Senior Satellite Constellation Manager
The Senior Satellite Constellation (CxS) Manager is responsible for steering initiatives that will deliver on Planet’s growing CxS business line throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market. This role will be responsible for programs valued over $100M to build, launch and operate a constellation of Pelican satellites for Planet and its strategic MENA customers. This is a key strategic role for the Space Business Group and Planet as a whole.
The Senior Manager will achieve success by coordinating cross-functional teams and resources across the company to ensure that the capabilities delivered by the program meet customer requirements and provide excellent imagery products. The Senior Manager must ensure that the Pelicans delivered on orbit are healthy, productive satellites and will shepherd their operations through the life of the contract. This manager will hire or enlist teammates that will establish plans, programs, and teams that maximize the chance for mission success. They will coordinate with Mission Directors and peers in Space Systems, Software Engineering, and other corporate functions to deconflict resources and balance timelines so Planet can maximize the overall success of its mission portfolio.
The Senior Manager is expected to leverage a core program team to drive the top-level mission elements while enabling and empowering the executing teams. Thus, they must demonstrate deep commitment to Planet’s cultural values, agile principles, and servant leadership to succeed in this role. They enhance their effectiveness through generating personal credibility and building relationships across the company.
This is a full-time, remote role which will require you to be within proximity of Planet team members within the United Arab Emirates and available to potential customers in the MENA region. Due to the dynamic of these programs, this member will be expected to frequently collaborate with CxS stakeholders in Planet’s major offices in California and Germany. This will regularly occur through virtual meeting applications (Zoom, Google Meet, MS Teams, etc) and occasionally by physically traveling to these offices.
Impact You’ll Own:
Act as the Directly Responsible Individual (DRI) on overall program success, ensuring that the capabilities delivered by the program meet the needs of the customer and serve the customer and Planet’s business model.
Serve as the primary "bridge" for contract execution in the region, ensuring that regional cultural nuances and customer needs are seamlessly integrated into Planet’s CxS execution strategy.
Accountable for delivering on program-level requirements while building credibility, relationships, and satisfaction with the customer.
Accountable for ensuring that assigned CxS programs maintain close alignment to Pelican’s commercial, technical, and product roadmap and that it complements Planet’s other High Resolution and CxS product offerings
Represent assigned CxS programs internally to senior leadership and the broader company so that the program is best positioned and supported to achieve its objectives.
Execute assigned CxS contracts by leveraging the core program team. This core team has scope that reaches across engineering, operations, product, finance, and commercial boundaries and has the mandate to lead the program through integrated execution.
Assess and balance execution risk across the various program elements, including engineering, launch, and operations.
Act as Planet’s ambassador for the CxS business line to potential partners, customers, and the press as needed.
What You Bring:
10+ years experience in space systems development, management and/or operations. Aerospace and tech experience on programs of sufficient size and scope will also be considered.
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
Fluent in Arabic and professional working proficiency in English, the language of the company.
Deep expertise in LEO satellite operations, satellite design, and what is required to deliver mission success.
Knowledge about tasking business models and remote sensing technology.
Ability to operate effectively and decisively in an information rich environment with minimal guidance and extended autonomy.
Ability to make decisions that align with Planet’s technical and strategic roadmap as well as Planet’s core values.
Willingness to hold ambiguity and risk for the organization, and to make decisions when needed to bring clarity to executing teams.
Excellent interpersonal skills where team alignment can consistently be delivered and maintained.
Ability to travel within the Middle East as needed and to California or Germany 2-3 times per year.
Ability to maintain availability to Pacific and Europe timezones for scheduled meetings and to supplement real-time collaboration with excellent asynchronous coordination skills.
What Makes You Stand Out:
Success in developing, managing, or operating large satellite constellations
Expertise in leading and delivering major corporate initiatives through leveraging cross-departmental teams
Examples of proactively managing and mitigating program risk for space programs
Application Deadline:
November 10, 2026 by 11:59p / 23:59 CET (Central European Time)
Export Control Requirements:
Planet Labs Germany GmbH is authorized to receive U.S. export-controlled information at Planet under an export license issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security. This position requires access to U.S. and German/EU export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by German, EU, or U.S. authorities.
Benefits While Working at Planet:
These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.
Paid time off including vacation, holidays and company-wide days off
Employee Wellness Program
Home Office Reimbursement
Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
Equity
Volunteering Paid Time Off
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