Business Development Manager – Romania Internal Security & Caucasus (R5011)

Shield; Oslo; On-site; NOK 1,000,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI seeks a high‑performing Business Development Lead to drive defence market growth and expansion across assigned markets. As territory leader, you will represent our autonomy and aircraft portfolio, including V‑BAT, X‑BAT, V‑DAR‑enabled ISR, and Hivemind software in customer engagements and partnerships.

The role requires 6+ years in BD/sales within defence environments, strong executive presence, and willingness to travel.

Qualifications

• Typically requires 6+ years of BD, capture, sales or related roles in defence/aerospace.
• Experience in international defence or regulated markets with complex procurement.
• Proven ability to shapes and advance long sales cycles with senior stakeholders.
• Strong executive presence and credibility with military, government and partners.
• Technical understanding of autonomous systems, ISR, mission systems or related defence tech.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Willingness to travel frequently; based in the region or willing to relocate.
• Fluency in English and regional languages relevant to the market.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional or operational experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute go-to-market strategy across assigned markets with growth priorities.
• Build and grow a disciplined pipeline across autonomy, aircraft, ISR and mission systems.
• Lead end-to-end deal closure, including planning, shaping, negotiation, and contract close.
• Engage with senior military leaders, MoDs, procurement authorities, and partners.
• Differentiate Shield AI’s portfolio by articulating mission outcomes and integration paths.
• Develop regional partnerships and offset‑aligned strategies to expand access.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams to support capture and delivery.
• Maintain forecasting, pipeline tracking and campaign reporting.
• Provide regional market intelligence on competitors, demand and risks.
• Support executive engagement post‑award for customer success and growth.

Skills

Executive presence

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Negotiation

Strategic selling

Travel readiness

English fluent

Regional language ability

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Operational/military/government experience

Job description

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and 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.

About Shield AI:

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company building the world’s best AI pilot and next-generation autonomous aircraft. Founded in 2015, Shield AI’s mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. With a recent valuation of approximately $12.7B, Shield AI develops autonomy software, unmanned aircraft systems, and AI-enabled ISR capabilities that actively support defence and security operations worldwide.

Shield AI works side-by-side with military and government customers to solve complex operational challenges in some of the world’s most demanding environments. The company’s products–including V-BAT, X-BAT, Hivemind autonomy software, and advanced mission systems–are designed to deliver operational advantage while reducing risk to human operators.

Shield AI believes the greatest victory requires no war.

Job Description:

Shield AI is seeking a high-performing Business Development Lead, to drive defence market growth, customer engagement, and business expansion across assigned markets in [ Territory]. As Shield AI’s territory leader, this individual will represent Shield AI’s autonomy and aircraft portfolio, including V-BAT, X-BAT, V‑DAR‑enabled ISR capabilities, and Hivemind autonomy software across customer engagements, operational demonstrations, strategic partnerships, opportunity development and business growth initiatives.

The Business Development Lead owns territory strategy, pipeline development, account growth, and opportunity execution across the region, driving opportunities from early shaping through award and expansion. This role combines strategic business development, account leadership, and revenue generation in a fast‑paced international defence environment. Additionally, this person will carry a sales quota for their assigned territory.

The ideal candidate is a customer‑focused and technically credible leader with strong commercial instincts, experience navigating defence acquisition environments, and a proven track record of growing strategic accounts and delivering mission‑critical outcomes.

Romania: Ministry of Internal Affairs, Border Police, Coast Guard, intelligence, customs, emergency services, and other non‑MoD security‑sector accounts.

Caucasus: defence and security‑sector opportunities.

What you'll do:

• Own and execute Shield AI’s go-to-market strategy across assigned markets, aligning territory activities with strategic growth priorities and customer mission requirements.
• Build and grow a disciplined pipeline across autonomy, aircraft, ISR, and mission-system opportunities aligned with regional defence priorities.
• Lead end-to-end deal closure, including account planning, customer shaping, competitive positioning, proposal leadership, negotiation, and contract close to meet or exceed carried sales quota.
• Engage directly with senior military leaders, Ministries of Defence, procurement authorities, sovereign stakeholders, and strategic industry partners across the territory.
• Represent and differentiate Shield AI’s autonomy and aircraft portfolio by clearly articulating mission outcomes, operational advantages, and integration pathways.
• Develop and manage regional partnerships, consultants, industrial participation structures, and offset‑aligned strategies that expand market access and accelerate execution.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams across Business Development, Product, Engineering, Government Relations, Legal, Contracts, Export Compliance, Operations, and Customer teams to support successful capture and delivery.
• Maintain disciplined forecasting, pipeline management, opportunity tracking, and campaign reporting across the territory.
• Provide regional market intelligence on competitor dynamics, customer demand, and political or operational risks.
• Support executive customer engagement after award to support customer success, follow‑on growth, and long‑term account expansion.

Required qualifications:

• Typically requires 6+ years of experience in business development, capture, sales, strategic engagement, account management, or related customer‑facing roles within defence, aerospace, national security, or advanced technology environments.
• Experience operating across international defence, government, or regulated markets, including navigating complex stakeholder and procurement environments.
• Demonstrated success identifying, shaping, and advancing complex opportunities involving long sales cycles, senior stakeholders, and technically differentiated solutions.
• Strong executive presence and ability to build credibility with military, government, industry, and strategic partner stakeholders.
• Technical aptitude and operational understanding of autonomous systems, ISR, mission systems, AI‑enabled capabilities, or related defence technologies.
• Strong communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently throughout the territory and internationally.
• Based within the region, or willing to relocate to a strategic location within the assigned territory.
• Fluency in English and regional languages relevant to the assigned market.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional, military, or operational experience preferred.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with UAS, autonomy, ISR, mission systems, aerospace, or AI‑enabled operational capabilities.
• Existing relationships across defence ministries, military organizations, procurement authorities, or strategic industry partners within the assigned territory.
• Experience supporting direct commercial sales, Foreign Military Sales (FMS), or international government procurement programs.
• Prior military, operational defence, government, or national security experience.

Why join Shield AI:

• Help build the defining defence technology company of this century.
• Work at the frontier of AI, autonomy, and next‑generation defence systems.
• Operate in a highly entrepreneurial and mission‑driven environment.
• Make a direct impact on international growth and strategic defence partnerships.
• Collaborate with exceptional teams solving some of the world’s most complex operational challenges.

Our international teammates receive a comprehensive total rewards package aligned to your country office location. For full details on compensation and benefits, please consult your talent acquisition partner.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.