Sr Commercial Partnership Manager

Destinus; Katwijk; On-site; EUR 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Destinus is seeking a Senior Commercial Partnership Manager to define, build and manage a global partnership ecosystem across defense, aerospace and adjacent sectors. You will own system integration and capability partnerships, drive joint ventures, and support industrialization and localization initiatives in core and emerging markets.

You will lead commercial negotiations, shape partnership strategies with defense primes and sovereign partners, and partner with internal functions to ensure

Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree in Business, International Relations, Engineering, or a related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Define, build and manage Destinus partnerships including JVs and industrialisation.
• Build and manage system integration partnerships enabling NATO-aligned architectures.
• Develop and manage capability partnerships supporting seekers, interceptors, networking and subsystems.
• Analyse market trends and identify strategic opportunities for partnerships and growth.
• Collaborate with Legal, M&A, Finance, Engineering and Production to ensure feasibility and alignment.

Skills

Commercial partnerships

Business development

Strategic alliances

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Education

MBA or advanced degree in Business/International Relations/Engineering

Job description

About the role

The Senior Commercial Partnership Manager is responsible for defining, building, and managing Destinus partnerships. This role covers system integrators, capability providers, manufacturing partners, joint ventures, and co-production arrangements – to unlock market access, accelerate sovereign alignment, and enable scalable industrialization across core and emerging markets. The position is a key enabler for building Destinus’ global partnership ecosystem.

At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations.

What You´ll Do

• Commercial Partnerships, JVs & Industrialisation
  • Co-create and execute Destinus’ global partnership strategy as a primary lever for market access, sovereign alignment, and industrial scale-up
  • Own and Manage system integration partnerships enabling NATO-aligned and customer-specific architectures
  • Own and Manage capability partnerships supporting seekers, interceptors, networking, payloads, and critical subsystems
  • Manage industrial partnerships and manufacturing alliances to enable scalable production, localization, cost-down trajectories, and supply chain resilience
  • Support the evaluation, structuring, and commercial negotiation of joint ventures and long-term industrial partnerships
  • Support business cases for strategic initiatives such as JVs, local industrialization, and co-production in countries outside core markets
  • Analyze market trends, procurement frameworks, and the competitive landscape to identify strategic opportunities and partnerships.
• B2B Relationship Management & Growth
  • Build and maintain a portfolio of high-value B2B relationships with defence primes, integrators, and sovereign industrial partners
  • Develop account-level relationship strategies for key partners aligned to the commercial roadmap and programe milestones
  • Serve as senior commercial interface for partner organizations, ensuring trust, transparency, and mutual value creation
  • Identify opportunities for expanding partnership scope – cross-selling, co-development, and new capability integration.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner with various internal stakeholders (a.o. Legal, M&A, Finance, Engineering, Production) to ensure proposed collaborations are feasible, compliant, and aligned with product roadmaps
  • Provide market feedback to enhance future product capabilities.

What You’ll Need

• MBA or advanced degree in Business, International Relations, Engineering, or a related discipline
• 10+ years in commercial partnerships, business development, or strategic alliances within defence, aerospace, or adjacent high-technology sectors
• Track record of structuring and negotiating complex partnership agreements, joint ventures, or industrial cooperation deals
• Deep understanding of the European and NATO-aligned defence-industrial landscape, including procurement frameworks, offset requirements, and sovereign industrial policies
• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills in multicultural, multi-jurisdictional environments
• Experience with hypersonic, missile defence, advanced weapons systems, or dual-use technology programmes and familiarity with export control regimes (i.e. ITAR, EAR, EU dual-use regulations) is an advantage
• Fluency in at least two European languages (English required. Preference for German, knowledge of French, or Spanish is an asset).

Who You Are

You are a strategic and outward-facing professional who doesn’t shy away from operational tasks, and have a strong military or defence background. You understand how defence organizations operate, and how to build trusted relationships within the defence ecosystem. You thrive in high pressure (scale-up) environments, communicate confidently, and are motivated by the challenge of bringing advanced UAV capabilities into real operational use.