Commercial Lead

Job description

COMPANY NewOrbit builds satellites that fly in very low Earth orbit, below 300 km, along with the electric propulsion that keeps them there. Flying closer to Earth means sharper imagery from smaller optics, and an orbit that cleans itself: our satellites de-orbit within a month at end of life, leaving no debris. Our AURA family of RF gridded ion thrusters powers our own NEO-1 satellite, with first flight planned for Q3 2028, and is also offered to other operators. Electric propulsion is what lets our satellites hold very low orbits, and our AURA RF gridded ion thruster is at the centre of it. YOUR ROLE We are seeking an experienced Commercial Lead to build and lead a high-performing commercial function that drives strategic customer relationships and secures high-value contracts with both government customers and large enterprises (primarily satellite primes and OEMs). You'll own the path from shaping opportunities before tenders open, through leading competitive proposals, to securing multi-year contracts and driving sustained account growth. Your ability to navigate complex, high-stakes deals, foster a results-driven culture, and partner with our engineering and business teams will directly influence NewOrbit's market leadership. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Dual-market ownership (Gov & Enterprise): Build and execute account strategies for agencies and large companies; map stakeholders, budgets, and decision paths; shape requirements before tenders open. - Tender intelligence & capture: Track pipelines across government portals and enterprise sourcing calendars; run capture plans, win themes, and competitor/price-to-win analyses; lead bid/no-bid decisions. - Proposal leadership: Orchestrate compliant submissions; coordinate clarifications, BAFO, and oral presentations. - Complex deal negotiation: Close supply, licensing, and co-development agreements; negotiate IP, warranties/liability, service levels, and milestone payments aligned to TRL gates. - Partnerships & consortia: Structure teaming with primes, SMEs, universities, and test partners to strengthen bids and delivery confidence. - Forecasting & governance: Maintain a transparent pipeline with stage gating, ACV/TCV, probability, and cycle metrics; report risks/mitigations and drive executive decision forums. - Voice of customer: Feed market and procurement insights into roadmaps, qualification timelines, pricing, and make/buy decisions. - Compliance & controls: Work with Legal/Compliance on export control (UK/EU/US regimes), information security, and public-sector procurement rules. - Market presence & pitching: Represent NewOrbit at industry events, tender briefings, space conferences, and executive reviews; deliver compelling pitches and presentations that clearly communicate our vision and value proposition. - Team leadership: Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing commercial team, fostering persistence, creativity, and a results-driven culture. FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS - Space industry experience (required): Must have direct experience selling satellites or space hardware - payloads, cameras, antennas, subsystems. Candidates without space industry sales experience will not be considered. - Experience: Minimum 5 years in business development or key accounts, with wins across government procurement and large-enterprise buying centres. - Customer knowledge: Up to date on where satellite/space hardware customers are coming from today, across government, primes, and OEMs - not relying on outdated relationships. - Full sales cycle ownership: Demonstrated experience across all stages - pre-tender shaping, capture planning, proposal/bid leadership, negotiation, and contract close. - Tender mastery: Demonstrated success leading competitive bids (capture planning, scoring criteria, compliance, pricing) and handling long, multi-stakeholder cycles. - Deal craft: Strong negotiation track record on MSAs/SOWs, licensing, co-development, and milestone-based contracts; fluent in IP and risk allocation. - Domain fluency: Able to translate complex engineering (propulsion, LEO satellite platforms, qualification, test/readiness reviews) into customer value and business cases. - Leadership & mentoring: Proven ability to recruit, develop, and manage high-performing commercial or sales teams. - Process & tools: Disciplined CRM usage, forecasting, and KPI ownership (win rate, cycle time, stage conversion, ACV/TCV). - Governance & compliance: Familiarity with public-sector procurement practices and export-control considerations; knows when to engage specialists. - Marketing savvy: Skilled in shaping and delivering impactful presentations, narratives, and proposals that resonate with diverse audiences. - Soft skills: Executive presence, exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, stakeholder influence, and resilience in long negotiations. - Ways of working: High ownership in a fast-moving, cross-functional environment; willing to travel for customer meetings, briefings, and negotiations. PREFERRED (NICE TO HAVE) - Experience at a small satellite company that scaled into a large business - candidates who've operated through that growth curve are especially well suited to this role.   WHY NEWORBIT SPACE? - Pioneering space technology - Your work on our RF gridded ion thrusters and VLEO satellite platform will redefine satellite operations and challenge traditional LEO. - Ownership and impact - You'll have a level of ownership that's rare in the space industry, and you'll take part in the full lifecycle of satellite technology. - Equity and competitive salary - Alongside a competitive salary you receive a company ownership stake, so you share in the technology you help build and in our collective success. - Comprehensive benefits - Private health insurance with dental and optical cover, and annual health check-ups. - Hybrid working - One dedicated remote day per week. - Visa sponsorship and relocation support - We sponsor visas and provide relocation support for candidates moving to join us.