VP, Strategic Initiatives for Space and Mission Systems

Viasat, Inc.•Washington, DC

About The Position

Viasat is seeking a groundbreaking Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives to join our leadership team passionate about aerospace and operational objectives. This high-impact executive role sits at the intersection of long-term corporate strategy, advanced technology development, and strategic business growth. You will be responsible for shaping Viasat’s posture across next-generation space architectures, driving high-value business development initiatives, and providing executive guidance to critical space programs. The ideal candidate has a deep understanding of National Security Space (NSS) dynamics and military SATCOM (MILSATCOM). They also understand evolving Space Force (USSF) acquisition models and the private space sector.

Requirements

10+ Years of Leadership: Proven track record of progressive executive leadership within the aerospace, defense, or commercial space sectors.
Domain Expertise: Deep knowledge of space systems, satellite payloads, orbital mechanics, tactical data links, network management, and ground segment architectures.
Defense Acquisition Literacy: Demonstrated success navigating government acquisition processes, OTA (Other Transaction Authority) frameworks, and major defense programs of record.
Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Engineering, Physics, Finance, or a related technical or business area; Master’s degree, MBA, or similar experience is preferred.
Security Clearance: Active Top Secret (TS) clearance with SCI eligibility (TS/SCI) is required.

Nice To Haves

The Strategic Visionary and Tactical Athlete: An executive who doesn't just write slide decks, but is highly skilled at providing guidance to the execution of programs and driving concepts from the whiteboard to operational reality.
Outstanding Communicator: Ability to distill complex, highly technical space architectures into clear, compelling, and actionable value propositions for diverse collaborators.

Responsibilities

Assist in driving the strategic roadmap for Space and Mission Systems, aligning internal R&D with evolving DoW, intelligence community, and private sector space requirements.
Understand market trends, user gaps, competitor capabilities, and emerging space technologies (e.g., hybrid space architectures, proliferated LEO/MEO constellations, and optical communications) to identify non-linear growth opportunities.
Represent Viasat at major industry fora, executive-level government engagements, and advisory boards to position the company as a leading architect of future space capabilities.
Lead the identification, qualification, and early-stage shaping of large-scale, strategic space programs and government contracts.
Evaluate and complete strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and teaming arrangements with industry peers, non-traditional defense contractors, and commercial space innovators.
Act as a primary interface to senior government collaborators, acquisition commands, and corporate executives to pitch complex, coordinated space mission solutions.
Provide strategic counsel, risk mitigation, and execution mentorship to portfolio managers leading complex space hardware, software, and terrestrial support programs.
Serve as a key reviewer for critical program achievements and high-consequence proposal submissions to ensure alignment with customer mission success.