Manager, Business Development (Grade P12)

SES Space & DEFENSE; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

SES Space & Defense is seeking a strategic, growth‑oriented Manager, Business Development to lead engagement with U.S. Government, DoW, IC, and allied customers.

You will develop pipeline, shape capture strategies, and drive opportunities across satellite communications and mission‑critical space services. The ideal candidate has government market expertise, executive relationship skills, and a track record of winning complex federal and defense opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required.
• Experience in business development, capture, or strategic sales in defense/government tech.
• Active U.S. security clearance (Secret minimum; Top Secret/SCI preferred) or ability to obtain and maintain one.

Responsibilities

• Identify, qualify, and secure new business opportunities aligned with DoW, IC, and space‑capable offerings.
• Lead opportunity qualification, competitive positioning, and account planning activities.
• Develop and maintain customer engagement strategies with DoW, IC, civilian agencies, and partners.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams during proposal development and solution design.
• Maintain CRM systems and pipeline forecasting tools to ensure accurate tracking.
• Mentor junior BD professionals and contribute to a high‑performance growth culture.

Skills

Presentation skills

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, International Relations, Political Science, or related field

Job description

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Manager, Business Development (Grade P12)

Location: Reston, VA, US, 20191

Work Arrangement: Hybrid

Job ID: 1253

Who We Are:

At SES Space & Defense, we deliver secure, resilient connectivity and integrated space solutions for customers operating in the world’s most demanding environments. As part of SES S.A., a global leader in satellite-enabled communications, we combine capabilities across all orbits with extensive global ground infrastructure, managed networks, hosted payload solutions, and mission integration services to support communications, sensing, data transport, and operational resilience worldwide.

Our vertically integrated space and ground capabilities bring together satellite capacity, terrestrial infrastructure, advanced network technologies, and deployed user terminals to support mission-critical government operations around the world. We are a trusted partner to the U.S. Federal Government and national security community, allied governments, NATO, NASA, and other civilian agencies, delivering reliable, high-performance solutions when mission success is critical.

At SES Space & Defense, our people are our competitive advantage. You’ll work alongside a mission-driven team committed to integrity, innovation, accountability, and delivering real-world impact for customers whose missions matter most.

What You’ll Do:

SES Space & Defense is seeking a strategic, growth-oriented Business Development Manager to lead customer engagement, pipeline development, and capture strategy across U.S. Government, Department of War (DoW), Intelligence Community (IC), and allied mission areas. This role is responsible for identifying, qualifying, and securing new business opportunities aligned with the company’s satellite communications, secure connectivity, managed network services, and mission‑critical space‑enabled capabilities.

The ideal candidate combines strong government market expertise with executive‑level relationship management, technical credibility, and a proven track record of winning complex federal and defense opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities

Business Development & Growth Strategy

• Identify, develop, and execute strategic business development initiatives supporting company growth objectives.
• Build and maintain a qualified pipeline of opportunities across DoW, IC, civilian agencies, and strategic partners.
• Lead opportunity qualification, competitive positioning, and account planning activities.
• Develop and maintain customer engagement strategies aligned with corporate priorities and market trends.
• Conduct market analysis, competitive intelligence, and customer research to identify emerging opportunities.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to define long‑term growth strategies and market expansion initiatives.

Customer Engagement & Relationship Management

• Establish and maintain trusted relationships with senior government, military, and industry stakeholders.
• Represent the company at customer meetings, industry conferences, and government events.
• Develop partnerships and teaming arrangements with strategic industry partners and integrators.
• Serve as a key interface between customers and internal technical, operations, and program teams.

Capture & Proposal Support

• Support capture management activities from opportunity identification through contract award.
• Assist in developing win strategies, value propositions, pricing approaches, and competitive differentiators.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams during proposal development and solution design.
• Contribute to proposal reviews, customer presentations, and executive briefings.
• Ensure CRM systems and pipeline forecasting tools are maintained accurately.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Collaborate closely with engineering, operations, legal, finance, contracts, and program management teams.
• Provide market and customer insight to support product development and service innovation.
• Mentor junior business development professionals and contribute to a high‑performance growth culture.

Who You Are:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, International Relations, Political Science, or related field.
• Experience in business development, capture, or strategic sales within the defense, aerospace, satellite communications, or government technology sectors.
• Demonstrated success developing and winning opportunities with DoW, IC, federal civilian agencies, or allied government customers.
• Strong understanding of government acquisition processes, contract vehicles, and procurement lifecycle.
• Proven ability to build executive‑level customer relationships and influence strategic decisions.
• Experience managing multi‑million‑dollar opportunity pipelines.
• Strong presentation, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across technical and non‑technical teams.
• Active U.S. security clearance (Secret minimum; Top Secret/SCI preferred) or ability to obtain and maintain one.
• Must be able to travel up to 40%

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in satellite communications (SATCOM), space systems, secure networking, or managed communications services.
• Familiarity with military communications architectures, tactical networking, or resilient space‑enabled solutions.
• Existing relationships within DoW, Combatant Commands, Intelligence Community, or international defense organizations.
• MBA or advanced degree preferred.

This role is hybrid based in our Reston VA or Tampa FL office..

SES Space & Defense is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $[MIN] to $[MAX]. The final base salary offered will be determined based on factors such as the position’s location, the candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

Where applicable, this position may also be eligible for an annual bonus. Employees are eligible to participate in SES Space & Defense’s benefits programs, which include paid vacation, sick and personal leave; medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; a 401(k)-retirement plan; and others.

An Equal Opportunity Employer:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.