Senior Business Development Lead - Hivemind - UK

Shield; Oslo; On-site; NOK 1,516,000 - 2,274,000; Full time

Job summary

Shield AI seeks a high-performing Senior Business Development Lead in the UK to drive growth for Hivemind Autonomy across defense and government customers.

You will own the full sales lifecycle from pipeline generation through close and build enduring relationships with senior decision-makers in government and defence programs.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years in business development, sales, or capture in complex tech domains.
• Proven track record of owning and closing deals in European government/defence markets.
• Deep understanding of defence procurement lifecycle and acquisition processes.
• Experience developing and executing capture strategies for complex opportunities.
• Technical aptitude and ability to engage with engineering, product, and operations teams.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Willingness to travel and work in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the full sales lifecycle for Hivemind opportunities across assigned accounts/territories.
• Develop and execute territory and capture strategies aligned with Shield AI’s plan.
• Identify, qualify, and shape new opportunities by understanding missions, budgets, and acquisition pathways.
• Build relationships with decision-makers in defense and government customers.
• Lead proposal development with BD Operations and cross-functional teams.
• Conduct competitive analysis and position Hivemind in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Collaborate with Product, Engineering, and Solutions teams to translate needs into solutions.
• Manage deal progression with rigour: qualification, strategy, forecasting, CRM.
• Represent Shield AI at industry events and customer engagements.
• Communicate pipeline status and risks to leadership.

Skills

Business development

Sales

Capture strategies

Stakeholder management

Technical aptitude

Negotiation

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA (preferred)

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.

Shield AI is seeking a high-performing Senior Business Development Lead to drive growth for Hivemind Autonomy across the UK, with a primary focus on defense and government customers.

Hivemind is Shield AI’s AI-powered autonomy software platform that enables intelligent aircraft, drones, and robotic systems to operate autonomously in complex and contested environments. It provides mission autonomy capabilities including navigation, teaming, decision-making, and autonomous mission execution across crewed and uncrewed systems.

This role is responsible for identifying, shaping, and closing complex opportunities while building enduring customer relationships and executing disciplined capture strategies.

What you'll do:

• Own and drive the full sales lifecycle for Hivemind opportunities across assigned accounts/territories (pipeline generation through close)
• Develop and execute territory and capture strategies for priority pursuits, aligning with Shield AI’s long-term strategic plan
• Identify, qualify, and shape new business opportunities through deep understanding of customer missions, budgets, and acquisition pathways
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers, program offices, and influencers across defense and government customers
• Lead proposal development in partnership with BD Operations and cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment with customer requirements and value propositions
• Conduct competitive analysis and position Hivemind effectively in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Solutions teams to translate customer needs into compelling technical and operational solutions
• Manage deal progression with rigour (qualification, deal strategy, forecasting accuracy, CRM hygiene)
• Represent Shield AI at industry events, conferences, and customer engagements to expand market presence and pipeline
• Communicate clearly with internal stakeholders and leadership on pipeline status, risks, and key milestones

Required Qualifications:

• 10-15+ years of experience in business development, sales, or capture roles in technically complex domains (AI/ML, autonomy, SaaS, aerospace/defence, or similar)
• Proven track record of owning and closing deals, particularly within European government or defence markets
• Deep understanding of defence acquisition processes and government procurement lifecycle
• Strong experience developing and executing capture strategies for complex opportunities
• Technical aptitude and ability to engage credibly with Engineering, Product, and Operational stakeholders
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
• Self-motivated, results-oriented, and capable of operating in a fast-paced environment
• Bachelor's degree required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience selling autonomy, AI/ML, or unmanned systems (UAS) solutions
• Prior military experience a plus
• Established relationships within defense, government, or aerospace customer sets
• Experience working with Large Systems Integrators (LSIs) and strategic partners
• Ability to travel as needed for customer engagements and industry events
• Active or eligibility for security clearance
• MBA or equivalent graduate degree

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.