Manager, Business Development - Airborne Systems

Kearfott Corporation; Pine Brook (NJ); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401(k) plan with company match

Paid vacation and holidays

9/80 work week

Job summary

Kearfott Corporation, a global aerospace and defense leader, seeks a Manager, Business Development for Airborne Systems to drive growth in inertial navigation products across aircraft, UAVs, missiles, and space platforms. You will lead capture teams, shape go‑to‑market plans, and build strong government and international customer relationships.

The role favors a background in airborne guidance, strategic thinking, and the ability to lead cross‑functional bids with a 50% travel expectation. U.S.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Military Science, or related field.
• 10+ years performing Business Development activities, especially in airborne systems.
• Strong leadership and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Deep understanding of DoD budgeting and procurement processes.
• Excellent relationship building with targeted buyers and decision makers.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to travel 50%+.

Responsibilities

• Identify markets and customers for GND products and drive capture efforts.
• Lead and coordinate cross‑functional teams through proposals and RFP responses.
• Develop go‑to‑market strategies and pricing input for opportunities.
• Navigate government acquisition stages and maintain customer relationships.
• Support strategic business planning and marketing material creation.
• Travel to customer sites and trade shows as required.

Job description

Founded in 1918, Kearfott Corporation, a global Aerospace and Defense supplier for over 100 years, is a leader in the design and manufacture of precision motion control products and inertial navigation components. Kearfott has a very long history of innovation and excellence and is the go‑to brand for many of our global clients. Kearfott is trusted, respected, and plays a vital role in the success of America’s aerospace and defense industries. With over a century of expertise & experience, Kearfott is dedicated to providing quality, reliability, and cutting‑edge technology to customers worldwide to meet their sea, land, air, and space navigation and guidance requirements.

We are looking for talented individuals who want to be part of a world‑class workforce. Join Kearfott and become part of a company that is recognized for technical expertise and respected worldwide as a ‘full service’ provider.

For more information, visit our website at www.kearfott.com

Manager, Business Development –Airborne Systems

Overview

The individual will be part of a customer‑facing team that is responsible for business development and market penetration for Kearfott Corporation’s Guidance and Navigation Division (GND) inertial measurement and navigation products/solutions for use in aircraft, UAVs, missiles, space, land vehicles, and sea platforms. Preference is for a candidate with a background in airborne guidance and navigation systems. The individual must be a motivated, strategic thinker with a demonstrated ability to lead business development pursuits and activities. The candidate will also function as a leader of capture teams responsible for new business opportunities related to Assured Position, Navigation, and Timing (A‑PNT) systems. This position has the flexibility to work from either GND’s Pine Brook, NJ, location or remotely.

Responsibilities:

• Identify and recommend industry/defense markets and specific customers for Kearfott GND products.
• Successfully navigate the stages of the government acquisition process.
• Establish relationships with customers (domestic and/or international) and identifyhigh-level decision makers.
• Develop, maintain, and lead execution of the GND annual Bookings Plan.
• Employ BD techniques to learn customers’ underlying needs and uniquely shape our offerings around those needs, demonstrating an understanding and desire to solve customers’ problems.
• Design the go-to-market strategy for each targeted market, and collaborate with the GND team on product development, strategy, and execution.
• Provide input to pricing models and market promotion(s) that will grow Kearfott's market share.
• Analyze DOD, international, and commercial guidance and navigation system requirements/procurements, including supporting technologies, and convert the resulting analysis into business development initiatives.
• Develop and maintain competitivemarket analyses. Identify, interpret, and communicate key market drivers, trends, and technologies within the GND market in order capture new business opportunities.
• Support the development of a strategic business plan that will have a high probability of success.
• Develop marketing materials, including sales kits, white papers, data sheets, and channel promotion information.
• Actively lead and manage internal cross‑functional teams in customer sales cycles, including customer proposals and RFP responses. Responsible for ensuring customer proposals, pricing, and RFP responses are complete and compliant with customer guidelines.
• Attend and support trade shows and other general industry efforts
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Travel: 50% or more.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Military Science, or related field.
• Strategic thinking, business acumen, market savvy, product/technical depth, presentation skills, credibility with technical teams and customers.
• Strong leadership, persuasive communication skills, and the ability to drive timely RFP response from cross‑functional teams.
• Ability to develop business approaches and strategies that will have a high probability of success in capturing opportunities, leading to sustainable and profitable growth of Kearfott.
• Excellent interpersonal, communications, and gravitas (written and verbal)
• Drives for results, action‑oriented.
• 10+ years performing Business Development (sales, marketing, capture, proposal) activities, especially in airborne systems.
• Strong technical background, preferably in inertial navigation systems.
• Existing solid industry and DOD relationships
• Hunter mentality and strong understanding of the customer decision‑making process, quickly building strong relationships with targeted individuals.
• Must understand the DoD budgeting process and how targeted opportunities become a Program of Record.
• Previous military experience a plus.
• Familiar with DCS, FMS, FMF, OTA, and other procurement processes.
• Experience in pursuing and capturing International aerospace and defense business opportunities.
• Formal training in the Shipley or equivalent capture process is strongly desired.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in New Jersey is $140,000 - $180,000 Annually. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as the final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge and skills, experience, and internal consistency.

Additionally, we offer medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, a 401(k) plan with company match, tuition assistance, paid vacation and sick days, paid holidays, and a 9/80 work week with every other Friday off. Our work environment embraces our people as we enjoy monthly employee events that celebrate our workplace culture.

Equal Opportunity Employer/including Disabled/Veterans