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Salary: USD 145,000 - 185,000 / annual
Defense Unicorns is seeking a Mission Director for Space to lead full-lifecycle business development and program execution within the Space Force. This is a quota-carrying role combining business development, contracting, program management, and team leadership.
As Mission Director, you will identify and develop new Space Force opportunities, build trusted relationships with key stakeholders ("Mission Heroes"), and shape solutions using Defense Unicorns' cloud-native software delivery products. You will own opportunities from initial discovery through proposal, negotiation, and contract award, then remain accountable for execution including cost, schedule, performance, staffing, margin, and customer satisfaction.
Responsibilities include: building a diversified portfolio of net-new business against a quota; defining customer problems and scoping solutions; leading opportunities through the full sales cycle; serving as program leader for contracts you close; managing delivery risks and scope changes; building and leading teams as the portfolio scales; and identifying follow-on work, expansions, and adjacent opportunities to drive portfolio growth and retention.
You will operate with broad ownership and increasing scope—initially managing individual contracts personally, then progressing to lead program managers and delivery leaders across a growing portfolio. The role requires comfort with ambiguity, strong commercial judgment, and the ability to drive critical work while scaling teams.
Preferred qualifications include Space Force or closely related defense experience; background in military operations, government program management, acquisition, contracting, business development, or defense industry program leadership; working knowledge of federal acquisition and contract vehicles; demonstrated team leadership; and technical fluency in cloud-native technologies, DevSecOps, Kubernetes, and modern software delivery. Candidates near major Space Force hubs are preferred. Travel approximately 25–40% expected.
