Director of Business Development, Hivemind (Europe & Africa) (R3511)

Shield AI; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A deep-tech defense firm focused on autonomous systems is seeking a Director of Hivemind for Europe & Africa. This role focuses on driving product strategy, customer adoption, and stakeholder engagement across various domains. Candidates should have a decade of relevant experience, strong leadership skills, and the ability to travel up to 50%. The position offers a comprehensive international benefits package.

Benefits

Comprehensive international benefits package

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in defense, aerospace, or autonomous systems, including leadership roles.
• Deep understanding of defense technology programs.
• Proven track record of delivering complex systems.
• Strong familiarity with European defense procurement processes.
• Ability to travel 30-50% across Europe and Africa.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute the Hivemind product and integration strategy.
• Drive adoption with defense customers and OEMs.
• Support end-to-end Hivemind integrations on third-party platforms.
• Lead regional demonstration campaigns and RFP responses.
• Provide regional customer feedback to inform autonomy roadmap.

Skills

Leadership

Defense technology

Autonomous systems

Communication skills

Collaboration

Education

Technical degree (e.g. robotics, computer engineering)

Tools

AI/ML-driven autonomy stacks

Robotics middleware (e.g. ROS/ROS2)

Job description

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Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With nine offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn,X, Instagram, and YouTube.

At Shield AI, we're building the world's most advanced AI pilot. Our groundbreaking autonomy stack, Hivemind, empowers unmanned systems to operate independently-even in the most extreme environments where GPS and communications are denied. From the battlefield to the edge of space, Hivemind is redefining what's possible.

As we expand our global footprint, we're seeking a Director of Hivemind - Europe & Africa to spearhead the regional growth of Hivemind Enterprise across air, land, maritime, and space domains. In this pivotal leadership role, you'll lead the charge on customer adoption, partner collaboration, cutting-edge technical integrations, and operational deployments across allied defense forces and industry partners.

This isn't just a job-it's a mission. You'll be at the nexus of breakthrough AI, next-gen defense platforms, and real-world mission execution. If you're driven to shape the future of autonomous systems and thrive where innovation meets impact, we want you on our team.

*This role is not limited to candidates in one location, we are open to candidates based in Europe & Africa with ability to travel across both continents 30-50%.

What you'll do

• Lead Regional Product Strategy: Own and execute the Hivemind product and integration strategy across Europe & Africa in coordination with Shield AI's global product, engineering, and business development teams.
• Drive Adoption: Champion Hivemind with defense customers and OEMs, shaping concept of operations (CONOPS), autonomy requirements, and system architectures to ensure successful adoption.
• Drive Hivemind Solutions: Support end-to-end Hivemind integrations onto third-party platforms in collaboration with platform providers and Shield AI engineers.
• Drive Hivemind Enterprise: Support the delivery and scaling of Hivemind Enterprise.
• Engage Stakeholders: Serve as a key point of contact for government customers, OEMs, integrators, and field users across the region.
• Engage with Engineering & Product: Act as the bridge between regional customers and Shield AI engineering teams-translating mission needs into feature requests, system architectures, and integration priorities.
• Support Bids & Demos: Lead or support regional demonstration campaigns, RFP responses, and customer trials to showcase Hivemind capabilities.
• Influence Product Development: Provide regional customer feedback and mission insights to inform Shield AI's autonomy roadmap and feature prioritization.
• Ensure Compliance: Navigate the technical aspects of export control, ITAR/EAR compliance, and system certification in coordination with internal legal and security teams.

Required qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in defense, aerospace, or autonomous systems, including leadership roles in product, program, or technical delivery.
• Deep understanding of defense technology programs and autonomy, especially in unmanned systems.
• Proven track record of delivering complex systems involving software, hardware, and integration across government and industry partners.
• Strong familiarity with European defense procurement processes and operational environments.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to travel up to 30-50% across Europe and Africa as required.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience integrating autonomy software into UAVs, loitering munitions, or robotic platforms (hardware/software co-design, GNC, SWaP constraints).
• Experience with AI/ML-driven autonomy stacks, robotics middleware (e.g. ROS/ROS2), and embedded systems on air, land, or sea platforms.
• Knowledge of distributed C2 systems, edge networking, and multi-agent coordination.
• Prior work with Hivemind or similar autonomy frameworks in real-world operational contexts.
• Experience with NATO-standard architectures, STANAGs, or national defense software frameworks.
• Technical degree (e.g. robotics, computer engineering, aerospace, systems engineering) or relevant military/defense background.

Our international team members are employed through our Employer of Record (EOR) and receive a comprehensive international benefits package on top of base salary. For full details on compensation and benefits, please consult your talent acquisition partner.