Senior Director, LEO Satellite Operations

Senior Director, LEO Satellite Operations

Telesat (Nasdaq and TSX: TSAT) is a leading global satellite operator, providing reliable and secure satellite-delivered communications solutions worldwide to broadcast, telecommunications, corporate and government customers for over 55 years. Backed by a legacy of engineering excellence, reliability and industry-leading customer service, Telesat has grown to be one of the largest and most successful global satellite operators.

Telesat Lightspeed, our revolutionary Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network, scheduled to begin service in 2027, will revolutionize global broadband connectivity for enterprise and Government users by delivering a combination of high capacity, security, resiliency and affordability with ultra-low latency and fiber-like speeds. Telesat is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and has offices and facilities around the world.

The company’s state-of-the-art Satellite fleet consists of 12 GEO satellites, the Canadian payload on ViaSat-1 and one LEO 3 demonstration satellite. For more information, follow Telesat on X and LinkedIn or visit

The Senior Director LEO Satellite Operations will have overall responsibility for the development of the systems and the team that will operate the Lightspeed constellation of satellites through all phases of the mission including initial deployment, orbit raising, in service and end of life disposal. The Director will oversee the definition of the operations concepts, selection of the systems required for safe and efficient operations of the constellation, oversee the development and validation of the SOC systems and build and train the Satellite Operations team. The Director will be responsible for overseeing the operations of the satellites following launch through all phases of the mission to ensure efficient and reliable long term operations of the constellation.

Resource is required to work onsite at Telesat HQ 5 days per week.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead the development of the Operations Concept for the Lightspeed Constellation Satellite Operations.
• Lead the team refining the system requirements for all elements of the Lightspeed SOC including real-time command and telemetry processing, flight dynamics system, space situational awareness, data storage and analytics, ground encryption, constellation management and operations automation.
• Oversee the selection of suppliers including evaluation of make-buy solutions as appropriate to meet the overall SOC system requirements, budget and schedule.
• Engage in close collaboration with the Lightspeed satellite manufacturer to ensure that satellite operations deliverables are provided as required to support the SOC system development and provide guidance for the development of satellite operations procedures.
• Oversee the development and validation of the SOC systems, processes and procedures.
• Define the Satellite Operations organization structure, staffing and training plans to ensure that appropriate resources are in place to support the system development and operations working in close collaboration with other departments as needed to secure required support and resources.
• Define and manage the SOC detailed development and deployment schedule to identify critical paths, schedule risks and mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate with the Program Management Office and other program stakeholders to ensure the SOC interfaces with other segments (Network Operations, Landing Station Network) and deployment plan is aligned with the overall program requirements.
• Develop mission operations procedures and processes for LEOP, Orbit Raising and In-Orbit validation and conduct appropriate training and rehearsals.
• Develop and implement robust automation of operational processes to minimize operations team size and ensure highly reliable operations of the satellites in the constellation.

Education & Experience Required

• Bachelors degree in Engineering, Science or Mathematics
• More than 20 years of leadership experience in spacecraft operations systems development and on orbit operations with specific experience in LEO constellation satellite operations
• 10+ years of experience managing a team of direct reports
• Expertise in LEO satellite constellation operations development and deployment
• Expertise in satellite control systems, flight dynamics systems and managing space situational awareness
• Strong leadership, team building, staff development and mentoring skills
• Strong technical, presentation, interpersonal, written and communication skills

Decision Making and Supervision

• Evaluate solutions and select solution
• Perform technical and programmatic assessments and provide risk assessments, recommendations and advice to the senior management team
• Assess operational plans, anomaly responses and direct critical responses as required
• Oversee satellite operations team including managers and their reports
• Build and mentor a new team

The successful candidate must be able to work in Canada and obtain clearance under the Canadian Controlled Goods Program (CGP).

At Telesat, we take pride in being an equal opportunity employer that values equality in the workplace. We are committed to providing the best candidate experience possible including any required accommodations at every stage of our interview process. All qualified applicants that have been selected for an interview that require accommodations, are advised to inform the Telesat Talent team accordingly. We will work with you to meet your needs. All accommodation information provided will be treated as confidential.

Commitment: Full Time Hire - (FTE with Benefits)

Department: Space and Network Engineering - LEO Satellite Engineering