Business Development Manager

Highcat GmbH; Konstanz; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

HIGHCAT is seeking a Business Development Manager to own the sales pipeline, manage agent coordination, and develop strategic relationships within German and European defense sectors. The role emphasizes transitioning military credibility into commercial results and building framework agreements with public bodies.

Candidates should have a military background and a strong network in procurement, plus experience with long B2G sales cycles.

Qualifications

• Military background at senior rank with transition to business.
• Strong network with German armed forces procurement bodies (BAAINBw, Heer) and ministries of defense.
• Experience with long B2G sales cycles and public procurement is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Own the sales pipeline, forecast, quotations, and contracts end-to-end.
• Coordinate international agents and field operations; lead monthly agent calls.
• Develop strategic relationships; shape trade show presence and framework agreements.

Skills

Military network

Public procurement

BD sales

Strategic relationships

Executive communication

German language

English negotiation

Education

MBA

Technical degree

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

As Business Development Manager at HIGHCAT, you'll take ownership of our sales pipeline and the network of relationships that turn field-proven technology into fielded equipment. You'll drive our commercial motion, from agent coordination and demo dispatch to framework agreements with defence and government bodies. This is a high-impact role which will shape our image to the external world. In particular, we would like somebody stepping out of the armed forces (Bundeswehr) as a captain or higher who wants to turn that credibility into commercial results

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Pipeline & Commercial Ownership

• Take full ownership of the sales pipeline and forecast, with accuracy and visibility the founders and executive leadership can plan around
• Own the quotation and contract processes end-to-end
• Escalate strategic opportunities back to the founders/executive team with the context needed for fast decisions

Agent & Field Operations Coordination

• Coordinate and steer the international agents at the operational level, working closely with freelancers
• Structure and lead the monthly agent calls
• Prioritize demo requests and dispatch the Field Operations / Sales Engineers, briefing them ahead of every deployment

Strategic Relationships & Market Presence

• Set trade show strategy and make Tier-1/Tier-2 participation decisions
• Build and maintain framework agreement relationships, including BAAINBw and ministries of interior
• Build visibility within the troops : barracks, exercises, military press, and prepare discretionary-fund ("Handgeld Kommandeur") sales

ABOUT YOU

• Military background at SAZ12/Captain (Hauptmann) level or higher, who has since transitioned out of the German armed forces into business. This is a deliberate departure from a classic sales/BD hire profile
• A network within German armed forces procurement (BAAINBw, SKB, Heer) and/or European ministries of defense, built through your own career
• First‑hand understanding of the operational logic, decision-making processes, and communication style of military customers
• Experience with long B2G sales cycles, framework agreements, and public procurement is a plus, but not a core requirement
• Additional education or experience in business or tech (e.g. MBA, a side activity or career change into industry, a technical degree) is not a must, but a clear plus
• Technical fluency in hardware and software products sufficient to pitch credibly to operators and procurement alike
• Native German, fluent to business-negotiation-level English; an additional language is a plus

About HIGHCAT

Europe's airspace is evolving. We are building the systems that help secure it.

HIGHCAT is a team of builders, engineers, and problem-solvers. We develop modular unmanned systems designed for real-world deployment. Built and manufactured in Germany, our platforms support the people and organisations that protect critical infrastructure, public services, and operational capabilities.

We like solving difficult problems. From first concept to deployment, we build technology that performs when it matters most. Our focus is simple: reliable systems, intuitive operation, and real-world impact.

Our work enables safer and more effective operations across security, industry, and defence-related applications. Guided by strong ethical principles and a commitment to European technological sovereignty, we are helping build the next generation of operational capabilities for Europe.