Director of Business Development

Primordial Labs; New Haven (CT); Remote; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A technology firm is seeking a highly experienced Director of Business Development to drive market expansion and revenue generation efforts. You will lead initiatives that develop relationships in the defense sector, focusing on strategic growth and ensuring alignment between business development and company objectives. This fully remote position offers a competitive salary and benefits including equity stake, health coverage, and generous PTO.

Benefits

Competitive Salary

Comprehensive Health Coverage

401(k) with 6% match

Generous PTO

Elite Technology Package

Qualifications

• Proven BD Leadership in building and scaling organizations.
• Deep familiarity with DoD acquisition processes.
• Experience hiring, training, and developing BD professionals.

Responsibilities

• Translate Primordial’s strategic growth plan into executable BD initiatives.
• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with senior leaders.
• Oversee processes to track pipeline health and manage pursuits.

Skills

Strategic Thinker

Creative Problem Solver

BD Operations Discipline

Relationship Builder

Adaptive & Hands-On

People Leader

Job description

About Primordial Labs

We\'re building the next generation interface for commanding autonomous systems in the real world. Our core product, Anura, translates spoken or typed intent into structured actions across drones, sensors, and mission software—enabling faster, more intuitive control in high-stakes environments. We’re a distributed team of engineers, operators, and technologists focused on deploying reliable autonomy at the tactical edge.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Director of Business Development to lead our market expansion and revenue generation efforts. This is a critical leadership role for an individual who can forge and nurture high-level relationships with key stakeholders in the defense and government sectors. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the defense acquisition landscape, a proven track record of winning large-scale contracts, and the strategic vision to identify new market opportunities for our innovative technology. As a key member of the leadership team, you will be responsible for driving the entire sales lifecycle and significantly contributing to our company\'s growth.

What You\'ll Do

• Operationalize Strategic Plan:
  • Translate Primordial’s strategic growth plan into clear, executable BD campaigns and initiatives with measurable milestones
  • Align BD priorities with company objectives, product roadmaps, and funding strategy
  • Drive cross-functional coordination between BD, product, and engineering to ensure customer & market alignment
  • Regularly assess progress and adapt plans based on customer feedback and market signals
• Customer Engagement & Relationship Management:
  • Develop and maintain trusted relationships with senior leaders across DoD, industry primes, and international partners
  • Identify and cultivate new customers and build customer engagement strategies
  • Represent Primordial at key industry events, conferences, and customer engagements
  • Serve as a thought partner to customers, positioning Primordial as a trusted advisor on human-machine teaming, Autonomy, and C2 challenges
• Pipeline & Opportunity Lifecycle Management:
  • Provide senior expertise and oversight to capture teams
  • Oversee processes to track pipeline health, and manage pursuits from qualification through award
  • Guide team in evaluating opportunities for strategic fit, competitive positioning, and resource requirements
  • Provide regular pipeline reviews and recommendations to executive leadership
• Manage and Build the Business Development Team:
  • Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing BD team aligned to Primordial’s mission and culture
  • Establish clear performance metrics and accountability frameworks for the BD organization
  • Invest in team development to strengthen capture, proposal, and customer engagement capabilities

About You

• Experience:
  • Proven BD Leadership – Demonstrated success in building and scaling BD organizations, including leading multi-year campaigns and capturing major contracts or creating new business lines
  • Growth Catalyst – Proven success in creating something from scratch—whether a new market, offering, or campaign—and scaling it to meaningful revenue, partnerships, or customer adoption OR track record securing large, complex opportunities
  • Defense Industry Expertise (Preferred) – Deep familiarity with DoD acquisition processes, long-cycle procurement, and partnering with primes and government stakeholders
  • Team Growth & Leadership – Experience hiring, training, and developing BD professionals; proven ability to evaluate and grow talent in high-performance teams
  • Hands-On Execution – Willingness and ability to operate at both strategic and tactical levels, from shaping enterprise growth strategy to writing proposals and customer-facing materials
• Skills:
  • Strategic Thinker – Can craft long-term pursuit strategies and align them with company goals, product roadmaps, and customer priorities
  • Creative Problem Solver – Brings imaginative approaches to stakeholder engagement, shaping opportunities, and positioning in competitive landscapes
  • BD Operations Discipline – Skilled in pipeline management, forecasting, and BD process rigor while keeping focus on big-picture outcomes
  • Relationship Builder – Exceptional ability to build trust with senior decision-makers, partners, and customers; respected as a thought leader and advisor
  • Adaptive & Hands-On – Comfortable “pinch-hitting” at all levels of the BD process, from executive strategy sessions to drafting capture plans and proposals
  • People Leader – Strong mentoring, coaching, and team development skills; proven ability to inspire, motivate, and scale high-performing BD teams
• Security Clearance:
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance (active clearance preferred)

Please note: Applicants must have current authorization to work in the U.S., and we are not able to provide visa sponsorship for this role.

Compensation

Compensation for this position includes a target base salary of $150,000 to $200,000 annually, plus commissions. Compensation will be determined by the candidate\'s experience.

We’re committed to fair and equitable compensation and are happy to explain how we determine our salary ranges, just ask!

Our Benefits

Beyond a Competitive Salary, we provide a significant equity stake, aligning your growth with ours.

100% Remote: This role is fully remote, open to residents across the US. We believe that talent knows no borders (well, except for the US in this case!).

Comprehensive Health Coverage: Staying healthy is a breeze with our amazing, comprehensive benefits reimbursement plan! We empower you to pick the exact plan that\'s a perfect fit for your needs.

Retirement Planning: Plan for tomorrow with our 401(k) package, complete with a generous 6% company match.

Generous PTO: Our generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policy is all about helping you take the breaks you deserve and live your healthiest, most fulfilling life.

Elite Technology Package: Enjoy an elite technology package to make your work effortless and efficient.

Our Interview Process

Our interview process is designed to be thorough and respectful of your time. It typically includes:

• Conversation with the People Team: Lets get to know one another first!
• Leader Interview: A 30 minute discussion about relevant projects and your past experience.
• Team Interviews: Multiple sessions with department stakeholders focused on understanding our business environment and evaluating your fit for our culture of cross team partnership.

We are committed to a low stress interview experience, no trick questions or brain teasers!

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Primordial Labs is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a welcoming and respectful environment for everyone. Discrimination and harassment have no place here. We firmly believe that a diverse team enriches our problem-solving capabilities, sparks greater creativity, and ultimately leads to a better product and a more vibrant company.

We understand that great talent comes from various paths and that passion and transferable skills are invaluable. At Primordial Labs, what truly matters is your ability to make an impact, your dedication to our mission, and your capacity to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative atmosphere. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace where you can contribute your unique talents, expand your skills, and learn continuously. If you\'re driven to make a real impact, we encourage you to apply, even if your experience doesn\'t perfectly align with every qualification.