Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Korn Ferry is partnering with a high-growth, private equity-backed U.S. defense technology company specializing in precision optics, optical coatings, photonics, and advanced laser technologies. The Business Development Manager will expand the company’s presence across space and advanced optics markets by opening new customer relationships, shaping opportunities before formal RFPs, and positioning optical technologies with government customers and aerospace and defense primes.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute growth strategies across space, satellite, EO/IR and advanced optical markets
- Build relationships with government customers, space organizations, prime contractors, spacecraft companies and technology partners
- Identify and shape opportunities early in the acquisition lifecycle, before formal requirements or RFPs
- Navigate engineering, program, procurement and BD organizations within major aerospace and defense primes
- Translate evolving customer requirements into opportunities across precision optics, sensing, advanced payloads, coatings and photonic technologies
- Build and manage a qualified pipeline, including multi-year opportunities that can reach approximately $20M–$40M
- Partner closely with engineering, product, manufacturing and senior leadership to align customer needs with technology investments
- Support capture and proposal activity and elevate larger strategic opportunities as they develop
- Build new markets and accounts with significant autonomy
- Shape opportunities well before procurement begins
- Work with differentiated, U.S.-manufactured optical and photonic technologies
- Gain visibility with senior leadership
- Operate in an entrepreneurial environment with the resources of a sophisticated private equity sponsor
- Participate in a broader growth story as the organization invests in people, technology, manufacturing capacity and acquisitions
Skills
- 5+ years of progressive Aerospace & Defense experience across business development, capture, strategic accounts or program leadership
- Strong grounding in optics, photonics, EO/IR, sensing, optical payloads, coatings or related technologies
- Meaningful relationships across the space ecosystem , potentially including NASA, JPL, U.S. national security space organizations, satellite companies, NewSpace companies and major space primes
- Demonstrated success selling technical products or subsystems to prime contractors and/or government customers
- A track record of creating opportunities rather than waiting for RFPs
- Experience influencing requirements, technology roadmaps or platform designs early in the lifecycle
- Proven ability to open new accounts and build pipeline from white space
- Executive presence and technical credibility with customers, engineers and senior leadership
- An entrepreneurial, accountable working style suited to a fast-paced and highly autonomous environment
- Demonstrated space-sector relationships and customer access are more important for this position
- Remote, with travel as required
- Prior government, military, laboratory, PEO or acquisition experience is valuable but not required
Benefits
- Remote work arrangement, with travel as required
- Build new markets and accounts with significant autonomy
- Work with differentiated, U.S.-manufactured optical and photonic technologies
- Gain visibility with senior leadership
- Operate in an entrepreneurial environment with the resources of a sophisticated private equity sponsor
- Participate in a broader growth story as the organization invests in people, technology, manufacturing capacity and acquisitions
Company Overview
Company H1B Sponsorship