Director of Product - Platform, Payload & Services

Key Responsibilities:

Product Strategy & Vision: 

• Lead product strategy for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) use cases across Kepler's platform, payload, and space infrastructure services, enabling real-time data relay, tasking, and delivery for defense and commercial customers
  

• Define and scale end-to-end ISR product offerings by integrating payload capabilities, space-based communications, and ground/data services to support low-latency, mission-critical intelligence workflows 
  
• Drive development of ISR-focused solutions that leverage Kepler's platform for persistent connectivity, rapid data downlink, and in-mission responsiveness across distributed space assets 

• Define and drive the product vision and long-term strategy across Kepler’s product portfolio and translate company objectives into clear, actionable product initiatives  

• Identify new market opportunities across Europe and globally, including government, commercial, and defense sectors  and act as a key voice of the customer, incorporating feedback into product evolution  

Roadmap Ownership: 

• Own and maintain integrated roadmaps for Kepler’s four product lines, ensuring alignment with company priorities  

• Balance short-term delivery with long-term innovation across:  

• Data relay services, Hosted Payload solutions, Real-time connectivity solutions, Mission-specific service offerings, Emerging / next-gen capabilities  

• Drive prioritization decisions based on customer value, technical feasibility, and business impact  

• Ensure cross-product coherence, avoiding silos and maximizing platform leverage  

Cross-Functional Leadership: 

• Partner closely with engineering, solutions architects, sales, and commercial operations teams to deliver products successfully  

• Lead cross-functional planning processes, including quarterly and annual product planning and collaborate with go-to-market teams to ensure successful launches and adoption  

Execution & Delivery: 

• Oversee execution from concept through launch and iteration and establish clear success metrics for each product line  

• Ensure timely delivery while managing risk in a highly technical, hardware-software integrated environment  

Market & Customer Engagement: 

• Build strong relationships with European, Canadian and US customers, partners, and regulatory stakeholders  

• Represent Kepler at industry events, conferences, and customer engagements and monitor competitive landscape and industry trends to inform strategy  

Leadership & Growth: 

• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and customer focus  

• Help scale product processes and best practices as Kepler grows  

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in Product Management, with at least 3+ years in a leadership role  
• BS/BA in engineering, business, or related field  
• Experience working with a mix of Canadian, US, and European commercial and defense customers, regulators, or markets 
• Proven experience owning complex product portfolios or multiple product lines  
• Strong track record of building and executing product roadmaps in technical domains  
• Experience working in space, satellite, defense, or deep tech industries  
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally in global, distributed teams  
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to navigate ambiguity and drive clarity across teams  
• 15-25% travel within Europe and North America with travel to Kepler HQ in Toronto
• Demonstrates a willingness to adopt and effectively utilize AI-assisted engineering tools, applying sound judgment to improve productivity, quality, and innovation while continuously adapting to evolving technologies

Bonus Points:

• Familiarity with satellite communications, networking, or mission operations  

• MBA or advanced degree in engineering, business, or related field  

• Ability to collaborate across time zones with teams in North America