Business Development Manager, Space & Recovery

Airborne Systems; California; On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Airborne Systems in California seeks a skilled Business Development Manager, Space & Recovery, to drive growth in aerospace markets. You’ll lead opportunity development, build long-term customer relationships, and coordinate proposals and negotiations across Engineering, Programs, and Contracts.

You will manage account plans, pursue new programs, analyze market data, and coordinate handoffs to Program Management after awards while maintaining ongoing account support and follow-on opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, aerospace, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in sales, business development, engineering, program management, or a related discipline within the aerospace and defense industry.
• Demonstrated experience developing and pursuing business opportunities in complex technical or regulated markets.
• Previous experience in space, aerospace, defense, recovery systems, or a closely related market is strongly preferred. Established relationships with commercial space companies, government agencies, prime contractors, or aerospace and defense partners preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify and qualify new business opportunities within the Space & Recovery Business Unit.
• Develop and execute account plans, capture strategies, and pursuit plans to expand existing accounts and secure new customers.
• Build relationships with end users, engineers, program managers, procurement personnel, executives, government officials, and other decision-makers and influencers.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of assigned customer organizations, acquisition processes, current and future requirements, budgets, schedules, and strategic priorities.
• Gather and analyze customer, market, and competitive intelligence to identify upcoming programs, customer needs, threats, and growth opportunities.
• Recommend pursuit priorities to Business Unit leadership and request internal support through established planning and approval processes.
• Maintain current account records, opportunity stages, pursuit actions, and sales forecasts in Salesforce. Submit monthly activity reports and promptly communicate material changes to Business Unit leadership.
• Coordinate the preparation and submission of proposals by consolidating customer requirements and obtaining inputs from responsible functions.
• Work with Engineering to confirm technical feasibility and with Program Management and Operations to validate proposed schedules, delivery commitments, and resource needs.
• Develop value-based pricing recommendations with the appropriate internal stakeholders, considering customer value, competition, approved cost estimates, and profitability objectives.
• Lead customer-facing commercial and contract discussions in coordination with Contracts and Business Unit leadership, within documented pricing, negotiation, and approval limits.
• Obtain required internal approvals before communicating binding commitments or agreeing to changes in price, scope, schedule, technical performance, or contract terms.

Skills

Business development

Relationship management

Interpersonal skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical ability

Initiative

Problem solving

Customer needs identification

Communication skills

Proposal experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, aerospace, or related discipline

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Job description

Business Development Manager, Space & Recovery

Position Summary:
The Business Development Manager - Space & Recovery drives sustainable growth by identifying, qualifying, and securing new business opportunities within the company’s Space & Recovery (S&R) markets. The position builds and maintains strong, long-term relationships with commercial, government, and defense customers and develops account and capture plans aligned with approved Business Unit growth objectives.

The position leads customer engagement throughout opportunity development, coordinates proposals, and conducts commercial and contract discussions within established approval limits. Following contract award, the Business Development Manager coordinates the transition to Program Management while continuing to support customer relationships, account growth, and follow-on opportunities.

This position is accountable for opportunity development, pipeline quality, sales forecast accuracy, and progress toward assigned bookings and growth objectives. It has no direct supervisory responsibilities. Business Unit leadership retains accountability for overall financial results, staffing, budgets, and resource allocation. Engineering is responsible for technical decisions and design approval. Program Management is responsible for execution of awarded programs, including technical, schedule, and budget performance.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

Essential functions of the position include, but are not limited to:

Business Development and Account Planning

• Identify and qualify new business opportunities within the Space & Recovery Business Unit.
• Develop and execute account plans, capture strategies, and pursuit plans to expand existing accounts and secure new customers.
• Build relationships with end users, engineers, program managers, procurement personnel, executives, government officials, and other decision-makers and influencers.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of assigned customer organizations, acquisition processes, current and future requirements, budgets, schedules, and strategic priorities.
• Gather and analyze customer, market, and competitive intelligence to identify upcoming programs, customer needs, threats, and growth opportunities.
• Recommend pursuit priorities to Business Unit leadership and request internal support through established planning and approval processes.
• Maintain current account records, opportunity stages, pursuit actions, and sales forecasts in Salesforce. Submit monthly activity reports and promptly communicate material changes to Business Unit leadership.

Proposals Pricing and Negotiations

• Coordinate the preparation and submission of proposals by consolidating customer requirements and obtaining technical, cost, schedule, and contractual inputs from the responsible functions.
• Work with Engineering to confirm technical feasibility and with Program Management and Operations to validate proposed schedules, delivery commitments, and resource needs.
• Develop value-based pricing recommendations with the appropriate internal stakeholders, considering customer value, competition, approved cost estimates, and profitability objectives.
• Lead customer-facing commercial and contract discussions in coordination with Contracts and Business Unit leadership, within documented pricing, negotiation, and approval limits.
• Obtain required internal approvals before communicating binding commitments or agreeing to changes in price, scope, schedule, technical performance, or contract terms. Refer matters outside delegated authority to the appropriate decision-maker.

Internal Coordination and Program Transition

• Communicate customer requirements accurately to Engineering, Product Development, Program
• Management, Contracts, and Operations, and coordinate their support during opportunity pursuit.
• Use customer feedback and market intelligence to recommend product enhancements, new capabilities, and product roadmap priorities for leadership consideration.
• Coordinate the handoff of awarded business to Program Management and Contracts, including proposal assumptions, approved commitments, customer contacts, requirements, and unresolved issues.
• Continue account support after award, identify follow-on opportunities, and coordinate commercial matters with the responsible functions.
• Refer program execution issues to Program Management and significant concerns to Business Unit leadership.

Customer Engagement and Company Representation

• Coordinate timely, accurate responses to customer inquiries, obtaining technical information and confirmation from the appropriate subject‑matter experts.
• Explain company products, technologies, and capabilities to technical, executive, and commercial audiences using approved technical information.
• Plan and coordinate customer visits, presentations, demonstrations, and technical meetings with the responsible internal teams.
• Monitor customer satisfaction, communicate feedback, and promptly elevate significant concerns or complaints to Program Management or Business Unit leadership, as appropriate.
• Represent Airborne Systems at trade shows, conferences, industry events, customer meetings, and demonstrations.
• Performs other related duties as required or assigned.
• Follows company rules and procedures.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, aerospace, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant practical experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in sales, business development, engineering, program management, or a related discipline within the aerospace and defense industry.
• Demonstrated experience developing and pursuing business opportunities in complex technical or regulated markets.
• Previous experience in space, aerospace, defense, recovery systems, or a closely related market is strongly preferred. Established relationships with commercial space companies, government agencies, prime contractors, or aerospace and defense partners preferred.

Qualifications:

• Strong business development, relationship management, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking, analytical ability, sound judgment, initiative, and problem‑solving skills with an understanding of how business development decisions affect revenue, profitability, and competitive positioning.
• Ability to identify customer needs, understand technical products and systems, and communicate complex concepts clearly to technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Experience preparing proposals, customer presentations, account and capture plans, forecasts, and business activity reports, supported by excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills, with ability to manage multiple pursuits, meet deadlines, work independently, and collaborate across functions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Experience using Salesforce or a comparable CRM system preferred.

Training Requirements:
NA

Travel Requirements:
Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 50%, including occasional extended trips, to support business development activities, customer and supplier visits, trade shows and industry events, product demonstrations, product testing, and technical and commercial customer meetings.

ITAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Physical Demands: (*)
The employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to handle or feel, and talk and hear. The employee is also required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, stoop, and kneel. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds without assistance, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds with assistance. Vision requirements include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment: (*)
This position will require work in a variety of environments, including office settings, shop floor and manufacturing areas, field locations, and domestic and international customer sites. While performing the duties of this position, the employee may be exposed to static electricity, explosives under controlled test conditions, fumes, airborne particles; outdoor weather conditions, and temperature-controlled office
environments. The noise level in the work environment is generally moderate but may occasionally be high.

Appropriate safety procedures, practices, and personal protective equipment must be followed and used as required.

*Note: The Physical Demands and Work Environment sections are included to describe the conditions associated with performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Pay Range: $120k - $130k