Director, Commercial Business Development - EMEA

Job description

**Wanna join the adventure?** Loft Orbital is hiring a commercially driven Business Development Lead to own and grow our European business. This is a senior individual contributor role built for someone who knows how to find opportunities, build trust with the right people, and close deals — in an industry that's moving faster than ever. You'll be Loft's commercial engine in Europe. That means building a real pipeline, running complex sales cycles, and landing the kinds of contracts that matter. You're not coordinating from the sidelines — you're the one making it happen. France is our primary focus, and deep fluency in that market — the language, the players, the culture — will set you apart. Toulouse is the center of European space, and ideally, you're already in it. ### About the role: - Drive revenue. Own the full commercial sales cycle across Europe — from prospecting and pipeline development through negotiation and close. - Hunt and develop new business with commercial satellite operators, emerging space companies, defense primes, and technology integrators across Western Europe. - Build and manage a healthy, high-quality pipeline — knowing which opportunities to prioritize, when to push, and when to walk. - Get in early with customers — understand their programs and roadmaps before RFPs drop, and position Loft as the obvious partner. - Lead commercial proposals and bid responses, coordinating across technical and commercial teams to put our best offer forward. - Negotiate contracts with confidence — handling pricing, terms, and deal structure without losing momentum. - Engage institutional customers (CNES, DLR, UKSA, etc.) where they intersect with commercial opportunities — leveraging these relationships to expand Loft's footprint rather than treating them as the primary sales motion. - Represent Loft at industry events, trade shows, and customer meetings — building our brand and your network simultaneously. - Bring market intelligence back into the business — what customers need, what competitors are doing, where the market is heading. ### Must Haves: - 7+ years in commercial sales & business development in space/aerospace. - Existing commercial network in the European space or aerospace ecosystem — you already know who's buying and what they need. - A track record of closing deals. Not just pipeline building — actual signed contracts with real commercial customers. - Experience managing long, complex sales cycles with multiple stakeholders on the customer side. - Sharp commercial instincts — you can qualify fast, structure creative deals, and know when to escalate versus push forward independently. - Enough technical fluency in space systems or satellite technology to speak credibly with engineers and win the confidence of technical buyers. - Strong proposal and negotiation experience — you've handled pricing, terms, and contract structures without needing a lawyer in every meeting. - Bilingual - fluency in English, and one or more European Languages - Based in Europe ### Nice to Haves: - Experience in a startup or NewSpace company — you're comfortable building process and pipeline without a lot of infrastructure behind you. - Familiarity with satellite systems, mission operations, or space software — enough to have real conversations, not just read from a slide. - You've worked both sides of the table — commercial and institutional — and know how to navigate each. ### Some of Our Awesome Benefits: - Equity, we want you to have an active role in our success - **Up to 35 days of Paid Time Off (vacations & RTT )** and flexible working hours, we want you to be at your best - Health and life insurance, we care about your health - Lunch Vouchers, because let’s be honest, we love food! (we even have a slack channel about it [#loft-gourmand](https://loftorbital.slack.com/archives/C02G64537DF)) - Cross-office travel opportunities between San Francisco, Colorado, and Toulouse to learn from our differences - Company and team off-sites and many other events to work & celebrate together - Relocation assistance **to Toulouse** when applicable