Director, Business Development

AeroVironment•Simi Valley, CA

About The Position

SSummaryThe Director of Business Development (National) will be responsible for managing proposals from blue-team to proposal submission; managing BD activities, including coordinating activities of sales staff, managing CRM, and supporting the creation of marketing and advertising materials; supporting the development and tracking of budgets. One ensures regulatory compliance of product and technology offerings; and supporting the mission of finding, recruiting and hiring the very best talent in the area. We're looking for an energetic person who will be a champion for the organization, a mentor for staff, and will not mind rolling up their sleeves and diving in where necessary. Position Responsibilities Oversees the execution of proposal process. Responsible for assembling required resources, skills, and matrixed support functions to develop proposal content and conformance to RFP requirements. Works with Finance to ensure project charge numbers are opened and managed for proposal efforts. Ensures regulatory compliance of all offerings. Focuses on new business models that leverage enabling trends Solves customer problems in larger potential markets and rapidly assemble internal and external capabilities required to achieve growth in a very competitive marketplace. Validates ideas and achieve milestones in the development and execution of new business opportunities. Creates and tracks office and program budgets. Manages staff including interviewing applicants and mentoring new hires Works on significant and unique issues where analysis of situations or date requires an evaluation of intangibles Other duties as assigned Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience) Bachelor's Degree in a related field of study is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience 10 years of demonstrated experience in proposal development and general management of business development activities 5+ years of experience in the robotics industry Priority given to candidate that has a technical degree with significant business development experience of 10+ years Demonstrated experience in developing competitive proposals from $100k to multi-million dollar programs, including R&D and procurement proposals, as well as proposals for programs of record Strong understanding of government proposal and program requirements Understanding of international procurements Strong understanding of regulatory requirements for US government programs, as well as international sales Strong understanding of budget and schedule process and able to track and forecast using business analysis technique Ability to travel, both domestically and internationally, up to 25% of the time Preferred Qualifications (Desired Skills & Experience) Demonstrates strong written and verbal communication skills Performs well in a rapidly growing organization with rapidly changing requirements and sales targets Highly self-motivated with strong problem solving and multi-tasking skills Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths, and adapt decision-making style based on the situational circumstances Inspires, motivates, and empowers people to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to employees Brings organizational values to life using personality, uniqueness and the creation of a shared vision Champions the process of change and promotes a culture of quick adaptation while helping others deal with the effects of change The ability to develop and maintain internal and external trusting, professional relationships Physical Demands Ability to work in an office environment (Constant) Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent) Clearance Level No Clearance AeroVironment considers several factors, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. ITAR Requirement: This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements. Benefits: AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits. We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us. Principals only need apply. NO agencies please. Who We Are Based in California, AeroVironment (AVAV) is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Founded in 1971 by celebrated physicist and engineer, Dr. Paul MacCready, we’ve been at the leading edge of technical innovation for more than 45 years. Be a part of the team that developed the world’s most widely used military drones and created the first submarine-launched reconnaissance drone, and has seven innovative vehicles that are part of the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection in Washington, DC. Join us today in developing the next generation of small UAS and tactical missile systems that will deliver more actionable intelligence to our customers so they can proceed with certainty – and succeed. What We Do Building on a history of technological innovation, AeroVironment designs, develops, produces, and supports an advanced portfolio of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company’s hand-launched UAS to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition. We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status. ITAR U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder), asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or a person approved for an export license from the appropriate governing agency. About AV: AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best. We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve. Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next. If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV. Careers at AeroVironment

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in a related field of study is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
10 years of demonstrated experience in proposal development and general management of business development activities
5+ years of experience in the robotics industry
Priority given to candidate that has a technical degree with significant business development experience of 10+ years
Demonstrated experience in developing competitive proposals from $100k to multi-million dollar programs, including R&D and procurement proposals, as well as proposals for programs of record
Strong understanding of government proposal and program requirements
Understanding of international procurements
Strong understanding of regulatory requirements for US government programs, as well as international sales
Strong understanding of budget and schedule process and able to track and forecast using business analysis technique
Ability to travel, both domestically and internationally, up to 25% of the time

Nice To Haves

Demonstrates strong written and verbal communication skills
Performs well in a rapidly growing organization with rapidly changing requirements and sales targets
Highly self-motivated with strong problem solving and multi-tasking skills
Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths, and adapt decision-making style based on the situational circumstances
Inspires, motivates, and empowers people to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to employees
Brings organizational values to life using personality, uniqueness and the creation of a shared vision
Champions the process of change and promotes a culture of quick adaptation while helping others deal with the effects of change
The ability to develop and maintain internal and external trusting, professional relationships

Responsibilities

Oversees the execution of proposal process.
Responsible for assembling required resources, skills, and matrixed support functions to develop proposal content and conformance to RFP requirements.
Works with Finance to ensure project charge numbers are opened and managed for proposal efforts.
Ensures regulatory compliance of all offerings.
Focuses on new business models that leverage enabling trends
Solves customer problems in larger potential markets and rapidly assemble internal and external capabilities required to achieve growth in a very competitive marketplace.
Validates ideas and achieve milestones in the development and execution of new business opportunities.
Creates and tracks office and program budgets.
Manages staff including interviewing applicants and mentoring new hires
Works on significant and unique issues where analysis of situations or date requires an evaluation of intangibles
Other duties as assigned