Director, Defense Sector

Stellar Solutions Inc•El Segundo, CA

4h•$185,000 - $235,000

About The Position

Stellar Solutions, a nationally recognized “Great Place To Work,” delivers engineering solutions across commercial space and national security missions - from innovative new entrants to established space systems organizations.We bring talented, energetic, and immediately productive professionals to meet critical customer needs in systems engineering and integration, mission operations, program management, and strategic planning - helping teams deliver resilient capability to the mission with speed, quality, and focus. Stellar Solutions is seeking a Director of Defense Space Programs to lead a high-performing systems engineering organization delivering critical capabilities for DoD space missions, including advancing the United States Space Force’s vision in orbit and beyond. Reporting to the Vice President, Defense Programs, this leader will steward program execution across multiple contracts, shape strategy and workforce plans, and serve as a Systems Engineering Technical Advisor on a portfolio of national security space programs. The role demands executive presence, growth mindset, and the ability to collaborate across sectors to expand the Defense portfolio and meet customer mission needs.This leader drives growth by building senior customer and partner relationships, shaping opportunities early, and leading competitive captures that position Stellar to bid and win as Prime or Sub across the Defense domain.

Requirements

12+ years of applicable experience, including 10 years in the Space community supporting DoD programs
Demonstrated success leading business development and capture efforts, converting qualified opportunities to awarded contracts as Prime or Sub
Proven ability to build senior-level customer and partner relationships and to shape opportunities prior to solicitation
Demonstrated success in senior leadership roles with responsibility for people, programs, and outcomes
Experience with USAF/USSF systems engineering and acquisition processes
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, mathematics, or a related scientific/technical discipline
Proven ability to influence without authority across technical and cross-functional teams
Strong problem solving, analytical, and business judgment skills
Exceptional written and verbal communication, tailored for executive leaders and technical experts
Demonstrated poise under pressure with the ability to manage multiple, simultaneous priorities
U.S. Citizen
TS/SCI clearance or eligibility; additional polygraph or access may be requested
Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, as required
Ability to work on site per customer mission needs; some travel may be required.

Nice To Haves

Current TS/SCI with CI or Full-Scope Polygraph
Direct experience supporting Space Systems Command (SSC) across two or more PEOs
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
Agile development certification
Experience contributing to competitive pricing and proposal color reviews
Knowledge of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework and process improvement initiatives

Responsibilities

Lead business development within the Defense Sector by cultivating senior customer relationships, shaping opportunities early, and positioning Stellar to bid as Prime or Sub
Own capture from qualification through proposal submission; craft win themes and discriminators, align teaming and pricing, and run color reviews to a clear bid/no-bid
Build and manage a visible pipeline; govern gate reviews, forecast probability of win, and partner with leadership on investment decisions
Expand partnerships across the defense ecosystem; establish teaming agreements and key personnel strategies that strengthen competitiveness
Act as Program Manager for assigned contracts; deliver cost, schedule, performance, risk, and staffing outcomes across a multi-contract portfolio
Collaborate with external program and subcontract managers to forecast labor, negotiate FTE submissions and rates, and resolve staffing/funding/hour execution issues
Serve as a Systems Engineering Technical Advisor on national security space programs; translate mission needs into executable technical plans and increments
Guide workforce planning, recruiting, and onboarding; mentor managers and engineers, address performance issues, and develop talent for increased responsibility
Champion an inclusive culture; promote diversity in hiring and help employees pursue their dream jobs
Leverage ATS/CRM for candidate pipelines and Salesforce for customer engagement and opportunity tracking; maintain accurate, timely data for forecasts