Director, Strategy

About You:

You are a strategic operator with a deep interest in aviation, autonomy, and complex, regulated environments. You are comfortable navigating ambiguity, connecting technical innovation to market opportunity, and driving initiatives from concept through execution.  You bring a structured approach to problem solving, strong business judgment, and the ability to influence across engineering, program, and commercial teams. You are equally comfortable in executive-level discussions and rolling up your sleeves to move critical initiatives forward. 

Responsibilities:

• • Partner with executive leadership to define and evolve Merlin’s business and corporate strategy 

• • Translate long-term vision into clear strategic priorities, roadmaps, and execution plans 

• • Identify and evaluate new markets, mission sets, and customer segments across commercial and government domains 

• • Develop go-to-market and growth strategies in regulated and government-contracted environments 

• • Lead high-priority, cross-functional strategic initiatives from concept through implementation 

• • Collaborate with Engineering, Programs, and Business Development to ensure alignment between technical development and business objectives 

• • Support strategy related to FAA certification pathways and defense procurement processes 

• • Build data-driven analyses, business cases, and executive-level materials to support decision-making and Board discussions 

• • Assess competitive landscape, partnerships, and ecosystem dynamics to inform strategic positioning 

• • Act as a force multiplier for leadership by increasing decision velocity and organizational alignment 

Requirements:

• • 7-10+ years of experience in strategy, operations, or program leadership 

• • Experience in aerospace, defense, autonomy, robotics, or other highly regulated industries 

• • Proven ability to operate at both strategic and execution levels 

• • Experience working with or alongside government customers or complex regulatory environments 

• • Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills 

• • Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives with measurable impact 

• • Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence at both executive and technical levels 

Nice to Haves:

• Experience in autonomous systems, aviation, or AI-driven platforms 
• Familiarity with FAA certification, DoD procurement, or mission-based program development 
• Background in management consulting, corporate strategy, or high-growth startups 
• Experience scaling strategy in a venture-backed or rapidly growing company 
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and build structure in evolving environments
• Operator mindset with a track record of driving strategy through execution 

The compensation range provided is reflective ofbase salary only, and is a good-faith estimate based on a wide range of factors. The actual offer will be determined by a variety of factors including the candidate's qualifications, skills, experience, education, and training. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Merlin's total compensation package. Additionally, Merlin offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees.