Director of Sales And Business Development - Defense Drones

Director, US Defense & Federal Sales Remote, United States | Travel required ABOUT THE COMPANY A global leader in actively tethered, autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms. Its advanced autonomous robotics and unjammable tethered station-keeping technology provide continuous, 24/7 situational awareness. With more than 1,000 systems deployed and a leading position in North American public safety, the company is expanding its U.S. defense and federal business. This growth is supported by new funding, a U.S.-built product line, and a new U.S. manufacturing facility. ABOUT THE ROLE We are seeking a Director of U.S. Defense & Federal Sales to lead and expand the company’s defense and federal business. The company has established relationships within key U.S. military branches and serves as a Tier 1 subcontractor on active federal contract vehicles with leading defense primes. This is a player-coach position: you will manage a small existing team while remaining directly involved in business development and deal execution. Success means deepening existing government relationships, expanding into new branches and use cases, developing partnerships with additional defense primes, and growing pilot programs and initial field deployments into larger programs of record. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Federal and Defense Business Development • Own and expand relationships within key U.S. military branches • Extend the company’s presence into additional Department of Defense branches and use cases • Pursue opportunities involving ISR, force protection, kill chain and targeting support, communications relay and SIGINT, and variable-height antenna programs • Build the federal and defense sales pipeline • Convert pilot programs and limited deployments into larger programs of record Prime and Contract Vehicle Strategy • Build and strengthen relationships with Tier 1 defense primes • Proactively identify and pursue opportunities with prime contractors • Navigate federal contract vehicles and channel partners, including IDIQs and DLA-based procurement • Partner with sales engineering on technical proposals and RFP/RFI responses Team Leadership • Manage and mentor the existing federal and defense sales team • Participate directly in day-to-day deal strategy and execution • Help build a dedicated federal team as the company’s new product line and U.S. manufacturing facility come online • Represent the company at major industry and Department of Defense events, including AUSA, AFA, and Adjutants General Association meetings • Participate in program-level customer briefings QUALIFICATIONS Required • Demonstrated self-starter who can operate autonomously in a small, fast-moving company • Strong relationship-building and consultative selling skills • Experience working within complex, long-cycle government sales environments • Willingness to travel at least 30% • Comfortable working hands-on with customers and partners in the field Preferred • Prior U.S. military experience • Experience selling to the U.S. Department of Defense or federal government, ideally involving UAS or related defense technology • Experience developing relationships with defense primes • Experience navigating federal contract vehicles • Experience managing or mentoring a small team COMPENSATION - BENEFITS Compensation Base salary: $170,000–$190,000+ Variable incentive: $180,000+ Target total compensation (OTE): $400,000+ Benefits: Medical/dental/vision, life insurance, 401(k), paid holidays/PTO, short-and long-term disability, and paid parental leave and more.