Head of Spire

Position Summary:

The Head of Spire North America is responsible for leading the organization’s strategic direction and ensuring sustainable business growth across the region. This role provides regional oversight of Spire’s North American operations, specifically in Washington, D.C., Boulder, CO, and Cambridge, ON, Canada, to enable efficient execution of business development efforts and satellite design and manufacturing activities.

Operating within a matrixed structure, this leader will work in close alignment with functional heads across Capture & PMO, Development, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Software Development to drive operational excellence. Key priorities include optimizing productivity, resource allocation, and cost control, while ensuring cohesive execution across programs. The role also includes direct oversight and strategic guidance for contracts with the U.S. Government, requiring a deep understanding of federal contracting environments and stakeholder management.

The role will report directly to SPIRE's Chief Operating Officer and have the following Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement business strategies to drive revenue growth, market expansion, and operational efficiency in North America, in close collaboration with the relevant Sales teams and Business Units and under the guidance of the COO and the overall SPIRE Strategy.
• Operational Management: Regional oversight of North American operations (DC, Boulder, Cambridge) to enable efficient execution of business development, satellite design and manufacturing (Boulder, Cambridge), in close alignment with the functional leaders e.g. Capture & PMO, Development, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and SW Development (matrix organization). The objective is to ensure optimum productivity, resource allocation and alignment, and cost control. Specific oversight and guidance for contracts with the US Gov.
• Business Development: Identify and pursue new business opportunities, partnerships, and market trends to strengthen SPIRE’s competitive position in close alignment with the COO and the overall SPIRE Strategy.
• Team Leadership & Culture: Support the recruitment, development, and mentorship of a high-performing team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and collaboration.
• Client & Stakeholder Relations: Maintain strong relationships with US Federal clients, partners, and stakeholders, ensuring customer satisfaction and business sustainability.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure adherence to industry and government regulations (NIST, ITAR, …), corporate policies, and risk mitigation strategies in close cooperation with the legal and compliance team.

Who You Are:

You are a visionary and mission-driven leader with a strategic mindset and a passion for driving business outcomes in complex, high-stakes environments. Drawing on a distinguished military career, you bring disciplined operational leadership, an innate understanding of organizational dynamics, and a proven ability to lead through ambiguity. You pair this with a demonstrated track record of accelerating business growth and scaling new opportunities. With deep insight into the space industry and adjacent sectors, you are adept at identifying emerging trends and shaping market strategies. You inspire and align diverse teams, foster trust with stakeholders, and bring exceptional communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills to the table. Your commitment to excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement makes you an invaluable force in advancing Spire North America’s mission.

What You’ll Bring:

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience driving business revenue growth and operational success
• Deep understanding of U.S. military, intelligence, and federal government environments
• Strong network across key defense, intelligence, and government agencies
• Experience developing and executing strategic plans that align with long-term business goals
• Proven success operating within matrixed global organizations
• Full P&L ownership and strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control
• Track record of managing complex programs or portfolios across government and commercial markets
• Familiarity with satellite manufacturing, hardware development, or systems engineering is desirable
• Working knowledge of export compliance and regulatory frameworks (e.g., ITAR, EAR)
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with experience engaging executive and board-level stakeholders
• Experience leading through change and scaling operations in high-growth or transformational settings
• In-depth knowledge of the space industry, including procurement processes, policies, and emerging trends is desirable
• Strong people leader who builds high-performing teams and fosters cross-functional collaboration
• A team-first mindset and commitment to Spire’s mission and long-term growth
• Top Secret Security Clearance

This is an in-office leadership position based in our Washington, D.C., office. While Spire offers flexibility in line with its workplace policies, we expect consistent on-site presence given the scope, visibility, and cross-functional nature of this role.

Access to US export-controlled software and/or technology may be required for this role. If needed, Spire will arrange the necessary licenses—this is not something candidates need to have before applying.
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