Business Development Director - Directed Energy Systems, International

AeroVironment•Huntsville, AL

2d•$126,500 - $215,000

About The Position

AeroVironment is seeking an experienced international business development leader to establish and expand its directed energy business across allied and partner nations, including the LOCUST® X3 Laser Weapon System. The role translates regional defense priorities and emerging counter-UAS requirements into international directed energy programs, helping customers assess how laser weapon systems can support layered air defense, protect forces and critical infrastructure, and address threats from unmanned aircraft systems. The position leads AV’s international directed energy growth strategy across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and the Indo-Pacific. The director will tailor market approaches to each region’s threat environment, operational concepts, acquisition systems, funding mechanisms, industrial-base requirements, and partnership opportunities. The role develops country and program priorities, builds trusted customer and partner relationships, and advances opportunities from early market development through contract award and program growth. The director will shape AV’s international strategy, customer requirements, regional partnerships, and future products and offerings for international operators. The role includes frequent international travel across the priority regions and domestic engagement with AV teams and U.S. government stakeholders. The position is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Huntsville, Alabama; or the National Capital Region. A Secret clearance is required. The position involves access to ITAR- and/or EAR-controlled information, and applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under those regulations or be eligible for an export license.

Requirements

At least 10 years of relevant defense or national security experience, including at least 5 years in international business development, capture, defense sales, strategic partnerships, or acquisition.
Demonstrated success advancing complex defense opportunities and building trusted relationships with international customers, government stakeholders, and industry partners.
An established network in one or more of Europe, MENA, or the Indo-Pacific.
Strong understanding of how international military requirements are developed, funded, acquired, integrated, and transitioned into operational capability.
Working knowledge of directed energy, laser weapon systems, counter-UAS, integrated air defense, electro-optical systems, or related technologies.
Ability to explain the advantages, limitations, operational employment, and integration considerations of directed energy within a layered air defense architecture.
Experience developing regional market strategies, capture plans, customer engagement plans, pipeline objectives, and international growth initiatives.
Experience coordinating complex pursuits across government, industry, and internal functions, including engineering, program management, contracts, finance, export compliance, and legal.
Strong commercial judgment in evaluating customer urgency, market attractiveness, competitive positioning, partner value, program risk, and return on investment.
Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively across cultures and organizational levels.
Initiative and persistence to open new markets, shape requirements early, develop proposals and presentations, and maintain momentum through complex international decision cycles.
Must qualify as a U.S. person under ITAR and EAR regulations or be eligible for an export license; some positions may require current U.S. citizenship due to contract requirements.

Nice To Haves

Successful international sales or captures involving directed energy, high-energy lasers, counter-UAS, air defense, electro-optical/infrared systems, or related defense technologies.
Experience supporting customers or programs across at least two of Europe, MENA, and the Indo-Pacific.
Familiarity with FMS, DCS, government-to-government acquisition, multinational programs, export licensing, and international compliance requirements.
Experience developing international teaming arrangements, system-integration strategies, offset or industrial participation plans, local-content strategies, or in-country sustainment approaches.
Experience working with NATO, allied, coalition, or multinational defense organizations.
Technical, operational, military, or acquisition experience enabling engagement with engineers and military end users.
Professional experience living or working internationally, or demonstrated proficiency in another language.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute directed energy market strategies for Europe, MENA, and the Indo-Pacific, assessing security priorities, counter-UAS requirements, air defense architectures, acquisition timelines, funding, competition, and local industrial capabilities.
Identify priority countries, ministries, military organizations, acquisition programs, exercises, demonstrations, and industry engagements.
Translate regional strategies into business development and capture plans; set pipeline objectives, qualify and shape opportunities, and track them from customer engagement through award and follow-on growth.
Build relationships with allied and partner-nation ministries of defense, military users, acquisition organizations, test agencies, national security institutions, international primes, integrators, and local defense companies.
Engage customers to understand operational challenges, threat priorities, force structure, rules of engagement, infrastructure needs, and desired employment concepts; position directed energy within layered air defense and counter-UAS solutions.
Help customers connect operational needs to requirements development, experimentation, demonstrations, funding, acquisition, integration, training, sustainment, and long-term force development.
Establish regional partnerships and develop teaming, integration, industrial participation, local-content, sustainment, and market-access strategies.
Lead international captures and coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering, product management, program management, contracts, finance, supply chain, export compliance, legal, and communications.
Coordinate FMS, DCS, government-to-government, and other international acquisition pathways with AV specialists, U.S. government stakeholders, and customer representatives.
Represent AV in senior customer meetings, technical briefings, demonstrations, operational assessments, trade shows, exercises, industry forums, and partner engagements.
Communicate the operational value, capabilities, employment considerations, integration requirements, limitations, readiness factors, and lifecycle implications of laser weapon systems to military, technical, acquisition, and executive audiences.
Maintain customer and partner engagement after award through implementation, fielding, training, sustainment, capability expansion, follow-on opportunities, and development of international references.
Translate customer feedback, competitor intelligence, policy changes, partner capabilities, and regional market trends into recommendations for product development, integration, positioning, pricing, investment, and portfolio strategy.