Director of National Security Partnerships

Katalyst Description: Katalyst is an American technology company focused on dynamic space operations. We are building a fleet of dual-use multipurpose robotic space vehicles to create the future where maneuvering, upgrading, refueling, resupply and exploration are as routine as they are on Earth. Getting to space and overcoming the gravity well is only half the story. What you do there is the future. We are not building the trains. We are building the machines that lay down the tracks. By developing the foundational capabilities that make sustained, responsive operations possible, we enable a new era of space exploration that strengthens national security and ensures freedom of action in an increasingly contested domain. Katalyst Culture: Working at Katalyst is intense, hands-on, and deeply rewarding. You’ll take real ownership and see your work move from concept to operations in an environment where the problems are hard and the impact is real. We value humility, craftsmanship, and doing things the right way, even when it’s harder. You’ll work closely with thoughtful, driven teammates who push each other to do their best. What You’ll Do • Build, maintain, and own strategic relationships across U.S. national security space mission partners, primes, integrators, FFRDCs, labs, and other ecosystem participants relevant to Katalyst’s mission portfolio. • Develop stakeholder strategies for organizations such as USSF, USSPACECOM, USAF, NRO, and other government partners, identifying mission owners, technical influencers, acquisition stakeholders, budget owners, decision timelines, and barriers to entry. • Shape opportunities early by connecting government capability gaps to credible Katalyst solutions, developing clear value propositions and mission concepts, and creating the internal alignment needed before formal solicitations or funding decisions. • Own or lead capture strategy from opportunity qualification through award, including win themes, competitive positioning, teaming strategy, customer engagement plans, gate reviews, proposal strategy, executive actions, and post-submission follow-through. • Understand and navigate relevant government acquisition and funding pathways such as SBIR/STTR, OTA, IDIQ/task-order vehicles, BAAs, CSOs, traditional FAR-based procurements, and other pathways appropriate to the opportunity. • Partner closely with Product, Engineering, Programs, Mission Operations, Finance, Contracts, Security, and executive leadership to ensure external commitments are technically feasible, properly scoped, resourced, and aligned with company strategy. • Build and maintain a disciplined national security opportunity pipeline with clear qualification criteria, next actions, relationship ownership, probability, timing, funding path, competitive posture, and decision gates. • Support and lead external briefings, capability demonstrations, white papers, RFIs, proposals, oral presentations, industry engagements, and executive-level meetings; communicate Katalyst’s technical and mission value with precision and credibility. • Create repeatable capture and partnership mechanisms that allow Katalyst to scale national security business development without becoming dependent on informal relationships or individual heroics. What We’re Looking For Required • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience. Technical, aerospace, defense, policy, business, or national security degrees are all relevant if paired with strong mission and acquisition fluency. • 10+ years of experience in national security acquisitions, business development, capture, partnerships, government programs, defense technology, or a closely related role. • Demonstrated experience developing relationships with U.S. government partners and converting capability gaps into funded opportunities, contract awards, strategic partnerships, or measurable advancement toward a program objective. • Strong understanding of the U.S. defense / intelligence acquisition environment and the practical differences between user need, program sponsorship, budget authority, contracting mechanism, technical evaluation, and award. • Ability to lead capture activities from ambiguous early-stage opportunity through qualification, strategy, internal alignment, proposal, negotiation support, and award transition. • High technical and mission fluency: able to understand complex spacecraft, autonomy, RPOD, mission-operations, software, or robotics concepts well enough to ask credible questions, identify constraints, and communicate value without misrepresenting engineering reality. • Excellent executive communication and writing skills, including briefings, white papers, capture plans, proposal content, meeting preparation, and clear internal synthesis of external information. • Ability to operate with significant autonomy in a fast-paced environment while maintaining disciplined follow-through, accurate information, and high-quality customer engagement. • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance and to comply with applicable export-control and customer-access requirements. Your Ideal Background Preferred • Prior experience at a high-growth defense or space technology company where capture, product, engineering, and program execution had to operate closely with limited process and high ambiguity. • Experience with SBIR/STTR, OTA, CSO/BAA, IDIQ/task-order, prototype-to-production, or other nontraditional acquisition pathways in addition to traditional FAR/DFARS procurements. • Existing trusted relationships across the national security space ecosystem, paired with evidence that the candidate can create new relationships rather than only leverage legacy contacts. • Experience supporting classified or sensitive national security space programs, with an active U.S. security clearance and sound judgment handling protected information. • Understanding of government contracting fundamentals including scope, statements of work, data rights, intellectual property, security requirements, export controls, compliance, and transition from capture into program execution. Additional Requirements: Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed. Compensation and Benefits: Your base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The anticipated salary range for this role is $175,000 - $230,000 annually. Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Katalyst. You will also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of the Employee Stock Option and Equity Plan, as well as a relocation bonus and other discretionary bonuses. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, and unlimited Paid Time Off. At Katalyst our work on projects involving the U.S. Department of Defense requires adherence to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130, which requires compliance with U.S. export laws before allowing employees to perform certain positions. Currently, our available roles necessitate access to ITAR-controlled information, and as a result, Katalyst would have to ensure any non-US person is authorized access to ITAR information before the commencement of employment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.