Business Development Manager; Defense

Our partner is looking for a Business Development Manager (Defense) based in the United States.

In this role, you will be responsible for driving strategic growth within the defense sector by identifying, developing, and closing high-value opportunities with defense agencies and key industry partners. You will own the full business development lifecycle, from early engagement through RFIs and RFQs to contract execution and long-term partnership development. This is a high-impact, remote-first role with significant influence on strategic defense market expansion.

Drive business development efforts within the defense sector by identifying, qualifying, and closing new opportunities with government agencies and prime contractors.

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key decision-makers across defense agencies and partner organizations.
• Lead the identification, response, and execution of RFIs and RFQs across relevant defense opportunities.
• Own the full sales lifecycle, including opportunity shaping, proposal development, negotiation, and contract execution.
• Collaborate with technical program management, systems engineering, and Tier 1 partners to build strong, cross-functional pursuit teams.
• Define and negotiate pricing, contract terms, and commercial agreements in partnership with legal and finance teams.
• Serve as the primary customer interface, ensuring alignment between customer needs and internal execution.
• Act as the voice of the customer internally, providing feedback to improve product and solution alignment.
• Support strategic travel (up to 25%) to engage with customers and partners domestically and internationally.

This role requires deep experience in defense-sector business development, strong relationship-building capabilities, and a proven track record of working with government agencies and prime contractors. Candidates should bring both strategic sales expertise and familiarity with complex procurement environments.

• 7+ years of experience in defense sales, business development, or government-facing account management.
• Strong network and established relationships within defense agencies and prime contractors.
• Proven experience managing RFIs, RFQs, and complex government procurement processes.
• Strong understanding of defense industry dynamics; automotive or adjacent industry experience is a plus.
• Ability to manage the full sales cycle, from opportunity identification to contract negotiation and closure.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong collaboration skills with engineering, program management, and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to operate in complex, highly regulated, and long-cycle sales environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or related field preferred.

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Remote-first work environment with flexible structure
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge defense and autonomy technologies
• High-impact role with direct influence on strategic growth initiatives
• Collaborative environment working with engineering, technical, and commercial teams
• Travel opportunities to engage with defense customers and partners
• Exposure to advanced perception and autonomous systems technologies