Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager - Defense Chemicals Position Title: Business Development Manager - Defense Chemicals Location: On-site - Tampa, FL Industry: Government / Defense / Chemicals / Energetic Materials Employment Type: Full‑time Join a growing defense‑focused organization supporting critical chemical, energetic materials, and advanced manufacturing programs where technical capability, customer relationships, and regulatory discipline directly impact mission success. We are seeking a Business Development Manager to drive growth and strategic expansion across a defense chemicals portfolio, including propellants, explosives, specialty chemicals, intermediates, energetic materials, and related technologies. This role will identify new business opportunities, build relationships with defense agencies, prime contractors, OEMs, and international defense customers, and support long‑term contract growth in compliance with U.S. and foreign government defense regulations, export controls, and hazardous materials requirements. Key Responsibilities Strategic Business Development Identify and pursue new business opportunities within defense and military chemical markets. Pursue defense market opportunities where finished products are supplied using existing energetic materials production capacity. Develop and execute growth strategies aligned with company objectives. Monitor global defense spending trends, procurement programs, and emerging requirements. Map key stakeholders across the Department of Defense, Ministries of Defense, armed forces, and defense prime contractors. Customer & Relationship Management Build and maintain strong relationships with defense agencies, procurement bodies, OEMs, and defense contractors. Serve as the primary commercial interface for defense customers. Lead negotiations for long‑term supply agreements and strategic partnerships. Identify and track RFPs, RFIs, and defense tenders through existing customer relationships, new customer development, SAM.gov , GovWin, and other tools. Coordinate cross‑functional teams, including engineering, production, regulatory, quality, and finance, for proposal development. Prepare commercial product proposals for defense‑related customers, ensuring compliance with defense standards and export/security protocols as applicable. Technical & Regulatory Alignment Work closely with technical teams to align product capabilities with military specifications. Ensure compliance with ITAR, export control regulations, hazardous materials handling requirements, and defense certifications. Support product qualification, testing, and approval processes with defense authorities. Conduct market research on defense chemicals, energetic materials, and specialty defense formulations. Analyze competitor positioning, pricing strategies, and contract awards. Identify emerging technologies and potential acquisition or partnership targets. Identify budget data using P-forms and other government databases. Internal Collaboration Collaborate with manufacturing to ensure production capacity alignment with contract commitments. Coordinate with supply chain for secure sourcing of required raw materials. Support leadership with business forecasts, pipeline reporting, and strategic planning. Key Performance Indicators New contract awards and revenue growth Expansion into new defense programs or geographies Pipeline development and conversion rate Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Chemistry, or related field, or equivalent experience 5-10 years of experience in business development, sales, or program management Minimum 5 years of experience in defense chemicals, energetic materials, propellants, explosives, or related sectors Experience working with defense procurement processes and government contracting Understanding of military specifications (MIL-STD) Knowledge of energetic materials, specialty chemicals, and hazardous materials compliance Familiarity with export control laws and defense regulations Strong negotiation and contract management skills Strategic thinking and market analysis capability Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills High integrity and ability to handle sensitive information Ability to work in complex regulatory environments Project management and cross‑functional leadership experience Preferred Qualifications Experience with defense primes, OEMs, foreign ministries of defense, or international defense customers Experience using SAM.gov , GovWin, P-forms, and other government market intelligence tools Other Requirements Travel: Approximately 30-50% domestic and international travel Work Environment: Office work environment Requirements: Background investigation, drug screen, and U.S. Person status required Why This Opportunity Direct impact on programs supporting defense chemicals, energetic materials, and advanced manufacturing High‑visibility role with leadership exposure and influence Opportunity to build strategic customer relationships across defense agencies, primes, OEMs, and international markets Collaborative environment focused on accountability, quality, growth, and long‑term mission success #J-18808-Ljbffr