Blue Origin

Principal Business Strategist

Blue Origin$169K — $237K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Economics, Finance, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
  • 10+ years of experience in corporate or business strategy, financial planning, or strategic advisory roles.
  • Previous space industry experience required, preferably in aerospace or launch services.
  • Proven track record in influencing executive decision-making through developed business strategies and financial models.
  • Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex market data into clear recommendations.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the business strategy and annual plan for New Glenn, integrating market dynamics into recommendations.
  • Build financial models and ROI analyses for major investments and market initiatives.
  • Identify structural levers to unlock business model growth and profitability.
  • Design and refine the pricing strategy based on customer value and competitive insights.
  • Support strategic capture efforts through proposal development and 'where to play / how to win' frameworks.
  • Engage with customers to validate strategic assumptions and gather market intelligence.
  • Translate strategic plans into executable initiatives with defined metrics.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short/long-term disability benefits.
  • Paid parental leave and 401(k) with a 5% company match.
  • Paid Time Off: Up to four weeks per year and up to 14 paid holidays.
  • Stock options for employees working at least 20 hours/week.
  • Education Support Program for continued learning.
Full Job Description
Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

This role supports the development and operations of New Glenn, a single-configuration, heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle capable of routinely carrying people and payloads to low-Earth orbit, geostationary transfer orbit, cislunar, and beyond. Its first stage is fully reusable, and the vehicle was designed from the beginning to be human-capable.

The Principal Business Strategist architects New Glenn's business model and aligns product strategy to market needs and internal Blue Origin business requirements. This role defines paths to market, informs New Glenn's unique value proposition, and interrogates supply-side dynamics and internal constraints to identify structural levers that unlock the business model. The Principal Business Strategist serves as a trusted strategic advisor to the SVP of New Glenn, delivering high-impact analysis and recommendations that drive executive decision-making on pricing, product roadmap, market positioning, and resource allocation.

The ideal candidate brings expert-level financial and economic modeling skills - including multi-year financial models, ROI analyses, and business case frameworks - alongside a demonstrated ability to synthesize complex market data, competitive dynamics, and internal constraints into clear strategic recommendations. They are fluent in data analytics and business intelligence tools and are exceptional communicators capable of crafting rigorous strategic memos and delivering polished executive presentations. A proven track record of influencing senior executives and cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority is essential.

Deep familiarity with launch vehicle economics, space transportation markets, and commercial and government space dynamics is highly valued; candidates with adjacent aerospace or capital-intensive industry backgrounds who can rapidly develop domain fluency will also be considered.

We are looking for a strategic thinker who balances long-term vision with near-term execution, thrives in ambiguous environments, and leads with intellectual curiosity, emotional intelligence, and a bias for action. This person builds trust across organizational boundaries, delivers high-quality work independently, and is genuinely passionate about Blue Origin's vision of millions of people living and working in space.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Lead development of New Glenn's long-term business strategy and annual business plan, serving as the authoritative reference for strategic decisions and resource allocation; translate market dynamics and competitive shifts into actionable recommendations through quarterly strategy updates and monthly business reviews
  • Build comprehensive financial models, business cases, and ROI analyses to underwrite major investments, product upgrades, and go-to-market initiatives; leverage scenario planning, predictive analytics, and AI-driven tools to anticipate market shifts, regulatory changes, and technology disruptions
  • Identify and evaluate structural levers of the business model that unlock growth, profitability, and competitive advantage

Go-to-Market & Commercial Strategy
  • Design and continuously refine New Glenn's pricing strategy - including base-plus-marginal pricing mechanisms - anchored in competitive intelligence, customer value, and revenue optimization
  • Support strategic capture efforts by developing proposal elements, customer-facing business cases, and 'where to play / how to win' frameworks; equip the sales organization with compelling value propositions and competitive positioning materials
  • Engage directly with customers through technical interchange meetings to gather market intelligence, validate strategic assumptions, and translate requirements into recommendations for product and commercial teams

Product & Solutions Strategy
  • Partner with New Glenn Architecture and Mission Management teams to align the product roadmap with market demand, customer needs, and competitive differentiation
  • Evaluate new product concepts, payload accommodation solutions, vertical integration opportunities, and make-vs-buy decisions through rigorous business case analysis
  • Build AI and advanced analytics capabilities to rapidly develop engineering-driven solutions responsive to evolving customer requirements

New Business Model & Concept Development
  • Identify, develop, and architect new business model opportunities and cross-business unit value propositions in collaboration with internal Blue Origin entities (e.g., TeraWave, Lunar Permanence, National Security Programs, Engines)
  • Evaluate strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and collaboration models that expand New Glenn's addressable market; develop business cases for adjacent markets, new customer segments, and innovative commercial concepts

Strategy Execution & Market Intelligence
  • Translate strategic plans into executable initiatives with clear ownership, milestones, and performance metrics; partner with the PMO to ensure initiatives are appropriately resourced and delivered, and connect strategic priorities to workforce planning and budget decisions
  • Maintain a comprehensive view of the competitive landscape - including launch vehicle providers, in-space transportation, and adjacent markets - by synthesizing intelligence from sales teams, industry events, and public sources into actionable leadership insights; develop "Next Best Alternative" pricing models by segment to sharpen competitive positioning


Required Qualifications:

Education
  • Bachelor's degree required in Engineering, Business, Economics, Finance, or related field
  • MBA, M.S., or other advanced degree strongly preferred

Experience
  • 10+ years of progressive professional experience in one or more of the following areas:
    • Corporate strategy or business strategy
    • Business development or commercial strategy
    • Financial planning & analysis or corporate finance
    • Program management or strategic operations
    • Strategic advisory or analytical roles
  • Space industry experience required, demonstrated through direct work experience in aerospace, launch services, satellite operations, defense, or adjacent space sectors
  • Proven track record of developing and presenting business strategies, financial models, and business cases that influenced executive decision-making at the VP, SVP, or C-suite level


Preferred Qualifications:
  • 5+ years of experience in the space or aerospace industry, with exposure to launch vehicles, satellite systems, in-space transportation, or defense programs
  • Experience supporting strategic capture efforts, including proposal development, competitive strategy, and "where to play / how to win" frameworks
  • Demonstrated experience with pricing strategy for complex B2B or B2G products/services
  • Familiarity with government acquisition processes, including understanding of Department of War, NASA, or intelligence community procurement and budgeting cycles
  • Experience with business model innovation, including development of new revenue streams, partnership models, or cross-business unit solutions
  • Track record of customer engagement, including participation in technical discussions, business case presentations, or strategic account planning
  • Experience with AI/ML tools and their application to business strategy, customer solution development, or predictive analytics
  • Exposure to regulatory and policy environments affecting the space industry (FAA, FCC, ITAR/EAR, export controls)
  • Prior experience in high-growth technology companies or capital-intensive industries (aerospace, defense, energy, automotive, semiconductors)


Base Pay Range for:
WA applicants is $169,624.00 - $237,473.25

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don't meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Benefits
  • Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
  • Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
  • Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
  • Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.


About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is an aerospace company that develops rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers. The company's products include the New Shepard suborbital vehicle and the New Glenn orbital rocket. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Learn more about Blue Origin
Size
3,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2000

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