Director, Federal Capture & Strategic Partnerships; Aerospace

Cleveland, OH (Onsite Strongly Preferred) Full-Time Phased hiring based on investment timing and/or contract award Capture & Strategy (Aegis™ / Proposal AI™) $150,000–$215,000 base + performance-based capture incentives | Equity participation may be considered for senior strategic hires

Monarch Space Systems seeks a Director of Federal Capture & Strategic Partnerships to lead institutional market positioning, federal contract capture, and prime contractor partnership development across aerospace and space systems programs. This role serves as the primary driver of new business pipeline — orchestrating capture strategy, proposal development, and teaming partnerships aligned with NASA, DoD, and defense prime opportunities. The Director will work directly within the Aegis™ / Proposal AI™ ecosystem and report to the Chief Strategy & Capture Officer.

Primary location is Cleveland, Ohio.

• Lead end-to-end federal capture lifecycle from opportunity identification through proposal submission and award for aerospace programs
• Develop and maintain a qualified federal opportunity pipeline across NASA, DoD, and prime contractor teaming targets
• Build and manage strategic partnerships with prime contractors, research institutions, and teaming partners
• Orchestrate proposal development using Proposal AI™ in partnership with technical and compliance teams
• Lead Capture Readiness Reviews ( CRR ) and proposal color team processes for space systems pursuits
• Develop competitive positioning, win strategies, and price-to-win analyses
• Maintain situational awareness of federal procurement trends, competitor landscape, and agency priorities in aerospace and defense
• Represent Monarch Space Systems at industry events, conferences, and agency engagement forums
• Partner with CFO on capture investment decisions, B&P (bid and proposal) budgeting, and ROI analysis
• Support prime contractor integration positioning and subcontract teaming agreement development

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field; advanced degree preferred
• 10+ years of federal capture and business development experience in aerospace or defense
• Demonstrated capture wins on NASA or DoD programs at $25M+ contract values
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary proposal teams and managing full proposal lifecycle
• Deep understanding of federal procurement process, source selection, and competitive intelligence for space systems

The qualifications above describe the ideal candidate profile for this position — not an inflexible checklist. Monarch Space Systems evaluates the whole of a candidate's experience, judgment, and mission alignment, and welcomes a conversation with individuals of exceptional ability whose backgrounds differ from the profile in some respects. Certain criteria — including U.S. citizenship and export-control ( ITAR / EAR ) eligibility, where stated — are legal mandates and cannot be waived.

• Background in propulsion, space systems, or advanced technology federal capture
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted proposal tools in a compliance-forward capture environment
• Relationships with NASA, AFRL , DARPA , or major defense prime contracting offices
• Track record of developing sustained teaming partnerships that generated multi-year revenue

This position may require eligibility to access controlled or proprietary information and may be subject to confidentiality and employment agreements, including an NDA and role-specific restrictive covenants, in accordance with applicable laws.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• Paid time off, federal holidays, and personal leave
• Professional development and continuing education support
• Downtown Cleveland parking or transit subsidy
• Collaborative, mission-driven institutional culture
• Performance-based capture incentive compensation
• Potential equity participation for senior strategic hires (subject to board approval)