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.