Associate Director, PNT Ecosystem & Strategic Partnerships

Company Overview

Iridium is an award-winning and innovative satellite communications company with bragging rights to the only network that offers voice and data connectivity anywhere in the world.   For over 20 years, Iridium’s unique network and services have supported critical communications needs for individuals, businesses, and the evolving Internet of Things.

At Iridium, we understand the importance of staying connected and the limitations of traditional communications networks. People across the globe, including first responders, humanitarians, global militaries, scientific researchers, and lone workers, as well as ships, aircraft and remote operations all rely on Iridium to stay connected. We take our responsibility for providing these essential communications very seriously and pride ourselves on offering a reliable lifeline when needed.  Likewise, Iridium is committed to providing an exciting and innovative workplace, where employees are challenged to think outside the box and collaborate on new, bold ideas and solutions.  Our talented teams are passionate about their work and the impact our company makes around the world.  Iridium fosters an empowering and inclusive culture that allows employees to genuinely be their best selves.   We are looking for others who want to join this truly unique company that celebrates our employees and provides the opportunity to truly make a difference in the world.

What We’re Looking For:

Iridium is seeking an Associate Director, PNT Ecosystem & Strategic Partnerships to lead the development and execution of Iridium's chipset and platform partner strategy for its next-generation Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services. This role is responsible for establishing strategic relationships with semiconductor manufacturers, module providers, device manufacturers, and platform partners to accelerate adoption of Iridium's satellite-enabled PNT capabilities. The Associate Director will develop commercial partnership models, negotiate licensing and co-development agreements, influence industry standards, and lead a team focused on expanding Iridium's presence within the global PNT ecosystem. Success in this role will directly influence long-term revenue growth by securing design wins that position Iridium technology within next-generation products and platforms.

What You’ll Do:

• Develop and execute the strategic partnership roadmap for Iridium's satellite-based PNT ecosystem, with a focus on chipset manufacturers, module providers, device OEMs, and platform partners.
• Foster and develop a highly effective team of strategic partnership and business development professionals to execute Iridium's chipset partnership strategy, expand the PNT ecosystem, and achieve long-term business growth objectives.
• Mentor, coach, and develop team members by setting performance expectations, providing regular feedback, identifying opportunities for growth, and removing obstacles that impact individual and team effectiveness to drive continuous improvement and business results.
• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with semiconductor companies, technology partners, and industry stakeholders to secure strategic design wins and long-term commercial partnerships.
• Lead negotiations for licensing agreements, royalty structures, co-development initiatives, and other commercial arrangements that drive sustainable revenue growth.
• Develop partner enablement strategies, technical engagement models, and go-to-market initiatives that accelerate adoption of Iridium's PNT technology.
• Identify, prioritize, and manage a pipeline of strategic partnership opportunities while driving execution from initial engagement through commercial agreement.
• Represent Iridium within industry standards organizations, technical working groups, and industry forums to influence the evolution of positioning, navigation, and timing technologies.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Legal, Finance, and executive leadership to align partnership strategies with product roadmaps and business objectives.
• Monitor industry trends, competitive positioning, emerging technologies, and market dynamics to identify new partnership opportunities and strategic risks.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing strategic partnerships team, providing coaching, direction, and accountability to achieve organizational objectives.
• Provide executive leadership with strategic recommendations, business forecasts, partnership performance metrics, and market intelligence that inform long-term growth strategies.

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Business Administration, or a related technical field; master’s degr