Business Development Director - Defense UUV

Worker Type Regular Job Description Summary The Business Development Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing key business development activities across national and international markets. This position involves identifying business opportunities, developing successful strategies, and leading proposal efforts to secure new business. The role requires close collaboration with internal teams and external partners to achieve organizational goals and objectives. The Senior Manager will ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and will mentor junior staff. Position Responsibilities Oversee execution of the entire business development and proposal processes, ensuring adherence to requirements. Lead identification and creation of new business opportunities within and outside the Continental U.S. Build and maintain trusted relationships with customers at all levels of their organizations. Develop and implement capture strategies with compelling win strategies for new business opportunities. Conduct market research to assess the size and potential value of opportunities. Conduct competitive assessments to understand the strengths and weaknesses of AeroVironment solutions. Work with the Finance team to manage project charge numbers and ensure proper budget allocation for proposal efforts. Ensure regulatory compliance of all product and technological offerings. Mentor and manage junior Business Development staff, guiding their career growth and development. Engage in significant travel to build and maintain customer relationships and pursue business opportunities. Communicate regularly with management and other internal stakeholders to align on customer requirements and feedback. Collaborate with the TMS leadership and the engineering team to identify technology needs and connect them with potential funding sources. Establish partnerships with other companies to pursue specific opportunities and enhance AeroVironment product offerings. Support the development of marketing collateral in coordination with the marketing team. Assist in identifying and recruiting top talent to build a high-performing business development team. Execute other duties as assigned. Other duties as assigned Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience) Minimum of 12 years of relevant business development experience. Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field; Advanced degree preferred. Extensive experience in writing proposals and winning contracts within USSOCOM and/or DoD. Proven understanding of domestic and international customer requirements/needs/issues. Experience using formal new business gate processes and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools. Strong knowledge of U.S. Government (USG) acquisition and program planning processes. Demonstrated business acumen with a background in ground special operations related to tactical missiles and small UAS, or similar fields. U.S. Citizenship required; Active Secret security clearance and ability to obtain a Top Secret security clearance, if required. Valid driver's license and clean DMV record. Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 25% of the time. Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies Demonstrates strong written and verbal communication skills. Experience in developing competitive proposals for large-scale programs. Strong understanding of budget and schedule processes and ability to track and forecast using business analysis techniques. Highly self-motivated with strong problem-solving and multi-tasking skills. Demonstrated experience working with cross-functional teams. Strong negotiation, strategic planning, and interpersonal skills. Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, and adapt quickly to changing requirements and targets. Exhibits strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives. Focuses on teamwork and puts the success of the team above personal interests. Committed to continuous improvement and learning from mistakes. Physical Demands Ability to work in an office environment. Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Constant). Special Requirements U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) or asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) required. Occasionally may be required to travel within the Continental U.S. Clearance Level No Clearance The salary range for this role is: $101,000 - $143,325 AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, 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: . We also encourage you to review our company website at to learn more about us. Principals only need apply. NO agencies please. 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. 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. Citizenship is required. Secret or Top Secret clearance, or the ability obtain a clearance is desired.