The Role
Leads Merlin’s maritime business, owning P&L, revenue growth, customer capture, proposals, negotiations, and execution of maritime ISR and surveillance programs. Translates government and commercial maritime mission needs into product and program strategies, oversees a portfolio of programs, and represents the company with senior defense, government, and commercial stakeholders. Requires deep maritime patrol, ISR, uncrewed aircraft, business development, and cross-functional leadership expertise.
Summary Generated by Built In
About you:
This is a role for an operator who understands the future of maritime domain awareness — one that increasingly depends on uncrewed aircraft, persistent ISR, and multi-mission autonomy. As General Manager, Maritime, you will own the P&L for Merlin’s maritime business and be accountable for one core outcome: turning maritime mission needs into revenue-generating programs. You bring fluency in maritime patrol missions, manned and unmanned ISR operations, and the systems that government and commercial maritime customers rely on — from vessel monitoring tools to command-and-control platforms and situational awareness networks. You understand how organizations like the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, DHS, offshore operators, and global maritime agencies operate and make decisions. Your presence, relationships, and operational credibility position you to represent Merlin at the highest levels. Your execution discipline ensures that opportunities turn into programs — and programs into lasting revenue.
Responsibilities:
- Grow revenue by building, maturing, and closing a robust pipeline across maritime defense, security, commercial surveillance, and government customers. Lead all capture efforts, proposals, and negotiations.
- Shape customer requirements for maritime ISR, patrol, and surveillance missions — translating operational challenges into actionable product and program strategies in collaboration with Product and Engineering.
- Own and manage P&L, ensuring consistent revenue growth, profitability, and long-term business viability.
- Lead the portfolio of maritime programs — providing oversight of financials, schedules, staffing, risks, and execution quality with Program Management and Finance.
- Serve as Merlin’s executive presence with maritime agencies, naval aviation, coast guards, and commercial surveillance operators — building trust, credibility, and long-term partnership opportunities.
- Represent Merlin’s uncrewed ISR capabilities, particularly those enabled by the King Air platform and future Merlin integrations.
- Drive cross-functional collaboration across BD, Capture, Product, Engineering, and Finance to deliver solutions that win and scale within maritime markets.
Requirements:
- Proven track record owning and managing $50M+ P&L in defense, aerospace, maritime security, ISR, or high-tech environments.
- Demonstrated success generating $100M+ in contract awards or revenue growth with maritime government (USCG, USN, DHS) or commercial operators.
- Deep understanding of maritime patrol, ISR operations, and surveillance mission sets, including manned and uncrewed aircraft operations.
- Fluency with maritime systems such as vessel monitoring, command-and-control platforms, intelligence/data services, and situational awareness networks.
- Demonstrated success in BD, capture management, and senior-level customer engagement within maritime or defense sectors.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams in fast-paced, mission-driven environments.
Nice To Haves:
- Active U.S. security clearance (Secret or higher).
- Strong relationships across U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, maritime aviation, or global maritime agencies.
- Experience positioning new ISR or autonomy technologies into maritime operations and converting them into revenue-producing programs.
- Background in maritime patrol aviation, uncrewed aircraft systems, or ISR mission execution
Skills Required
- Proven experience owning and managing a $50M or larger P&L in defense, aerospace, maritime security, ISR, or high-tech environments.
- Demonstrated success generating $100M or more in contract awards or revenue growth with maritime government or commercial operators.
- Deep understanding of maritime patrol, ISR operations, and surveillance missions, including manned and uncrewed aircraft operations.
- Fluency with vessel monitoring, command-and-control platforms, intelligence and data services, and situational awareness networks.
- Demonstrated success in business development, capture management, and senior-level customer engagement within maritime or defense sectors.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams in fast-paced, mission-driven environments.
- Active U.S. security clearance at the Secret level or higher.
- Strong relationships across the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, maritime aviation, or global maritime agencies.
- Experience positioning ISR or autonomy technologies into maritime operations and converting them into revenue-producing programs.
- Background in maritime patrol aviation, uncrewed aircraft systems, or ISR mission execution.
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The Company
What We Do
All of the sky, none of the limits. Merlin Labs is building the autonomous infrastructure for the sky above us, enabling goods, and eventually people, to fly without pilots. The Merlin Labs team is building the definitive autonomy system for all things that fly. We’re creating sophisticated software and hardware that fulfill the functions of a human pilot.
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