SVP, Operations

Summary

Be more than just an employee number! Join Terran Orbital, a leader in innovation, manufacturing, and operations in the satellite industry. We are a pioneer in the miniaturization of space technologies and the delivery of responsive space solutions. We are a unique, fast-growing, and trusted team focused on quickly and economically designing, building, launching, and operating state-of-the-art satellites for advanced mission constellations.

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Senior Vice President of Operations to join our growing team. Reporting to the President & CEO, the SVP, Operations will lead our manufacturing execution and engineering design functions while esuring operational excellence from concept to launch.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Work closely with the CEO and leadership team to develop company-wide strategy.
• Provide leadership to promote the company’s critical priorities, mission, values, and culture initiatives.
• Build and lead high-preforming engineering and manufacturing teams, fostering a culture of innovation and efficiency.
• Develop operational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), monitor performance, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with Finance to manage budgets, cost reductions strategies, and capital expenditures for manufacturing and engineering.
• Represent the company in strategic partnerships, board of director meetings, and industry engagements.
• Ability to travel and work irregular and/or long hours, including weekends and holidays, as needed to execute on related initiatives.

Manufacturing Execution

• Oversee end-to-end satellite manufacturing, from prototype development to full-scale production.
• Establish and optimize manufacturing workflows, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
• Implement lean manufacturing principles and automation strategies to enhance production capabilities.
• Develop supplier and vendor relationships to ensure robust and resilient supply chain.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, quality control measures, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead factory and production facility setup and expansion efforts as the company scales.

Engineering Design

• Oversee the engineering team in the development of innovative small satellite architectures and subsystems.
• Ensure seamless integration between design, prototyping, and manufacturing teams.
• Drive the transition from R&D to full-scale production, balancing innovation with manufacturing.
• Develop and maintain engineering best practices, design reviews, and system validation processes.
• Collaborate with technical teams to align design goals with business objectives.

Requirements

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s or Mater’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, or engineering leadership, preferably in aerospace or satellite industries.
• Proven track record of scaling manufacturing and engineering operations in a high-growth environment.
• Strong understanding of satellite development, including systems engineering, propulsion, avionics, and integration.
• Experience implementing lean manufacturing, automation, and supply chain optimization.
• Exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience leading teams and supporting senior leadership.
• Ability to assess team and organizational health/dynamics and drive culture change.
• Experience leading talent management and succession planning strategies, including long-term organization design.
• Experience driving strategic workforce planning.
• Applied project management experience.
• Exposure to high-risk situations, assessing risk and developing risk mitigation strategies.
• Experience designing and leading strategic people initiatives.
• Ability to measure performance through data driven analysis and outcome impact.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and strong presentation skills.
• Teaming and collaboration skills across all levels of the organization.
• Strong organization skills, ability to effectively manage high-volume workload and competing priorities.
• You will need to be a U.S. Citizen and must be able to obtain and maintain a US DoD Secret clearance.

Benefits

• 100% Company-paid comprehensive medical