Capture Manager

Katalyst Space; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Katalyst Space in Washington, DC invites an experienced Capture Manager to lead and execute capture strategies for priority opportunities from identification through proposal submission.

You will coordinate with technical, contracts, pricing, and leadership teams, develop win strategies, manage capture plans, and conduct customer research to understand mission needs and decision drivers, with ITAR considerations and a focus on national security contexts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in business/engineering.
• 5+ years leading or supporting capture efforts.
• Ability to develop win strategies and competitive positioning.
• Experience with proposal teams and shaping messaging.
• Strong organizational and multi-opportunity management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead capture efforts from qualification through proposal submission.
• Develop and execute win strategies and discriminators.
• Build capture plans with schedules, milestones, and resource alignment.
• Identify risks and opportunities and adjust strategy accordingly.
• Conduct customer research to understand mission needs, priorities, and decision drivers.
• Support and participate in customer meetings, industry days, and networking events.
• Maintain situational awareness of competitors and market landscape.

Skills

Leadership

Proposal development

Communication

Cross-functional coordination

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Engineering/Marketing

Tools

Govt procurement websites (Sam.gov)

Job description

We build robotic spacecraft that enable dynamic space operations, creating a future where maneuvering, upgrading, refueling, 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 activity 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.

Overview

The Capture Manager is responsible for leading and executing capture strategies for new business opportunities from identification through proposal submission. This role drives cross-functional coordination, customer engagement, and win strategy development to position the company for successful contract awards.

The primary focus of this role is to develop and execute capture methodologies for the go-to-market team.

What You'll Do

Capture Strategy & Execution

• Lead capture efforts for priority opportunities from qualification through proposal submission
• Develop and execute win strategies, including competitive positioning and discriminators
• Build and maintain capture plans, including schedules, milestones, and resource alignment
• Identify risks and opportunities and adjust strategy accordingly
• Conduct customer research to understand mission needs, priorities, and decision drivers
• Support and participate in customer meetings, industry days, and networking events
• Maintain situational awareness of competitors and market landscape

Opportunity Qualification

• Lead bid/no-bid decisions based on strategic fit, probability of win (Pwin), and resource alignment
• Assess requirements, acquisition strategies, and evaluation criteria
• Partner with proposal teams to ensure alignment between capture strategy and proposal execution
• Translate capture insights into proposal themes, win themes, and key messaging
• Support development of outlines, storyboards, and proposal content as needed

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work closely with technical, contracts, pricing, and leadership teams
• Ensure all stakeholders are aligned on strategy, risks, and execution approach

Mindset + skills

(what is absolutely necessary to do the job)

• Pride in work: They hold themselves to a very high bar. They produce designs, documentation, and analyses that are correct, detailed, and ready for scrutiny.
• Humility: They have a desire to take on new challenges, learn from others, and grow. They seek out missing context, ask good questions, and course-correct quickly with new information.
• Technical intuition and mastery: They understand basic orbital mechanics and general concepts around space vehicle design and operation in order to meaningfully inform design trades around space vehicle systems at the architecture level.

Your Ideal Background

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ Years of experience leading or supporting capture efforts for competitive procurements from either government or commercial vista points
• Demonstrated ability to develop and/or assess win strategies and competitive positioning
• Experience working with proposal teams, including shaping messaging and themes
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple opportunities simultaneously
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred

• Experience in government contracting or aerospace/defense industry
• Engineering or technical experience
• Deep familiarity with FAR/DFAR and government acquisition processes
• Experience with customer engagement and relationship management
• Understanding of pricing strategies and competitive analysis
• Proven track record of wins on competitive bids
• Experience using Sam.gov and other acquisition sites/tools

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 $110,000 - $180,000 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.