General Manager (Space Energy Solutions)

Rocketdyne; United States; On-site; USD 250,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocketdyne is seeking a General Manager for Space Energy Solutions to lead the business unit responsible for Space Power Conversion, Power Management and Nuclear Electric Propulsion. You will drive strategy, oversee P&L, and ensure on-time, on-budget delivery across NASA/DoD programs.

The role can be based remotely in the United States and requires deep experience in aerospace leadership, complex program management, and strong customer alignment with national space initiatives.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of leadership experience in Aerospace/Defense.
• Experience with space power architectures, propulsion, and power systems.
• Proven ability to capture new business and manage complex programs.
• Strong financial and P&L management skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive new technology and business initiatives to capture opportunities.
• Ensure successful program execution across the portfolio and meet AOP targets.
• Establish Rocketdyne's position with NASA and DoD customers.
• Lead reviews, reporting, and variance analysis for ongoing execution.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Space systems

Financial acumen

Business development

Team building

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

The General Manager, Space Energy Solutions, is responsible for the overall program management of the Space Energy Solutions Business Unit within Rocketdyne. Major program areas include Space Power Conversion (Stirling and Closed Brayton Cycle), Power Management and Distribution, Radioisotope Power Systems, and Nuclear Electric Propulsion power and propulsion subsystems. The Space Energy Solutions Segment is a key growth area for Rocketdyne and will drive significant growth for the company over the next several years. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving the success of the business to ensure customer needs are met, while maintaining scope, schedule, and costs.

This is a capture-driven role at a decisive moment for the market. Architecture and supplier decisions for Nuclear Electric Propulsion systems at NASA and DoD, for the next phase of Fission Surface Power (Lunar Reactor 1), for radioisotope power systems, and for Commercial LEO Destination platforms are being made now. The successful candidate will be expected to convert that window into awarded content on a compressed timeline.

This position can be based Remotely in the United States.

Key Responsibilities Of This Role Are To

• Drive new technology and business initiatives to capture new selling opportunities, leading strategic and portfolio priorities in alignment with the corporation vision, mission, and strategy.
• Responsible for full P&L management, including revenue growth, profitability, customer satisfaction, technology development, operational improvements, cost control, and margin expansion.
• Ensure successful program execution across the portfolio, maintaining operational and financial excellence to meet or exceed the Annual Operating Plan.
• Maintain overall top and bottom-line accountability for Space Energy Solutions, ensuring alignment with strategic plans and corporate goals.
• Establish Rocketdyne's position in the Nuclear Electric Propulsion market during the current architecture definition window, shaping requirements with NASA and DoD customers and securing the company's role as the preferred power conversion, power management and distribution, and electric propulsion provider on emerging programs.
• Capture positions on multiple future pursuits including Fission Surface Power (Lunar Reactor 1), Commercial. LEO Destination platforms, and radioisotope power systems programs.
• Establish and nurture business relationships with key customers at the executive level across NASA, DoD, DOE and the national laboratories, and commercial space platform developers, negotiating agreements and identifying qualified opportunities to maximize sales and results. Regularly engage with customers, sales, and management to understand the market, competitive landscape, and applications, aiming to develop new business and achieve market expansion.
• Assess and mitigate external dependency risk to program schedule and design, including reactor developer maturity and nuclear fuel availability, ensuring the business unit's commitments and interface requirements remain achievable as customer architectures evolve.
• Lead reviews of established business and performance metrics, managing accountability, reporting, and variance analysis to support ongoing execution and leadership of the organization.
• Partner with the Rocketdyne strategy organization on the development and implementation of the business unit's strategy for growth, keeping abreast of trends that could disrupt the lines of business, and proactively seeking new areas of growth.
• Champion ideas generated by the team, weighing risks, and communicating their impact to Sector leadership, while fostering a high-performance culture and organizational capability.
• Spearhead innovation by pursuing creative ways to sustain and advance capabilities through long-range investment in technologies that are cost-effective and relevant.
• Exhibit effective leadership behaviors, driving a Lean mindset and accountability culture at all levels, setting aggressive, achievable, and clear expectations and goals for the business.
• Ensure program excellence by driving strategic goals, investing in valuable projects, executing programs efficiently, and building a best practices approach to all programs.
• Demonstrate strong ethics and integrity, leading by example to instill trust and accountability, and owning the culture where performance and innovation are rewarded.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant experience in leadership roles within the Aerospace and Defense industry. Experience with the space industry preferred.
• Proven knowledge in engineering, manufacturing, program management, financial or operational leadership in complex environments.
• Demonstrated success capturing new business in competitive pursuits, including shaping customer requirements ahead of solicitation and establishing position on programs during early architecture definition.
• Working knowledge of space power system architectures, including power conversion, power management and distribution, energy storage, and electric propulsion. Familiarity with space nuclear power system architectures and the reactor and fuel supply base sufficient to manage interface and schedule risk.
• Experience operating under private equity ownership preferred.
• Experience selling to both government and commercial space customers, including familiarity with Other Transaction Authority, Space Act Agreements, milestone-based partnership vehicles, and firm-fixed-price commercial subsystem contracts.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in profit and loss management that drives financial results including revenue growth, improved profitability, and margin expansion.
• Track record of building accountable, collaborative, high-performance teams.
• Bachelor's degree required; technical discipline preferred. Advanced degree preferred.
• Current or ability to obtain Secret or Top Secret Clearance
• Must be a U.S. Person as defined under ITAR.