How To Become A Mission Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a mission manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

A mission manager holds a crucial role in communicating with clients and closing contracts concerning launch services and vehicles such as satellites. The demand for this career is sky-high in industries that specialize in space technology.

The mission manager guarantees that the requirements for the satellites are met, and the execution of the mission launch sites is safe. They handle and manage contract deliverables, making sure that the activities are aligned with the project goals. They coordinate with the production group and the clients, make frequent visits at launch sites, and guide mission integrators in their duties.

People in this position have robust intelligence analysis, organizational, and customer service skills. Typically, they have a bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, and electrical fields. However, some companies prefer candidates with years of prior experience and master's degree holders majoring in engineering, business, intelligence operations, and related areas of specialization. In hiring a mission manager, the US government space technology export regulations are also strictly observed. The median salary of a mission manager is $31.74 an hour or $66,016 a year.

ScoreMission ManagerUS Average

Salary

7.4

Avg. Salary $95,276

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.6

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%

Asian 12.57%

Black or African American 6.84%

Hispanic or Latino 10.27%

Unknown 5.22%

White 64.88%

Gender

female 24.25%

male 75.75%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a mission manager

Explore mission manager education requirements

Most common mission manager degrees

Bachelor's

54.0 %

Associate

23.5 %

Master's

15.9 %

Start to develop specific mission manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Collection Management	12.72%
ISR	12.45%
DOD	11.88%
Intelligence Analysis	9.23%
Situational Awareness	7.38%

Complete relevant mission manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New mission managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a mission manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real mission manager resumes.

Research mission manager duties and responsibilities

Manage a team of linguists and analysts continually engage in near real-time intelligence operations in Afghanistan and the AOR.
Manage multiple NSA accounts simultaneously ensuring quick delivery and quality services.
Manage multiple SIGINT collection platforms; ensure collection and processing of national-level task targets.
Manage relationships with system architecture, software engineering, testing, documentation and quality assurance.

Prepare your mission manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your mission manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a mission manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable mission manager resume templates

Build a professional mission manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your mission manager resume.