Business Development Manager, Air Force

Location: Remote, US (with approximately 30% travel supporting customer engagements, demonstrations, exercises, and industry events)
Clearance Requirement: U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

About NODA

NODA is a Veteran-owned, venture-backed technology company that is transforming how unmanned systems collaborate in complex, mission-critical environments. We are developing next-generation solutions that enable the autonomous orchestration of heterogeneous unmanned systems across air, sea, land, and space with vital applications in the defense, intelligence, and commercial sectors.

Our Business Development team plays a critical role in shaping how autonomous systems are adopted across the defense enterprise, influencing requirements before they are written, shaping acquisition strategies before they are released, and accelerating the transition of next-generation autonomy capabilities from concept to operational deployment.

Joining NODA means working on meaningful technology that pushes the boundaries of autonomy alongside a team that thrives on innovation, rapid iteration, and collaboration.

The Role

As our Business Development Manager for the Air Force, you’ll lead NODA’s growth across the U.S. Air Force. This is not an account management role. This is a builder’s role.

You’ll identify emerging Air Force mission needs, establish trusted relationships across the Air Force’s operational, acquisition, and innovation communities, influence acquisition strategies, and lead opportunities from initial engagement through contract award. You’ll work directly with airmen, Major Commands, Program Executive Offices, research laboratories, prime contractors, and industry partners to position NODA where our technology creates operational advantage, from collaborative autonomy and unmanned aircraft to base defense and agile combat employment.

Success in this role requires initiative, sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to operate independently in a fast-moving startup environment where priorities evolve quickly and opportunities are often created rather than assigned. You’ll be equally comfortable discussing operational challenges with airmen and command staff, technical integration with engineers, and acquisition strategy with senior Air Force leaders.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute NODA’s business development strategy across the Air Force, including Major Commands, Program Executive Offices, research laboratories, and innovation organizations

• Build trusted relationships with airmen, mission planners, acquisition professionals, contracting officers, laboratories, test organizations, prime contractors, and senior Air Force stakeholders

• Identify, qualify, shape, and capture strategic opportunities across unmanned aircraft, collaborative autonomy, base defense and multi-domain operations, from early customer engagement through proposal, negotiation, award, and transition to execution

• Develop and maintain a healthy multi-quarter pipeline while delivering accurate forecasting, opportunity qualification, and disciplined CRM management

• Lead capture planning including customer engagement strategy, competitive assessments, solution shaping, teaming strategies, pricing support, win themes, proposal development, bid/no-bid recommendations, and executive gate reviews

• Influence future Air Force requirements through regular engagement with operators, requirements owners, and program offices

• Partner closely with Engineering, Product, Mission Operations, Contracts, and Executive Leadership to align Air Force priorities with NODA’s product roadmap and growth strategy

• Navigate FAR-based contracts, OTAs, CSOs, SBIR/STTR,…