Business Developer - Space Industry

Darwin Recruitment; Vicenza; Hybrid; EUR 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation apartment provided

Hybrid work model

Permanent contract

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment is seeking a Business Developer for Space in the Vicenza area to grow the space business across Europe. You will identify opportunities, establish relationships with space agencies, operators, and industrial partners, and drive deals from initial contact to contract closure.

Ideal candidates have space-domain experience in payloads or hardware, proven BD success in the European market, and the ability to articulate complex space concepts to diverse stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Candidates from an upstream space background covering payloads, satellites, hardware or systems.
• Knowledge of the European upstream market, major players, and how to approach customers.
• Proactive and entrepreneurial with drive to win new commercial customers.
• Three to five years of business development experience; more senior considered.

Responsibilities

• Protect and grow the brand in Earth observation, space situational awareness, and laser communication markets.
• Open new markets such as SSA from space and space-based defence including border surveillance and maritime security.
• Identify and research potential clients worldwide with a focus on Europe.
• Build and maintain long-term relationships with key stakeholders.
• Drive the end-to-end sales process from lead generation to contract closure, including negotiating terms.
• Coordinate with sales and technical teams to develop proposals and track components and deliverables.
• Conduct market research and competitor analysis to generate real customer leads.
• Develop and manage strategic partnerships to align space business across the group.

Job description

Business Developer, Space

Sarcedo, Vicenza, Italy

This is a hardware company building high end space telescopes and optical payloads. Every Earth observation satellite needs a sharp eye, and they are one of very few companies in Europe that can deliver cutting edge Earth observation payloads.

They build the complete instrument rather than just the optics, and are now moving to cover the processing electronics and onboard software too. They work across three domains: space and airborne systems, laser communication, and ground based systems.

They sit inside Italy's biggest space programmes, and hold a series contract with a major prime for its new Earth observation constellation.

This role grows the space business, starting in Europe and then going further. It goes out and finds the business, across commercial customers and institutions such as ESA and ASI.

What you will do

• Protect and grow the brand in the markets they are already known for: Earth observation, space situational awareness and laser communication
• Open markets they are not yet in, such as SSA from space and space based defence including border surveillance and maritime security
• Identify and research potential clients worldwide, with a focus on the European market
• Build and maintain long term relationships with key stakeholders
• Drive the end to end sales process from lead generation to contract closure, including negotiating contract terms
• Coordinate with sales and technical teams to develop proposals, and track the status of proposal components and contract deliverables
• Run ongoing market research and competitor analysis, and turn it into real customer leads
• Develop and manage strategic partnerships, and help join up the space business across the group

Who this suits

• Someone from an upstream space background covering payloads, satellites, hardware or systems
• Someone who knows the European upstream market: the big players, how the sector works and how to approach customers
• Proactive and entrepreneurial, with a drive to win new commercial customers
• Three to five years of business development can work, and more senior people are welcome
• Someone who understands space systems, mission architectures and enabling technologies, particularly electro opto mechanical payloads
• Familiarity with space procurement, including ESA, EU and institutional tendering, contractual frameworks, planning, risk estimation and statements of compliance
• Able to explain complex technical concepts to non technical stakeholders and negotiate across multidisciplinary, multicultural teams
• A degree in aerospace engineering, opto mechanics, telecommunications or a related field is preferred. A master's or PhD is a plus
• Earth observation knowledge is a plus, and other upstream areas such as satcom also fit

What you get

€65,000 to €75,000 gross per year, plus a 10% bonus. A permanent contract, full time and hybrid. An apartment is provided if you relocate. The role is paired with a proposal manager, and you work closely with the Commercial Director, who will mentor a less experienced hire. Strong profiles can go straight to a first interview with the Commercial Director.