Senior Business Development Manager – Satellite Communications

Viasat; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Viasat is seeking an experienced Senior Business Development Manager in Sydney to lead strategic pursuits and drive revenue growth across priority sectors in satellite communications. You will define growth strategies, build executive relationships, and capture high‑value opportunities while mentoring junior teams.

You will own end‑to‑end capture, influence product roadmaps, and coordinate across engineering, product, delivery, and finance to ensure market success.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years in business development, sales, or commercial leadership in satellite, telecoms, aerospace, or advanced networking.
• Experience leading sophisticated, high-value pursuits including RFP/RFI/ITT responses, shaping activities, and exec negotiations.
• Deep understanding of satellite systems (GEO/MEO/LEO), ground infrastructure, managed services, and connectivity ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Develop multi-year market development strategies for targeted industries and regions.
• Identify trends, missions, tech shifts, and regulatory dynamics shaping long-term opportunities.
• Provide strategic recommendations to executives on positioning, investments, and competition.
• Engage senior stakeholders across government, enterprise, and commercial sectors.
• Lead high-level discussions and negotiations; shape long-term account strategy.
• Lead capture planning for sophisticated opportunities; define win themes and commercial constructs.
• Prepare proposals, pricing frameworks, business cases, and contract negotiations.
• Ensure alignment across engineering, product, delivery, and finance teams.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with integrators, vendors, and government bodies.
• Mentor mid-level BD teams and contribute to commercial capability development.
• Own pipeline development, forecasting accuracy, and revenue target achievement; report to leadership.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive stakeholder engagement

Negotiation skills

CRM proficiency

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Technical degree in engineering/related field

Tools

CRM platforms

Job description

About us

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

What you'll do

As we continue to expand our market influence and introduce new capabilities, we are seeking an experienced Senior Business Development Manager to lead strategic pursuits and drive revenue growth across priority sectors.

The Senior Business Development Manager plays a critical leadership role in defining growth strategies, building executive relationships, and capturing sophisticated, high‑value opportunities in the satellite communications domain.

This role leads end‑to‑end business capture, develop solution requirements, influences product roadmaps, and mentors junior team members. You will be directly accountable for delivering pipeline growth, market expansion, and conversion of major accounts.

The day-to-day

Strategic Market Leadership

• Develop and implement multi‑year market development strategies for targeted industries and regions.
• Identify emerging trends, customer missions, technology shifts, and regulatory dynamics that compose long‑term business opportunities.
• Provide strategic recommendations to executive leadership on market positioning, investment priorities, and competitive landscape.

Executive Customer Engagement

• Build and maintain senior‑level customer relationships across government, enterprise, and commercial sectors.
• Engage executive stakeholders to develop requirements early, influence specifications, and position company solutions as preferred options.
• Lead high‑level discussions, negotiations, and long‑term account strategy development.

Capture Management & Opportunity Ownership

• Lead capture planning for sophisticated, multi‑stakeholder opportunities, including pursuit strategies, win themes, and commercial constructs.
• Be responsible for the preparation of proposals, pricing frameworks, business cases, and contract negotiations.
• Ensure solution, operational, and commercial alignment across engineering, product, delivery, and finance teams.

Partnership & Ecosystem Development

• Identify, build, and handle strategic partnerships with integrators, vendors, technology partners, and government/industry bodies.
• Develop alliance strategies to improve solution offerings, extend market reach, and increase competitive advantage.

Internal Leadership & Mentoring

• Provide mentorship, coaching, and commercial leadership to mid‑level Business development teams and cross‑functional pursuit teams.
• Contribute to crafting organisational commercial capabilities, processes, and standards.

Pipeline Governance & Performance

• Own pipeline development, forecasting accuracy, and achievement of annual revenue targets.
• Drive focused opportunity qualification, stage progression, and pursuit governance.
• Deliver regular reporting to executive leadership teams.

What you'll need

• 8–12+ years of validated experience in business development, sales, or commercial leadership roles within satellite communications, telecommunications, aerospace, or advanced networking sectors.
• Demonstrated success leading sophisticated, high-value pursuits, including RFP/RFI/ITT responses, early shaping activities, and executive negotiations.
• Deep understanding of satellite communication systems (GEO/MEO/LEO), ground infrastructure, managed services, and connectivity ecosystems.
• Strong critical thinking, analytical capabilities, and ability to influence at senior levels.
• Consistent track record of leading cross‑functional teams and drive outcomes without direct authority.
• Established network across relevant industry sectors.
• Advanced knowledge of procurement frameworks, commercial constructs, and long‑cycle sales environments.
• Excellent communication, internal and external stakeholder engagement, and executive presentation skills.
• Proficiency with CRM platforms and data‑driven decision‑making.

#LI-VSAT

What will help you on the job

• Experience working in highly regulated or critically important environments (critical infrastructure, enterprise, government, public safety, IoT and D2D,).
• Technical degree or background in engineering, communications, aerospace, or related fields helpful.

EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here. Viasat actively supports a diverse workforce and strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.