Space & Defence Strategy & Market Development Manager [26067]

CS GROUP is seeking a Manager for Strategy and Market Development to strengthen its Space & Defence Consulting activities in Germany. The role combines strategic consulting, market development, and technology analysis for institutional, government, and commercial customers in the space and defence sector.

You will support early project and mission phases such as Phase 0/A, conduct market, product, and technology analyses, develop robust value propositions, and anticipate future market and capability needs. You will work closely with Sopra Steria’s Defence team.

Responsibilities

• Further develop the Space & Defence Consulting strategy for institutional, government, and commercial markets.
• Analyze market, technology, regulatory, and relevant programme trends, including ESA, EU, and national actors.
• Identify capability and offering gaps and derive new consulting and solution approaches.
• Support go-to-market strategies and position space and defence services across the upstream, midstream, and downstream value chain.
• Build and maintain relationships with universities, research and development institutions, and industrial partners in the established space and NewSpace sectors.
• Support political and institutional decision-making processes in the space and defence environment.
• Engage and advise customers using a consultative approach focused on needs analysis, target-state definition, and long-term capability development.
• Identify, structure, and qualify project and market opportunities, including studies, Phase 0/A activities, research and development projects, innovation projects, and feasibility studies.
• Exchange with programme, project, and requirements owners and technical decision-makers to anticipate future requirements.
• Contribute to thought leadership activities such as white papers, specialist articles, conferences, trade fairs, and presentations.
• Deliver strategic, market-oriented, and technology-oriented consulting projects.
• Work closely with technical experts to develop well-founded consulting results.
• Support pre-sales, bids, and strategic decision-making and planning processes in early project phases.

Qualifications

• Strong consulting skills with excellent analytical, conceptual, and methodological capabilities.
• Ability to analyze complex problems systematically and communicate complex matters clearly in writing and speech.
• Proven professional experience in the space and/or defence sector.
• Fluent German and English.
• EU citizenship or an unlimited residence and work permit for the EU.
• Willingness and personal suitability to undergo a security clearance under German law.
• Willingness to travel for business within Germany and Europe.
• Degree in political science, public affairs, engineering, natural sciences, or an MBA.
• Proficiency in standard Microsoft Office applications.

Additional qualifications

• Experience advising public-sector clients and knowledge of European institutions and procurement procedures.
• Knowledge of Earth observation, satellite operations, satellite navigation, space security, resilience, sustainability, cybersecurity, or military space.
• Previous Bundeswehr experience or a strong understanding of military structures, processes, and requirements owners.

Additional information

The position is based in Darmstadt, Bremen, or Munich. Other Sopra Steria locations in Germany may be considered by agreement. The last application date is 20 September 2026. Please apply only if you are an EU citizen or eligible to obtain a work permit for Germany.