Business Development Manager

Socket.dev; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Paligen Technologies, Aerospace & Defense in Tampa, FL, seeks a Business Development Manager to drive growth in the defense portfolio. You will identify opportunities, build relationships with defense agencies and prime contractors, and secure long-term contracts in compliance with export controls.

The role focuses on strategic development, government contracting, and cross-functional collaboration to align product capabilities with military specifications while navigating ITAR and related

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related field (required) or equivalent experience.
• 5–10 years of experience in business development, sales, or program management.
• Minimum 5 years in defense products, energetic materials, ammunition, or related sectors.
• Experience working with defense procurement processes and government contracting.

Responsibilities

• Identify and pursue new defense business opportunities and strategic partnerships.
• Lead negotiations for long-term contracts and supply agreements.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to prepare proposals and bids.
• Monitor defense spending trends and procurement programs.

Skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Market analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related field

MBA or equivalent

Job description

Position Title: Business Development Manager

Job Family: Business Development

Company: Paligen Technologies, Aerospace & Defense

Location: Tampa, FL. (On site)

Position Summary

Business Development Manager – Paligen Aerospace & Defense is responsible for driving growth and strategic expansion of the company’s defense portfolio, including propellants, explosives, air delivered ordnance, ammunition, and related technologies. The role focuses on identifying new business opportunities, building relationships with defense agencies, prime contractors, and Original Equipment Manufacturers, and securing long-term contracts, subcontracts or purchase orders in compliance with US and foreign government’s defense regulations and export controls.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Development

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities for Paligen A&D within core or adjacent markets within defense, military and/or commercial markets.
• Pursue new business opportunities in such markets utilizing existing capacity to produce products offered by Paligen A&D.
• Develop and execute growth strategies aligned with company objectives, including Annual Awards goals for area of responsibilities.
• Monitor global defense spending trends, procurement programs, and emerging requirements.
• Map key stakeholders across Department of War, Ministries of Defense, armed forces, and defense prime contractors.

Customer & Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with defense agencies, procurement bodies, and defense contractors.
• Serve as primary commercial interface for customers within area of responsibility.
• Lead negotiations for long-term supply agreements and strategic partnerships.

Tender & Proposal Management

• Identify and track US Government Budgets, RFPs, RFIs, and defense tenders via personal relationships with existing customers, development of relationships with new customers and SAM.gov / GovWin and other tools.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams (engineering, production, regulatory, quality, finance) for proposal development.
• Coordinate with Government Relations Office to advance Paligen A&D priorities, as requested.

Technical & Regulatory Alignment

• Work closely with technical teams to align product capabilities with military specifications.
• Ensure compliance with ITAR, export control regulations, hazardous materials handling, and defense certifications.
• Support product qualification, testing, and approval processes with defense authorities.

Market Intelligence & Competitive Analysis

• Conduct market research on defense products, energetic materials, and specialty defense formulations.
• Analyze competitor positioning, pricing strategies, and contract awards.
• Identify emerging technologies and potential acquisition or partnership targets.
• Identify budget data using P-forms and other government databases.

Internal Collaboration

• Collaborate with manufacturing to ensure production capacity alignment with contract commitments.
• Coordinate with supply chain to provide sourcing options for needed raw materials, as required.
• Support leadership with business forecasts, pipeline reporting, and strategic planning.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• New contract awards and revenue growth
• Bid / win ratio
• Expansion into new defense programs or geographies
• Strategic partnerships established
• Pipeline development and conversion rate

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related field (required) or equivalent experience
• MBA or equivalent business qualification (preferred)
• 5–10 years of experience in business development, sales, or program management
• Minimum 5 years in defense products, energetic materials, ammunition, or related sectors
• Experience working with defense procurement processes and government contracting
• Understanding of military specifications (MIL-STD)
• Familiarity with export control laws and defense regulations
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills
• Strategic thinking and market analysis capability
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• High integrity and ability to handle sensitive information
• Ability to work in complex regulatory environments
• Project management and cross-functional leadership

Other Requirements

• Travel: ~30–50% (Domestic & International).
• Work Environment: Office work environment.
• Background Investigation / Drug Screen / US Person: Required.

Paligen Technologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value the unique skills and capabilities that our team members bring to our mission. We make all hiring and employment decisions based solely on individual qualifications, merit, and business