Business Development Lead, Central Europe (DACH, Czech Republic, Slovakia) (R5054)

Job Description:

What you'll do:

• Own and execute Shield AI’s go-to-market strategy across assigned markets, aligning territory activities with strategic growth priorities and customer mission requirements. 
• Build and grow a disciplined pipeline across autonomy, aircraft, ISR, and mission-system opportunities aligned with regional defence priorities. 
• Lead end-to-end deal closure, including account planning, customer shaping, competitive positioning, proposal leadership, negotiation, and contract close to meet or exceed carried sales quota.
• Engage directly with senior military leaders, Ministries of Defence, procurement authorities, sovereign stakeholders, and strategic industry partners across the territory. 
• Represent and differentiate Shield AI’s autonomy and aircraft portfolio by clearly articulating mission outcomes, operational advantages, and integration pathways. 
• Develop and manage regional partnerships, consultants, industrial participation structures, and offset-aligned strategies that expand market access and accelerate execution. 
• Coordinate cross-functional teams across Business Development, Product, Engineering, Government Relations, Legal, Contracts, Export Compliance, Operations, and Customer teams to support successful capture and delivery.  
• Maintain disciplined forecasting, pipeline management, opportunity tracking, and campaign reporting across the territory.  
• Provide regional market intelligence on competitor dynamics, customer demand, and political or operational risks.  
• Support executive customer engagement after award to support customer success, follow-on growth, and long-term account expansion. 

Required qualifications:

• Typically requires 6+ years of experience in business development, capture, sales, strategic engagement, account management, or related customer-facing roles within defence, aerospace, national security, or advanced technology environments.
• Experience operating across international defence, government, or regulated markets, including navigating complex stakeholder and procurement environments. 
• Demonstrated success identifying, shaping, and advancing complex opportunities involving long sales cycles, senior stakeholders, and technically differentiated solutions. 
• Strong executive presence and ability to build credibility with military, government, industry, and strategic partner stakeholders.  
• Technical aptitude and operational understanding of autonomous systems, ISR, mission systems, AI-enabled capabilities, or related defence technologies. 
• Strong communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration skills.  
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently throughout the territory and internationally. 
• Based within the region, or willing to relocate to a strategic location within the assigned territory.
• Fluency in English and regional languages relevant to the assigned market. 
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional, military, or operational experience preferred. 

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with UAS, autonomy, ISR, mission systems, aerospace, or AI-enabled operational capabilities. 
• Existing relationships across defence ministries, military organizations, procurement authorities, or strategic industry partners within the assigned territory. 
• Experience supporting direct commercial sales, Foreign Military Sales (FMS), or international government procurement programs.  
• Prior military, operational defence, government, or national security experience.

Why Join Shield AI:

• Help build the defining defence technology company of this century. 
• Work at the forefront of AI, autonomy, and next-generation defence systems. 
• Operate in a highly entrepreneurial and mission-driven environment.  
• Make a direct impact on international growth and strategic defence partnerships. 
• Collaborate with exceptional teams solving some of the world’s most complex operational challenges.