Director of Business Development

Pacific International Executive Search; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Pacific International Executive Search seeks a Director of Business Development to drive profitable growth in the U.S. aviation market.

You will lead strategic opportunities with airlines, airports, and aviation service providers, building long-term partnerships and a robust growth pipeline across multiple aviation service lines. You will partner with cross-functional leadership to ensure opportunities are commercially attractive, executable, and positioned for sustainable long-term growth,

Qualifications

• Significant experience in aviation industry and related operations.
• Proven ability to originate, develop, and close complex B2B service contracts.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen including pricing and profitability analysis.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the business development strategy aligned with growth objectives.
• Build and maintain a pipeline across airlines, airports, and aviation service customers.
• Expand existing business with new customers, locations, contracts, and scopes of work.
• Identify opportunities leveraging airport footprint, workforce, and capabilities.
• Lead opportunities from qualification through RFI/RFP, proposals, negotiations, and contracts.

Skills

Aviation industry experience

Commercial management

Sales and business development

Close complex B2B service contracts

Financial and profitability analysis

RFI/RFP processes

Executive communication

Relationship management

Travel willingness

Job description

Pacific International has been retained by a leading aviation services organization looking to identify a Director of Business Development to drive profitable growth and expand its presence across the U.S. aviation market. This is a highly visible commercial leadership role responsible for developing new business opportunities, strengthening strategic customer relationships, and building long-term partnerships across airlines, airports, and the broader aviation services industry.

In this role, you'll work to build a disciplined growth pipeline while identifying opportunities to expand both existing services and new aviation-adjacent offerings. You'll partner closely with operational and functional leadership to ensure new opportunities are commercially attractive, operationally executable, and positioned for sustainable long-term growth.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute the business development strategy in alignment with the organization’s overall growth objectives.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities across airlines, airports, airport authorities, ground handlers, concessionaires, and other aviation-sector customers.
• Expand existing business through new customers, locations, contracts, and scopes of work.
• Identify new opportunities where the organization can leverage its airport footprint, workforce, infrastructure, relationships, and operating capabilities.
• Drive growth across aviation security, aircraft cabin cleaning, airport and facility services, screening, airport support services, and other outsourced aviation services.
• Lead new business opportunities from initial qualification through RFI/RFP processes, proposal development, negotiations, and contract award.
• Partner with Operations, Finance, Legal, People Operations, and other functions to develop commercially and operationally executable customer solutions.
• Develop business cases and financial models evaluating revenue, margin, investment requirements, operational assumptions, and risk.
• Build relationships with senior decision-makers across airlines, airports, and aviation service organizations.
• Maintain market intelligence around upcoming RFPs, contract expirations, airport developments, competitive activity, and customer outsourcing strategies.

Qualifications:

• Significant experience within the aviation industry, with a strong understanding of airline, airport, ground services, aviation security, or related airport-based operations.
• Demonstrated experience in business development, commercial management, sales, or operational leadership within aviation.
• Proven ability to originate, develop, and close complex B2B service contracts.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including experience with pricing, business cases, contract economics, and profitability analysis.
• Experience participating in or leading formal RFI, RFP, and procurement processes.
• Strong executive-level communication, presentation, relationship-management, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to translate customer needs and market opportunities into executable operating solutions.
• Established relationships within the U.S. airline, airport, aviation services, or aviation security community preferred.
• Experience launching new stations, customer contracts, or service lines preferred.
• Familiarity with TSA requirements, airport badging and access controls, security programs, and other aviation regulations preferred.
• Willingness to travel regularly throughout the United States.

About Pacific International Executive Search

Pacific International, a globally recognized retained executive search firm, is dedicated to empowering Fortune 500, FTSE 100, and high-growth enterprises in building exceptional C-suite, senior-level, and strategic leadership teams while championing diversity and inclusion. Our adaptability, agility, and forward-thinking ethos distinguish us in the ever-evolving business landscape.

Since 1997, we have been dedicated to building lasting client partnerships based on trust and reliability, and a proven track record of successful C-suite and mid- to senior-level leadership project delivery across many key industries globally.

Diversity Statement

At Pacific International, diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the core of who we are and what we do. Our commitment to these values is unwavering and we proudly champion diversity on behalf of our clients in every Executive Search mandate we undertake. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. In pursuit of these objectives, we actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities.