Head of Spectrum Management & Government Affairs

Our client is developing a fully commercial next-generation
GPS/PNT system to provide significant performance, security and reliability
improvements for its users. The system will provide users with better accuracy,
faster Time to First Fix (TTFF), solid anti-jam and anti-spoof capabilities,
and will support US Government position and timing service resiliency along
with next-generation commercial applications like drone delivery, self-driving
cars, urban air mobility, and augmented reality. The $260B annual GNSS Hardware,
Software and Data Services market is ripe for disruption and improvement, and the
company intends to lead that revolution with its commercial infrastructure and
services.

The Position

Our client is currently seeking a Full-Time Head of Spectrum
Management & Government Affairs at its Herndon, Virginia location to secure
and protect the spectrum its constellation depends on, lead its engagement with
U.S. Government stakeholders, and advance the company’s role in ensuring
resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) for critical infrastructure
and national security.

Spectrum is the company’s wireless real estate, and this
role owns it. You will own, build out and execute the roadmap that secures its
radionavigation-satellite service (RNSS) and supporting allocations across
domestic and international regulators, coordinate with incumbent GNSS and other
operators to avoid harmful interference, and defend its rights over the life of
the constellation. The work is both technical and political: you will be as
comfortable in an interference analysis or an ITU coordination meeting as in a
conversation with an agency lead or a Congressional office.

Alongside spectrum, this senior role will drive the
company’s broader regulatory and policy strategy, guide export control
compliance, and build coalitions across federal agencies, Congress, industry,
and international forums. As a pivotal leader in a fast-growing venture, you
will directly shape how its commercial PNT system integrates with national
security priorities and commercial markets.

The position is hybrid, based in Herndon with regular access
to Washington, DC, and includes occasional domestic and international travel as
required.

We’ll Expect You To…

Lead Spectrum Management (75%)

- Own
the company’s spectrum strategy and multi-year roadmap, securing,
protecting, and expanding its RNSS, TT&C, feeder link, and
inter-satellite link spectrum across domestic and international bodies.
- Lead
ITU satellite network filings and coordination under the Radio
Regulations, including advance publication, coordination requests,
notification, bringing into use, and NGSO milestone obligations, working
through the responsible notifying administrations.
- Negotiate
and document coordination agreements with incumbent GNSS system operators,
other satellite networks, and terrestrial users, and resolve interference
concerns before they become disputes.
- Lead
or direct interference and compatibility analyses (PFD, EPFD, aggregate
interference, and protection criteria) that support filings, coordination
positions, and regulatory submissions.
- Manage
FCC satellite licensing and U.S. market access (Part 25 applications,
modifications, and related filings) and coordinate with NTIA and the IRAC
on federal band sharing.
- Secure
earth station licensing and landing rights for the company’s ground
network and service markets, country by country.
- Represent
the company in World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) preparation,
ITU-R study groups and working parties, and U.S. preparatory processes,
shaping agenda items that affect RNSS and PNT.
- Partner
with Space Systems and Signals engineering so payload, emission, and
system design decisions stay consistent with filed and coordinated
parameters.
- Monitor
for harmful interference, and manage outside spectrum counsel,
consultants, and filing budgets.

Lead Government Affairs & Policy (25%)

- Serve
as the company’s primary liaison to the civil PNT policy community,
including the National Coordination Office (NCO) for PNT, DOT, DHS/CISA,
NIST, NASA, and the policy offices of the FCC and NTIA, to position
commercial LEO PNT as a recognized complement to GPS.
- Participate
in interagency working groups, federal advisory bodies, and public-private
forums shaping civil PNT resilience and complementary PNT policy, and
provide technical input to National PNT Strategy updates, Federal
Radionavigation Plan revisions, and related civil policy processes.
- Represent
the company in a focused set of standards bodies, trade associations, and
industry coalitions where participation directly supports its spectrum and
regulatory objectives.
- Track
federal policy and regulatory developments affecting civil PNT, critical
infrastructure timing, and commercial space, and translate them into
concise internal guidance for the executive team and engineering.
- Oversee
regulatory compliance for space operations and exports, including launch
licensing, UN space object registration, and ITAR/EAR compliance (TAAs,
DSP-5s, and company-wide export training), in coordination with outside
counsel.

Requirements

- Advanced
degree in engineering, law, public policy, or business.
- Active
TS/SCI clearance.
- Direct
experience with RNSS spectrum and GNSS system coordination, including
compatibility with GPS, Galileo, and other navigation systems.
- Participation
in WRC cycles, ITU-R study groups or working parties, or as a member of a
U.S. delegation.
- Established
working relationships with the FCC Space Bureau, NTIA, and foreign
spectrum administrations.
- Experience
with spectrum and interference analysis tools (e.g., ITU
SpaceCap/SpaceQry, Visualyse, STK).
- Direct
experience shaping national PNT, GNSS, or alternative PNT policies.
- Background
working with trade associations or coalitions on policy advocacy.
- Demonstrated
leadership in international collaborations on spectrum or space policy.
- Familiarity
with UN space object registration processes and U.S. launch licensing
frameworks.
- Understanding
of U.S. export control regulations and experience managing export
authorizations.

Cultural Fit

- Thrive
in a start-up environment.
- Effective
communication style that instills a culture of optimism and positivity.
- Initiative
and ability to proactively problem solve.
- Encourage
colleagues to think and plan strategically while executing well
tactically.
- Work
well with all company levels and disciplines (i.e. Engineering, Finance,
Legal, etc.).
- Willing
to “roll up sleeves” in a new venture, working closely with colleagues.