Director of Business Development

Director of Business Development

Our client is an established organization in the aerospace and defense sector seeking a Director of Business Development to lead strategic growth across military, government, and commercial aviation markets. This highly visible leadership role is ideal for an accomplished aerospace professional who knows how to turn technical capabilities, customer relationships, and market intelligence into sustainable revenue. The successful candidate will influence growth strategy, develop high value opportunities, expand the organization's addressable capabilities, and guide complex pursuits from early identification through award and execution.

This Role Offers:

• Opportunity to pursue complex aerospace and defense programs spanning government, military, OEM, and commercial channels.
• Direct collaboration with engineering, operations, quality, finance, legal, and executive leadership.
• Exposure to both current and legacy aircraft systems, supporting long term sustainment needs across diverse aviation markets.
• Opportunity to lead customer facing teams and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders throughout the aerospace and defense ecosystem.

Focus:

• Build and execute a growth strategy for military and commercial aerospace accounts, balancing near term capture priorities with longer range market development.
• Develop new revenue channels with government customers, defense primes, aircraft operators, and aerospace manufacturers while strengthening established strategic relationships.
• Evaluate opportunities against engineering, manufacturing, repair, and product support capabilities to prioritize programs with strong technical and commercial fit.
• Advance government source approval and qualification initiatives that can broaden the organization's addressable component portfolio and create durable sustainment revenue.
• Direct capture planning, proposal strategy, pricing coordination, and contract negotiations in partnership with engineering, operations, quality, finance, legal, and compliance teams.
• Guide the sales and customer support organization, establish pipeline discipline, and remove barriers that could slow customer response or program execution.
• Translate competitor activity, demand signals, procurement forecasts, and pricing intelligence into actionable recommendations for leadership.
• Represent the business with customers and at relevant industry events, while maintaining disciplined compliance with applicable government acquisition requirements.

Skill Set:

• 15 to 20 years of progressive business development experience within aerospace, defense, or military markets, with a record of winning and expanding complex accounts.
• Advanced knowledge of U.S. Government procurement, defense sustainment, acquisition rules, forecasting resources, and competitive bidding environments.
• Commercial and technical familiarity with aircraft electronics and avionics, including both current and legacy component manufacturing and sustainment, plus working knowledge of hydraulic and structural systems.
• Undergraduate education in a business, technical, aviation, or comparable field is required, with graduate-level credentials considered an advantage.
• U.S. citizenship is required for this position.
• Strong executive communication, negotiation, relationship development, and cross functional leadership skills.
• Ability to connect customer requirements with engineering and operational capabilities and turn technical fit into a practical capture strategy.
• Comfort working in a fast moving, accountable environment that requires initiative, sound judgment, and disciplined follow through.

About Blue Signal:

Blue Signal is an award-winning, executive search firm specializing in sales & business development recruiting. We have a strong track record of finding top-performing talent in areas such as sales leadership, account management, and business development strategy. Learn more at bit.ly/3NNY1wM