Senior Director, Canada Defence – Client & Program

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. 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.

We are looking for an exceptional Senior Director to be the single face of this program from Telesat to DND – owning the customer relationship and orchestrating delivery from build through to operational service. If you are energized by high-stakes defence programs, thrive at the intersection of customer, commercial and engineering, and want to help shape a nation’s strategic communications capability, this is a rare and career-defining role.

Role Summary

The Senior Director oversees the development, initial deployment, and ongoing engagement over the entire life of the ESCP-P program (LEO Mil-Ka and MEO UHF/X-band). You will be the primary relationship owner and “one face” of the program to DND – accountable for customer trust, implementation progress, program health, and the seamless coordination of every Telesat function that touches the mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the customer relationship– serve as the single, trusted point of contact and “one face” of Telesat to DND, building durable, credible relationships across the customer’s program, technical and executive stakeholders.
• Lead end‑to‑end program engagement– oversee the development, initial deployment, and ongoing service engagement across the full ESCP-P lifecycle from initial service access to full operational capability, spanning LEO Mil-Ka and MEO UHF/X-band capabilities.
• Orchestrate across a matrixed organization– coordinating with Program Delivery, align and drive contributions from engineering, network operations, product, security, supply chain, legal, finance and Go To Market.
• Govern program health– in conjunction with Program Delivery, manage scope, schedule, cost, risk and quality against contractual commitments; establish the cadence, governance and reporting that keep the program predictable and on track.
• Co‑ordinate technical program leadership– bring an engineering‑literate perspective to engage the technical teams with customer expectations regarding system design, integration, verification and acceptance across the LEO Mil‑Ka and MEO UHF/X‑band portions of the program.
• Apply deep program management rigor– deploy proven program management methods to keep a complex, multi‑year build disciplined, transparent and auditable.
• Translate mission needs into delivery– ensure customer requirements, timelines and mission priorities are clearly understood internally and reflected in system and product specifications and operational roadmaps and procedures.
• Lead the joint governance– represent Telesat in the DND / Telesat Joint program management office and associated working groups, driving decisions, resolving issues and escalating effectively.
• Protect commercial and contractual outcomes– partner with commercial, legal and finance teams to safeguard revenue, manage change, and ensure obligations are met with full compliance and transparency.
• Champion assurance and security– uphold the security, sovereignty and mission‑assurance standards expected of a defence program of national importance.

Ideal Candidate Requirements

• You are a seasoned program and customer leader who has carried the trust of major clients on complex, high‑value programs.
• You combine a solid technical background and deep, demonstrable program management experience on large, technically demanding programs.
• Large customer / account leadership background– a proven track record managing major, complex customer relationships and large‑scale programs.
• Large technical program experience- a solid grounding in complex engineering programs, with the ability to engage credibly with engineering teams.
• Extensive, hands‑on experience directing large, multi‑year technical programs, with mastery of integrated scheduling, earned‑value/cost control, risk and dependency management.
• Canadian defence experience– direct experience working with the Canadian defence community, with a strong understanding of how defence programs are governed, delivered and assured.
• Government of Canada Secret Security clearance– you currently hold, or are eligible to obtain, a Secret‑level security clearance.
• Ottawa‑based– located in (or willing to relocate to) the Ottawa, Ontario area.
• Matrixed leadership ability– demonstrated success leading and delivering through influence in a highly matrixed organization.
• Executive presence & communication– exceptional stakeholder management, negotiation and communication skills.
• Program discipline– strong command of program governance, risk, schedule and financial management on large, multi‑year engagements.

Why Join Us

• Take the lead on one of Canada’s most strategically significant defence communications programs.
• Own the customer relationship end‑to‑end and shape how a next‑generation LEO network is delivered into service.
• Work at the forefront of Telesat Lightspeed, a global‑first LEO constellation.
• Apply and deepen your technical expertise and program management craft at the leading edge of space systems engineering and large‑scale defence program delivery.
• A senior director‑level platform with executive visibility, meaningful autonomy, and the opportunity to build and grow a program franchise.