Role in brief
ZeroAvia is looking for a senior business development director to drive revenue growth in the defense sector. This role involves leading the entire sales cycle for defense deals, from initial contact to commercial closure, and managing key relationships with defense ministries and partners. It suits a seasoned professional with a strong track record of closing complex defense sales.
About the role
This role focuses on generating revenue within the defense sector by independently leading and closing priority defense deals. The director will manage the entire sales pipeline, ensuring accountability and progress from the initial contact through to the final commercial agreement. This includes qualifying opportunities, securing customer alignment, and negotiating complex contracts.
A key aspect of the position involves acting as the primary commercial interface between ZeroAvia and national defense ministries, international defense agencies, and defense primes. The goal is to build trust and credibility to facilitate funding decisions and program starts, securing customer champions who can advocate for budget release and internal approvals.
Success in this role means not just supporting bids, but directly owning and delivering defense revenue targets. It requires establishing and managing partnerships with prime contractors and system integrators, ensuring their requirements align with ZeroAvia’s technology roadmaps and commercial objectives to generate consistent revenue.
The listed salary range for this position is between $52,000 and $88,000 USD.
Who this role suits
- You have a strong bias toward achieving closure and generating revenue in commercial settings.
- You are comfortable taking personal accountability for deal outcomes and thrive in environments requiring commercial assertiveness.
- You are persistent and resilient, capable of navigating long and complex sales cycles within the defense industry.
- You can operate effectively despite ambiguity while maintaining commercial discipline.
From the employer
Key Responsibilities
- Pipeline Ownership & Deal Closure
- Own and deliver defence revenue targets
- Personally lead priority defence deals from first contact through commercial close
- Maintain disciplined pipeline management and deal accountability
- Capture Leadership & Commercial Execution
- Lead capture strategy for defence opportunities, including:
- Opportunity qualification and go/no-go decisions
- Customer alignment and sponsorship
- Key account management and relationship development
- Shape and negotiate complex commercial agreements
- Play a hands-on role in negotiation, remaining directly involved through signature
- Defence Customer Engagement That Converts
- Act as ZeroAvia’s senior commercial interface with national defence ministries, international defence agencies, defence primes and system integrators
- Build trust and credibility at the level required to unlock funding decisions and programme starts
- Secure customer champions capable of driving internal approval and budget release
- Partnerships That Generate Revenue
- Establish and manage partnerships with primes and system integrators
- Align partner requirements with ZeroAvia’s technology roadmaps and commercial objectives
Required Experience & Background
- Essential
- 10+ years’ experience in defence or aerospace markets with direct commercial responsibility
- Clear, demonstrable personal track record of delivering full sales cycles from origination to closure in defence
- Experience selling into national defence ministries and international defence agencies and partnering with defence primes and Tier 1s
- Deep understanding of defence budgeting, funding and procurement processes
- Evidence of owning revenue outcomes, not just supporting bids or partnerships
- Highly Desirable
- Experience commercialising new or disruptive technologies into defence markets
- Background in aerospace propulsion, power systems or aircraft systems
- Proven history of converting demonstrations into funded programmes, partnerships and recurring revenue
- Existing Security Check or Direct Vetting clearance
- Personal Attributes
- Strong bias toward closure and revenue generation
- Comfortable being personally accountable for deal outcomes
- Commercially assertive and credible in defence environments
- Persistent, resilient, and effective in long and complex sales cycles
- Able to operate with ambiguity while maintaining commercial discipline
Benefits & Perks
- Private health and dental care
- Mental health support
- Free lunch and healthy snacks
- Sports, games and culture clubs
- Stock options
- 25 days holiday, plus public holidays
- Free EV Charging and EV Club membership
- Salary Sacrifice Schemes for EV Club, Curry's Tech, Cycle to Work, and Ikea Furniture
- Weekly Spot Bonuses
- Income Protection and Legal Support
- Relocation Support
Questions about this role
What level of experience is required for this role?
This is a senior-level position requiring over 10 years of experience in defense or aerospace markets, specifically with direct commercial responsibility and a proven track record of closing sales.
What is the remote work policy for this position?
This is a remote position, though specific geographic restrictions are not mentioned beyond it being remote.
What is the salary range for this position?
The salary for this role ranges from $52,000 to $88,000 USD annually.