Business Development Manager

SES Space & DEFENSE; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SES Space & Defense in Reston, VA, seeks a Manager, Business Development to expand presence across DoD, IC, and U.S. Government markets.

You will cultivate customer relationships, identify growth opportunities, and translate mission needs into space and connectivity solutions, coordinating with engineering, programs, products, and leadership to align capture strategies with the company's objectives. You will lead campaigns, analyze markets, manage bids and proposals, and visit customers

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Cyber, Intelligence, Aeronautics, Engineering, or related discipline.
• 5+ years of relevant business development, capture, or government market experience.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Experience supporting the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, NASA, DISA, Space Development Agency, or other U.S. Government organizations.
• Experience with optical communications technologies preferred.
• Active DoD security clearance preferred or the ability to obtain one.
• Understanding of U.S. Government contracting, acquisition, and budgeting processes.
• Excellent planning, organizational, project management, and time management capabilities.
• Advanced knowledge of industry markets, products, and emerging technologies.

Responsibilities

• Promote and foster continued business development opportunities with existing customers.
• Expand and grow the business by developing new customer relationships.
• Support the company’s short- and long-term strategic plans to meet or exceed revenue and earnings objectives.
• Maintain overall responsibility for bookings forecasts and ensure CRM data is current.
• Visit and prospect new and existing customers on a regular basis.
• Develop and execute market campaign plans to achieve financial objectives and support product and service innovation.

Skills

Relationship building

Communication

Presentation skills

Strategic thinking

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

At SES Space & Defense, we deliver secure, resilient connectivity and integrated space solutions for customers operating in the world’s most demanding environments. As part of SES S.A., a global leader in satellite-enabled communications, we combine capabilities across all orbits with extensive global ground infrastructure, managed networks, hosted payload solutions, and mission integration services to support communications, sensing, data transport, and operational resilience worldwide.

Our vertically integrated space and ground capabilities bring together satellite capacity, terrestrial infrastructure, advanced network technologies, and deployed user terminals to support mission-critical government operations around the world. We are a trusted partner to the U.S. Federal Government and national security community, allied governments, NATO, NASA, and other civilian agencies, delivering reliable, high-performance solutions when mission success is critical.

At SES Space & Defense, our people are our competitive advantage. You’ll work alongside a mission-driven team committed to integrity, innovation, accountability, and delivering real-world impact for customers whose missions matter most.

What You'll Do:

The Manager, Business Development is responsible for expanding SES Space & Defense’s presence across the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and broader U.S. Government market. This role develops and strengthens customer relationships, identifies new growth opportunities, and translates mission needs into innovative space and connectivity solutions that create long-term value for customers. Working closely with engineering, program management, products, and executive leadership, the successful candidate will shape capture strategies, guide business pursuits, and drive revenue growth aligned to the company’s strategic objectives. The position requires an understanding of government acquisition processes, competitive market dynamics, and emerging technologies across the space and defense ecosystem. This is an opportunity for a business leader who combines customer intimacy, strategic thinking, and technical curiosity to help advance SES Space & Defense’s role in delivering mission-critical capabilities to government partners.

• Promote and foster continued business development opportunities with existing customers
• Expand and grow the business base by developing new customer relationships
• Support the company’s short- and long-term strategic plans to meet or exceed revenue and earnings objectives under the direction of senior leadership
• Maintain overall responsibility for the accuracy and achievement of bookings forecasts and ensure CRM tools remain current and up to date
• Visit and prospect new and existing customers on a regular basis
• Perform competitive market analysis and monitor industry activity to identify customer needs and emerging opportunities
• Develop and execute short- and long-range market campaign plans to achieve financial objectives and support product and service innovation
• Oversee and monitor bid and proposal budgets
• Assist in planning, designing, and implementing business plans, revenue forecasts, demand analyses, and capture strategies
• Partner closely with Program Management, Engineering, Product, and other internal organizations to coordinate customer engagement activities and market strategies
• Deliver presentations on the company’s portfolio of products and services
• Develop proposals, responses to Requests for Information (RFIs), and white papers supporting government pursuits
• Attend customer meetings, industry events, and trade shows as required
• Support, communicate, reinforce, and defend the mission, values, and culture of the organization

Who You Are:

You are a relationship-driven business development professional who understands how to navigate the complexities of the U.S. Government market while building trusted partnerships with customers and stakeholders. You combine strategic thinking with operational discipline, balancing long-term growth initiatives with the day-to-day execution required to advance opportunities through the capture lifecycle. You are comfortable engaging technical teams, understanding mission requirements, and translating customer challenges into differentiated solutions that leverage SES Space & Defense’s unique capabilities. You thrive in dynamic environments where collaboration, curiosity, and innovation are essential to success. Most importantly, you are motivated by helping government customers achieve their missions through resilient, secure, and forward-looking space and connectivity solutions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Cyber, Intelligence, Aeronautics, Engineering, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 5+ years of relevant business development, capture, or government market experience
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, written, and presentation skills
• Experience supporting the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, NASA, DISA, Space Development Agency, research laboratories, or other U.S. Government organizations
• Experience with optical communications technologies preferred
• Active U.S. DoD security clearance preferred or the ability to obtain one
• Understanding of U.S. Government contracting, acquisition, and budgeting processes
• Excellent planning, organizational, project management, and time management capabilities
• Advanced knowledge of industry markets, products, and emerging technologies

SES Space & Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $[MIN] to $[MAX]. The final base salary offered will be determined based on factors such as the position’s location, the candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

Where applicable, this position may also be eligible for an annual bonus. Employees are eligible to participate in SES Space & Defense’s benefits programs, which include paid vacation, sick and personal leave; medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; a 401(k)-retirement plan; and others.

An Equal Opportunity Employer:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.