Vice President of Sovereign Affairs – Spacecraft Manufacturer

About the role

The company, an emerging European spacecraft manufacturer, is seeking a Vice President of Sovereign Affairs to lead institutional engagement and drive strategic growth across Europe and allied markets. This senior commercial role will shape the company’s position within the sovereign space ecosystem and secure early‑stage contracts with governmental, defence and institutional customers.

Key responsibilities

• Build and manage relationships with ministries, defence organisations, space agencies and prime contractors.
• Develop engagement strategies for public tenders, pilot programmes, MoUs and long‑term mission partnerships.
• Own the full commercial lifecycle from opportunity identification through negotiation to contract award.
• Collaborate with technical teams to shape mission concepts and align customer requirements with product development.
• Navigate complex procurement, export‑control and regulatory environments.
• Support the company’s long‑term positioning within sovereign and institutional space programmes.

Required profile

• 10+ years of experience in the space, aerospace, defence or institutional sector.
• Strong understanding of governmental procurement and contracting processes.
• Background in a major aerospace or defence organisation, prime contractor or equivalent.
• Technical understanding of spacecraft systems, orbital operations or mission architectures.
• Proven track record of securing and managing large‑scale strategic contracts.
• Extensive network within governmental or sovereign space ecosystems.
• Familiarity with export‑control and regulatory frameworks.
• Ability to engage both technical and executive stakeholders and manage long sales cycles.

Required skills

• Spacecraft systems
• Orbital operations
• Mission architectures