Business Development Director, Commercial

Apex; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 600,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Healthcare

PTO 15+ days

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Lunch provided

Office Playa Vista

Job summary

Apex is seeking a BD Director for Commercial Markets in the United States to drive growth with new and existing commercial accounts in the Americas. You will own end-to-end deal execution, lead opportunity identification through signature, and shape strategies to win complex enterprise engagements.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in business development or sales with aerospace market exposure, excel at high-pressure quotas, and can craft win plans while building strong executive-level

Qualifications

• Proven track record (5+ years) in a business development, sales, or sales engineering role with experience in Aerospace markets.
• Experience in a quota-carrying or otherwise high-pressure position.
• Experience developing and executing account and deal strategies to manage and close enterprise transactions with multiple stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of the satellite market landscape, including customer funding processes, acquisition models, and prime/subcontractor dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Identify, qualify, and close new business opportunities in the Americas commercial market, prioritizing North American companies of all maturity levels. Own end-to-end deal execution from lead identification through contract signature
• Develop account strategies and win plans for all pursuits, exhibiting a creative mind that finds solutions to relational, business, and technical outside risks as they develop.
• Develop and maintain a strong, healthy pipeline of qualified opportunities; ensure forecasting accuracy and CRM hygiene.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships across customer working, management, and executive levels.
• Travel to represent Apex at industry events, trade shows, and customer meetings to drive awareness and build relationships.
• Provide market and customer feedback to inform product roadmap, pricing strategy, and competitive positioning.

Skills

Aerospace markets

Business development

Sales

Sales engineering

CRM

Tools

CRM

Job description

Spacecraft represent the most pressing unmet need across the entire aerospace industry. As more launch vehicles come online and the cost to orbit decreases, more companies launching payloads to space continue to emerge.

For the first time in history, this influx of payload companies combined with reduced launch costs has resulted in a massive increase in need for commercial spacecraft platforms, known as satellite buses. These buses hold the payloads of our customers and are flown on launch vehicles.

Apex manufactures these satellite buses at scale using a combination of software, vertical integration, and hardware that is designed for manufacturing. Our spacecraft enable the future of society: ranging from earth observation to communications and more.

We’d love for you to join us on our mission of providing humankind access to the galaxy beyond our planet.

About The Role

As BD Director for Commercial Markets, you will be responsible for driving Apex’s growth with new and existing commercial accounts in the Americas. This is a high-ownership, high-impact, high-reward role which is accountable for bookings in a core Apex market.

This position owns full-cycle deal management, from opportunity identification through contract close. You will be responsible for pipeline development, sales execution, and new business bookings across both new and existing accounts.

Responsibilities

• Identify, qualify, and close new business opportunities in the Americas commercial market, prioritizing North American companies of all maturity levels. Own end-to-end deal execution from lead identification through contract signature
• Develop account strategies and win plans for all pursuits, exhibiting a creative mind that finds solutions to relational, business, and technical outside risks as they develop.
• Develop and maintain a strong, healthy pipeline of qualified opportunities; ensure forecasting accuracy and CRM hygiene.
• Build strong, trust-based relationships across customer working, management, and executive levels.
• Travel to represent Apex at industry events, trade shows, and customer meetings to drive awareness and build relationships.
• Provide market and customer feedback to inform product roadmap, pricing strategy, and competitive positioning.

Requirements

• Proven track record (5+ years) in a business development, sales, or sales engineering role with experience in Aerospace markets.
• Experience in a quota-carrying or otherwise high-pressure position.
• Experience developing and executing account and deal strategies to manage and close enterprise transactions with multiple stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of the satellite market landscape, including customer funding processes, acquisition models, and prime/subcontractor dynamics.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment.
• U.S. Person status is required as this position needs to access export-controlled data.

Nice-to-Haves

• Technical background (e.g. aerospace engineering, systems engineering, or related) enabling deeper engagement with customer mission needs and Apex’s technical offerings.
• Experience in customer-facing roles shaping hardware sales that trade exquisite capabilities for cost and schedule advantages in complex, integrated electro-mechanical systems

Our compensation structure for this role includes competitive base salary, generous equity (ISOs), and commission. As you engage in our recruiting process, we will discuss your expectations for annual cash and equity. To determine your total compensation, we will rely on market indicators and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to determine your compensation in the market range. The range for this role is $175,000.00 - $600,000.00 in total compensation.

Why Join Apex?

Apex believes in creating a work environment that you look forward to embracing every day. Our employees love working at Apex, and we want you to love it too. We're a fast-growing startup that has raised more than $500M in funding, and we invest heavily in our people from day one.

What We Offer For Full-time Employees

• Shared upside: Receive equity in Apex, letting you benefit from the work you create
• Best-in-class healthcare: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents, plus $100k life insurance at no cost
• Comprehensive PTO package to reset and recharge - starting at 15 days vacation, growing to 20+ days annually, plus 10 paid holidays
• Competitive 401(k) plan with generous matching - 100% match on first 3%, 50% on next 2%
• 8 weeks paid parental leave plus childcare reimbursement up to $350/day for work-related travel
• Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day
• Vibrant community: Monthly office socials, pickleball tournaments, run club, and gatherings for you and your family
• Your dream desk setup and all the tools you need to be your most productive self
• World-class Playa Vista office with the benefit of in-person collaboration with amazing coworkers and flexibility to integrate work and life
• Real impact opportunity: Work alongside experts from aerospace, new space, and other cutting-edge industries to make a lasting difference

Additional Information

Compensation ranges are set by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. A candidate's specific level and base pay are determined case by case and may vary with job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities, and internal equity. Beyond base salary, full-time hires are also eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options, along with medical, dental, and vision coverage and a 401(k) retirement plan.

ITAR Requirements

Apex's work is governed by U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). To be eligible for this role, applicants must either (1) qualify as a U.S. Person, meaning a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), a refugee admitted under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or an individual granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158, or (2) be able to obtain the required export authorizations from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, or another applicable U.S. government agency. You can learn more about ITAR here.

• 1157, or an individual granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1157,
• 1158, or (2) be able to obtain the required export authorizations from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, or another applicable U.S. government agency.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Apex Technology, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

Compensation Range: $175K - $600K