Director of Business Development - Aerospace

GuideTech LLC•Huntsville, AL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

GuideTech, a subsidiary of Palladyne AI, develops advanced avionics, autonomous flight software, artificial intelligence, and mission systems for aerospace and defense platforms. Their technologies support unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), counter UAS platforms, launch vehicles, spacecraft, and other autonomous systems by improving navigation, mission execution, flight management, and autonomous decision making. GuideTech also provides engineering services to solve complex technical challenges and foster aerospace innovation. This is a hands-on business development leadership role focused on driving commercial growth across GuideTech's portfolio of engineering services, intelligent software, avionics, and autonomous aerospace products. The successful candidate will be responsible for the full business development lifecycle, from prospecting and cold outreach to proposal development, contract negotiation, and long-term account growth. The role requires technical aptitude to understand complex aerospace technologies and communicate their capabilities and business value to a diverse range of stakeholders, including engineers, program managers, procurement teams, and executive decision-makers. This position reports to the President of GuideTech and collaborates closely with engineering, product development, marketing, and executive leadership.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in business development, technical sales, strategic partnerships, account management, or revenue generation.
Demonstrated success building pipeline through outbound prospecting and winning new business.
Experience selling technical products, engineering services, software, or integrated solutions within aerospace, defense, autonomy, robotics, avionics, artificial intelligence, or related industries.
Proven ability to manage complex sales opportunities from initial outreach through contract award.
Ability to quickly develop a strong understanding of complex aerospace and defense technologies and confidently communicate their value to engineers, program managers, procurement teams, executive decision makers, and other customer stakeholders.
Strong commercial judgment in pricing, proposals, negotiations, forecasting, and account planning.
Excellent communication, organization, follow through, and relationship management skills.
Ability to collaborate effectively with engineering, product, operations, finance, legal, marketing, procurement, and executive leadership.
Willingness to travel for customer meetings, demonstrations, conferences, and industry events.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with the Department of Defense, defense prime contractors, government contractors, or commercial aerospace organizations.
Familiarity with unmanned aircraft systems, autonomous systems, avionics, mission systems, artificial intelligence, robotics, aerospace engineering, or related defense technologies.
Existing professional relationships within the aerospace, defense, or autonomous systems industry.
Experience supporting capture management, government proposals, SBIR or STTR programs, or other government contracting opportunities.
Experience representing an organization at industry conferences, trade shows, customer demonstrations, or other business development events.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute business development strategies across aerospace, defense, autonomy, and government markets.
Build and manage a healthy sales pipeline through prospecting, cold calling, networking, customer visits, referrals, strategic partnerships, and industry events.
Identify and pursue opportunities with defense prime contractors, government agencies, commercial aerospace companies, original equipment manufacturers, defense integrators, and autonomy technology companies.
Lead opportunities from initial customer engagement through proposal development, pricing, negotiation, contract award, and successful program transition.
Develop trusted relationships with executives, engineering leaders, program managers, procurement professionals, and other key stakeholders.
Develop a strong understanding of GuideTech's engineering services and technologies, including advanced avionics, autonomous flight software, artificial intelligence, mission management systems, and aerospace software solutions.
Partner with engineering and product teams to align customer needs with GuideTech's technologies and engineering services.
Coordinate pricing strategy, proposal positioning, and bid decisions with company leadership.
Maintain accurate CRM data, forecasting, pipeline metrics, and sales activity.
Represent GuideTech at customer meetings, demonstrations, conferences, trade shows, and industry events.
Capture customer feedback, competitive intelligence, and market insights that help shape future products, engineering priorities, and commercial strategy.