Satellite Services Director

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.; London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A pioneering space company based in Guildford is seeking an Executive Director for Satellite Services. This leadership role involves overseeing satellite operations and ensuring service delivery excellence while collaborating with customers and stakeholders. Ideal candidates will possess extensive experience in the aerospace industry, strong leadership skills, and a proven track record in strategic planning and service delivery.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable strategic planning and leadership experience at an executive level.
• Experience interfacing with customers and delivering complex services.
• Line management experience including recruitment, performance, and development.

Responsibilities

• Lead operations and service for satellite systems per contractual commitments.
• Develop and improve service processes and customer relationships.
• Manage the executive team and contribute to strategic business decisions.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Negotiation

Problem-solving

Customer engagement

Education

Degree in relevant discipline

Tools

MS Office

Microsoft Project

Job description

This is an exciting chance to work in a pioneering space company shaping and delivering SSTL’s satellite service work. Reporting to the Managing Director, this role is an opportunity to join SSTL’s Executive team with responsibility for leadership and direction of the Satellite Services division at SSTL, ensuring successful delivery of all contractual service commitments, present and future. SSTL operates a number of satellites, with Service-Level Agreements that dictate what those satellites need to do to enable our customers to meet their objectives. This role is responsible for all operations activities with those satellites.

About SSTL: Considered the pioneers of the small satellite market, and with a heritage that spans over 40 years, SSTL prides itself in continual innovation and improvement of space technologies, products, and services, as well as in delivering space missions for a broad array of applications, like high-resolution Earth Imaging, communications (including from the moon), science and navigation. Since 1981, SSTL has built and launched 74 satellites, including 7 constellations, and has 10+ further satellites and payloads under contract. From the earliest study activities to the subsystem manufacturing, to the assembly and test, to in-orbit operations and service provision, the whole spacecraft lifecycle is managed from SSTL’s Guildford headquarters.

Key Tasks

Deliver all our contractual and internal satellite service commitments on time, to a level of quality expected by the customer (external and internal) and within the cost estimate established during the proposal phase. (OTOQOC)

As a member of the Executive Team actively contribute to the day-to-day management and strategy of the business.

Develop and implement an ITIL-based service that is responsive and understanding of Customer requirements, ensuring that the customer’s satellites are safely operated and available to use in line with their commitments.

Develop and continuously improve the Service Delivery division and service processes to align with changing business requirements and contracts.

Lead and direct the supporting technical functions (e.g. Spacecraft operations, Ground segment hardware) whose activities and products are directly used by the customer.

Develop customer and stakeholder relationships so as to effectively act as point of escalation for service delivery managers as required, particularly to assist with the resolution of customer issues.

Drive service delivery, ensuring each service team and the supporting technical functions are appropriately sized and have the right capability to address the key risks on any given phase of the service.

Ensure appropriate level of reporting is in place across all service activities to highlight major achievements, report key financials and risk exposure, and escalate issues that are outside the control of the service team.

Actively seek opportunities within each service project to increase revenue and manage the implementation and approval of subsequent CCNs.

Empower Service Delivery Teams by ensuring accountability for the successful delivery of the service resides with the team, and that they have clear and unambiguous targets.

Develop and implement a Satellite Service Roadmap to ensure our service delivery remains relevant to the future needs of our customers.

Strengthen Service Delivery Teams by providing appropriate team development opportunities to improve self-knowledge, decision making and communication.

Drive the quality of the planning across all service activities to a level of accuracy that enables financial forecasting and headcount assessment to be performed with confidence.

Ensure a close working relationship is maintained between the services core teams and the customer account managers within the BDS team, communicating regularly on hot topics that may impact future opportunities with the customer.

Ensure a close working relationship is maintained between the services core teams and Engineering, Production and Projects, to ensure that prior to the commencement of the service phase, the rest of the business are working with the service requirements in mind, and that the projects are supported as required by the service team and supporting technical functions. Work with Chief Engineering to ensure all technical work is conducted in line with the company practices.

Line management and leadership of direct reports (includes all line management activities throughout the employee life cycle including recruitment, performance, development, mentoring and wellbeing).

Previous Experience

• Background of proven experience in successfully delivering complex services, ideally in a satellite or engineering/aerospace industry

• Demonstrable experience of strategic planning & thinking

• Experience of interfacing with customers

• Demonstrable leadership and management experience preferably at an Executive level

• Experience in service delivery, preferably whole life cycle – bid through to service completion

• Previous experience of implementing contracts

Qualifications Knowledge & Skills

• A degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline
• Excellent inter-personal and communication skills, able to influence, persuade and negotiate with people at all levels (externally & internally) as well as to assist in reaching compromises when there are conflicting requirements
• Strong leadership style with ability to develop and empower direct reports to achieve targets and objectives
• High degree of organisation, self-motivation and initiative
• Good team working skills, together with the ability to interface with others at all levels
• Good presentation skills and customer facing skills
• Results orientated with a strong drive to deliver
• Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities
• Pro-active and able to take initiative
• Excellent planning and organising skills
• Decision making and creative problem-solving skills
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to contribute directly to the overall business strategy and work collaboratively with the leadership team
• Understanding of contracts and product assurance plans
• Ability to multi-task and deliver both immediate and longer-term tasks
• Proven ability to deliver solutions under pressure and to tight timescales
• Good knowledge of MS Office Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Microsoft Project
• Able to demonstrate company mindsets and behaviours; Be accountable, Drive & delivery, communicate effectively, Self-manage effectively, Work as one team.