Senior Director, Business Development Operations

AeroVironment; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense technology company is seeking a Senior Director of Business Development Operations in Herndon, Virginia. This senior leadership position involves guiding a team to drive strategic growth and operational excellence. Responsibilities include managing business operations, implementing demand generation programs, and leveraging CRM systems to enhance customer engagement. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in defense technologies and a proven track record in business development. A competitive benefits package is offered, including health insurance and a 401K plan.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401K with company matching

Paid holiday shutdown

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of experience in business development operations or demand generation.
• Proven ability to design, execute, and evaluate marketing programs.
• Strong analytical skills to measure ROI and campaign performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of business operations professionals.
• Design and execute demand generation programs.
• Enhance operational processes and systems for effectiveness.

Skills

Leadership

Data-driven marketing

Project management

Communication skills

CRM management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering or related

Tools

Salesforce

HubSpot

Job description

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

AV is seeking a Senior Director of Business Development Operations to join our team. This senior leadership role reports to the Vice President of Growth Operations and is responsible for leading and managing a team of business operations professionals dedicated to driving strategic growth and operational excellence.

The Senior Director will establish and oversee the business operations framework, guiding current business processes and management operations. This role is accountable for designing, developing, and executing new market demand generation programs to introduce AV product lines into new customer markets. Additional responsibilities include managing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementation, integrating acquired companies, and driving continuous process improvement.

This position requires a strong understanding of defense and national security capabilities, including Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Counter-UAS systems, drones, and hardware and software solutions designed to counter emerging threats. Other product areas include Space and Intelligence solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Review customer, mission, and market requirements to identify potential solutions and product opportunities across the company portfolio.
• Design, develop, and execute innovative demand generation initiatives to drive new leads and nurture existing customer relationships.
• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing demand generation team.
• Enhance operational processes and reporting systems to measure effectiveness, performance, and return on investment (ROI) of marketing and demand generation activities.
• Improve marketing automation and CRM systems to optimize lead nurturing, increase conversion rates, and ensure data accuracy.
• Collaborate with marketing and sales teams to create, review, and promote marketing materials that increase awareness and customer engagement.
• Analyze campaign results, extract actionable insights, and communicate findings to guide strategic decisions.
• Support product development and market expansion efforts by assessing growth opportunities and aligning resources accordingly.
• Manage and prioritize investment budgets, forecasts, and performance metrics.
• Oversee and optimize CRM implementation (e.g., Salesforce) to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency.
• Represent AV at industry events, conferences, and customer engagements, serving as a key advocate for the company’s mission and capabilities.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture within the Growth Operations organization.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5–10 years of experience in business development operations, demand generation, CRM management, or strategic partnerships.
• Proven ability to design, execute, and evaluate data-driven marketing and growth programs.
• Demonstrated analytical skills to measure ROI, campaign performance, and operational effectiveness.
• Strong leadership and team management experience.
• Excellent project management, communication, and organizational skills with high attention to detail.
• Proficiency with CRM and marketing automation systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot).

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MBA or related field).
• Experience in the defense, aerospace, or national security industry.
• Familiarity with Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Counter-UAS technologies, drones, or related hardware and software solutions.
• Demonstrated experience leading process improvement and integration efforts across multiple business units.
• Strong understanding of user experience design and customer engagement strategies.
• Experience presenting to senior executives and external stakeholders.

Clearance Level

No Clearance

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits

AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits. We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

Who We Are

Based in California, AeroVironment (AVAV) is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Founded in 1971 by celebrated physicist and engineer, Dr. Paul MacCready, we’ve been at the leading edge of technical innovation for more than 45 years. Be a part of the team that developed the world’s most widely used military drones and created the first submarine-launched reconnaissance drone, and has seven innovative vehicles that are part of the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection in Washington, DC.

What We Do

Building on a history of technological innovation, AeroVironment designs, develops, produces, and supports an advanced portfolio of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company’s hand-launched UAS to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

U.S. Citizenship required

U.S. Citizenship required