation for an emerging technology, including partner-led go-to-market.
  • Active U.S. security clearance, or eligibility to obtain one.
  • Established relationships across DoD, IC, allied international defense customers, and the global space and geospatial partner ecosystem.

The expected OTE for this role is $300K.
The total compensation package includes base, commission, equity, and a range of benefit options found on our career site.

If this role has a commission structure, the compensation range below just reflects the base compensation range.

Wage Transparency:

$144,000-$180,000 USD

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Our benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401(k), unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment.

About IonQ

IonQ is a quantum computing company that is developing a general-purpose, full-stack quantum computer based on trapped ion technology. The company was founded in 2015 by Chris Monroe and Jungsang Kim. IonQ's quantum computer is designed to be scalable, error-corrected, and fault-tolerant, and is expected to be able to solve problems that are intractable for classical computers. The company has partnerships with Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and others. IonQ has raised over $225 million in funding to date.
Learn more about IonQ
Size
100 employees
Market Cap
$633 million
Industry
Founded
2016
NASDAQ

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