Business Development Manager, Crew Partnerships

Vast•Long Beach, CA

1d•$114,000 - $162,000•Onsite

About The Position

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and low-cost approach. Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches in 2027, followed by additional Haven modules. Additionally, the company recently announced Vast Satellite, a high-power satellite product line leveraging its space station components and the heritage of Haven Demo. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, and with more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital, Vast has built the facilities required to manufacture and operate America’s next space station. The company plans to develop future habitats and systems for the Moon and Mars, dedicated space stations for government partners, and other crewed systems that will unlock the expanding long-term space economy. Vast is looking for a Business Development Manager, Crew Partnerships, reporting to the Vice President, Crew Partnerships to support Vast’s market and business development activities with Government space agencies across the world. As a Business Development Manager, you will drive both the day-to-day execution and the strategic development of an international sales portfolio focused on sovereign human spaceflight customers. The role requires personal drive, high judgment, excellent organization skills, and demonstrated networking and communication skills to help define the trajectory of Vast. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in business development, sales, strategy, or partnerships involving government or institutional customers
Bachelors degree or equivalent experience
Ability to travel up to 50% of the time, internationally and on short notice
Willingness to work early mornings, evenings, or weekends to support customers and colleagues across international time zones
The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the aerospace, space, defense, or adjacent high-consequence industries
Experience with space agencies, embassies, or sovereign institutions
Demonstrated experience preparing and staffing senior-executive or ministerial-level engagements
Excellent written communication skills, producing briefs, meeting notes, and correspondence that executives can act on without edits
High judgment on confidentiality and protocol in politically sensitive, multi-country contexts
A second language (French, Japanese, Arabic, or Spanish especially useful)
Comfortable working in a high-stress environment balancing several projects at any given time, and the flexibility to adjust for abrupt changes in strategic direction
Ability to organize, prioritize, and work independently in a startup environment

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain account strategies for assigned countries and customers: decision-makers, funding paths, political timing, and the sequence of steps to close
Identify and build the case for new sovereign prospects; provide data-driven recommendations on where VP and executive time is best invested each quarter
Track the competitive landscape in commercial human spaceflight and translate it into positioning for customer meetings and proposals
Contribute market and account analysis to offers, campaigns, and executive decision-making
Own day-to-day account management for an assigned slice of the crew sales portfolio, including cadence, correspondence, meeting preparation, and follow-through
Plan and prioritize the crew partnerships business development engagement calendar against live opportunities, event windows, and program deadlines
Host and convert HQ visits from government delegations, agency leadership, and prospective customers, from agenda to tour to follow-up
Staff executive meetings (CEO and VP level) with briefing materials, and carry actions to completion afterward
Represent Vast independently at conferences, agency meetings, and customer engagements
Work daily with Vast's internal sales intelligence system, directing research, and providing feedback.
Coordinate across legal, mission operations, astronaut training, and communications teams to keep deals moving between signatures

Benefits

company equity
medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents
generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually
paid parental leave
short and long-term disability insurance
life insurance
access to a 401(k) retirement plan
ClassPass credits
personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health
other discounts and perks
snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge
lunch subsidized