Satellite Software Program Manager

Wanna Join the Adventure?

Loft Orbital is seeking a Satellite Software Program Manager to lead delivery of flight software and ground software in support of customer contracts. This role operates across matrixed and/or independent product teams, translating customer commitments into executable plans and ensuring software delivery aligns with AI&T (assembly, integration, and test) and spacecraft-level milestones.

This is a true program role - accountable for schedule, integration, and delivery, not just coordination.

About this role:

• Software Program Ownership:
• Own delivery of software scope across customer programs with teams including in Spacecraft Deployment, Software Solutions, Test Infrastructure, Customer Operations Engineer, Embedded Software, and Software Products
• Translate contract requirements into executable software plans
• Ensure alignment between software roadmaps and program milestones
• Planning & Scheduling:
• Build and maintain software schedules integrated into the program IMS
• Manage dependencies between software, hardware, AIT, and mission operations
• Provide inputs to and ensure alignment of sprint-level execution while maintaining long-range delivery credibility
• Cross-Team Execution:
• Work effectively with matrixed product personnel, independent functional teams, or dedicated program teams
• Resolve priority conflicts between product and program needs
• Ensure software readiness for integration, test, and launch
• Risk & Delivery Management:
• Identify software delivery risks early
• Coordinate mitigation, re-planning, and recovery actions
• Represent software execution status to customers and leadership
• Leadership & Influence:
• Act as a trusted execution partner to software engineering leadership
• Mentor junior PMs or TPMs
• Shape how Loft integrates software delivery into overall program execution
• Software Program Ownership & Customer Interface:
• Serve as the primary customer interface for software execution, delivery, and readiness
• Translate customer contractual commitments into executable software plans
• Ensure software delivery aligns with customer milestones, acceptance criteria, and integration events
• Represent software execution status in customer reviews and leadership forums
• Contract Administration for Software Scope:
• Own contract execution for software-related scope across customer programs
• Track software deliverables, milestones, and acceptance criteria
• In coordination with Customer Operations Engineer, perform impact assessments for software scope changes, including cost, schedule, and risk
• Ensure alignment between product roadmaps and customer contractual commitments
• Cross-Functional & Commercial Alignment (additive):
• Work closely with hardware PMs to ensure integrated contract compliance
• Partner with Legal, Finance, and Product to manage change control and invoicing milestones
• Ensure customer commitments do not outpace executable capacity

Must Haves:

• 7+ years experience managing complex software or software-heavy programs/projects
• Experience delivering flight software, ground software, or safety-critical systems
• Strong understanding of Agile execution and long-range program planning
• Proven ability to operate in matrixed organizations
• Experience with the Atlassian product suite (Jira, Confluence, Jira Service Management)

Nice to Haves:

• Experience with spacecraft flight software
• Familiarity with hardware-software integration cycles
• Experience managing software delivery across multiple concurrent programs
• Proficient with Jira Global Configuration

Some of Our Awesome Benefits:

• Equity, we want you to have an active role in our success
• Up to 35 days of Paid Time Off (vacations & RTT ) and flexible working hours, we want you to be at your best
• Health and life insurance, we care about your health
• Lunch Vouchers, because let's be honest, we love food! (we even have a slack channel about it #loft-gourmand)
• Cross-office travel opportunities between San Francisco, Colorado, and Toulouse to learn from our differences
• Company and team off-sites and many other events to work & celebrate together
• Relocation assistance to Toulouse when applicable

*Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other underrepresented people tend to only apply when they meet 100% of the qualifications. At Loft, we value respectful debate and people who aren't afraid to challenge assumptions. We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't check all the boxes.

Who We Are

Loft: Space Made Simple.

Founded in 2017, Loft provides governments, companies, and research institutions with a fast, reliable, and simple way to deploy missions in orbit.

We integrate, launch, and operate spacecraft, offering end-to-end missions as a service across Earth observation, IoT connectivity, on-orbit AI, national security missions, and more. Leveraging our existing space infrastructure and an extensive inventory of satellite buses, Loft is reducing years-long integration and launch timelines to months. With more than 30 missions flown, Loft's flight heritage and proven technologies enable customers to focus on their mission objectives.

With a growing fleet on track to reach 30 satellites by 2027, we are scaling up quickly across our offices in San Francisco, CA | Golden, CO | and Toulouse, France to meet accelerating demand for space infrastructure.

As an international company your resume will be reviewed by people across our offices so please attach a copy in English.