Corporate Development Manager

NightDragon Acquisition Corp.; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 118,700 - 166,600; Full time

Job summary

Epirus is seeking a highly driven Corporate Development Manager to shape the strategic growth of Epirus. This role requires someone who can independently identify opportunities, interpret market dynamics, and perform initial M&A evaluation and recommendations.

You will partner with the Chief Strategy Officer and work across Strategy & Markets to accelerate Epirus’ long-term growth. Responsibilities include leading early-stage sourcing, building financial models, coordinating due diligence,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in finance, business, economics, engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years in corporate development, investment banking, PE, strategy, or equivalent roles.
• Strong financial modeling and valuation capabilities with clear value drivers.

Responsibilities

• Lead early-stage M&A sourcing, screening, and evaluation across defense technology and suppliers.
• Develop business cases, valuation analyses, and financial models with strategic rationale.
• Coordinate due diligence with Finance, Legal, Engineering, and Product teams; co-lead later-stage processes.
• Maintain a dynamic pipeline of acquisition targets and tech opportunities for exec visibility.
• Support post-transaction planning and integration readiness with internal teams.
• Prepare executive materials and deliver concise, decision-ready recommendations.

Skills

Financial modeling

Strategic thinking

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in finance / economics / business

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

About Epirus

Epirus is a high-growth technology company dedicated to overcoming the asymmetric challenges inherent to the future of national security. Epirus' flagship product, Leonidas, is a software-defined system built using intelligent power management techniques which allow power-hungry systems to do more with less.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a highly driven Corporate Development Manager to help shape the strategic growth of Epirus. This role offers significant autonomy and requires someone who can independently identify opportunities, interpret market and competitive dynamics, and perform initial M&A and partnership evaluation and recommendations. The ideal candidate combines transaction acumen with strong industry awareness and the ability to translate insights into actionable corporate strategies. You will partner closely with the Chief Strategy Officer and collaborate across the Strategy & Markets organization to help accelerate Epirus’ long-term growth.

Responsibilities

Corporate Development (Core)

• Lead early-stage M&A sourcing, screening, and strategic evaluation across defense technology and suppliers
• Develop business cases, valuation analyses, and financial models that integrate strategic rationale, market insights, and financial impact
• Coordinate cross-functional due diligence efforts, working with Finance, Legal, Engineering, and Product teams; co-lead later‑stage processes alongside Finance
• Maintain a dynamic pipeline of acquisition targets, technology opportunities, and competitive intelligence for executive visibility
• Support post-transaction planning and integration readiness with relevant internal teams

Market Intelligence & Strategic Insights

• Monitor industry trends, competitive actions, customer needs, and defense budgetary dynamics to identify strategic opportunities and risks
• Produce regular briefs synthesizing market developments, competitive landscape updates, and valuation insights
• Provide analysis that informs product strategy, innovation priorities, and long‑term planning
• Translate complex market and financial insights into clear, decision‑ready recommendations for leadership

External Relationships & Ecosystem Engagement

1. Primes and Strategic Industry Relationships
   1. Build and maintain relationships with major defense primes to understand capability gaps, teaming opportunities, and market direction
2. VC, Emerging Tech, and Startup Ecosystem
   1. Develop relationships with venture-backed emerging technology companies and venture capital firms to identify partnership and acquisition opportunities

Investment Banks & Consultancies

• Support ongoing engagement with leading bankers and consultants to gain market intelligence, visibility into deal flow, and insight into broader industry trends

Cross-Functional Leadership & Internal Coordination

• Coordinate across Strategy, Innovation, Platforms, Finance, Investor Relations, Marketing, and Engineering to drive aligned planning and unified strategic execution
• Work cross-functionally to maintain a consistent strategic narrative across investor materials, customer pitch decks, and partnership content
• Ensure integration of market insights, competitive intelligence, and corporate development perspectives into company‑wide strategic processes

Executive & Board Communication

• Prepare and deliver executive-level materials, including strategic updates, market reports, M&A pipeline reviews, and deal recommendations
• Present insights and analyses in concise, actionable formats that support leadership and Board decision-making

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in finance, business, economics, engineering, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience with a bachelor’s degree or 3+ years of experience with a master’s degree in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, strategy, or equivalent roles
• Strong financial modeling and valuation capabilities, with the ability to articulate business value drivers and strategic rationale
• Ability to evaluate complex opportunities, synthesize market and competitive signals, and develop data‑driven strategic recommendations
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable reports, presentations, and recommendations
• Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to excel in a fast‑paced, evolving environment

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in Strategy, Corporate Development, Investment Banking, Equity Research, or Management Consulting, or Investor Relations
• Understanding of aerospace, defense, national security, and advanced technology markets
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across technical, financial, and commercial teams

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. Learn more about the ITAR here.

At Epirus, you’ll work with technical peers and great people—and get first crack at some of the defining technology challenges of our time. Here, “impossible” is just a challenge. We\'re a diverse, fast-growing team of change-makers fueling the future of energy with revolutionary solutions. Join us and rewrite the rules.

As required by the Equal Pay Transparency Act, Epirus provides a reasonable range of minimum compensation for roles that may be hired. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific office location.

For the state of California only, the range of starting pay for this role is: $118,700 — $166,600 USD