Director of Business Development – Defense (m/f/d)

Permanent | Full-Time | Munich, Germany

Stax is partnering with a fast-growing European deep-tech company developing advanced autonomy and AI-driven technologies for real-world, mission-critical environments. As they expand their presence in the defence sector, they are seeking a Director of Business Development – Defense to lead strategic growth across NATO and allied markets.

This is a high-impact commercial leadership role, responsible for shaping market strategy, building long-term defence partnerships, and driving the full customer lifecycle from early engagement through long-term account development.

The Role

As Director of Business Development, you will play a central role in expanding the organisation’s footprint across defence markets and securing long-term strategic partnerships.

Key responsibilities include:

* Owning the full customer lifecycle across defence markets, including new business development, deal execution, renewals, and long-term account growth.

* Designing and executing a go-to-market strategy for defence sectors, aligned with company vision, budgets, and growth targets.

* Building trusted relationships with government agencies, NATO-aligned armed forces, defence primes, and strategic partners.

* Collaborating closely with engineering and product leadership to align market needs with technical capabilities and future product direction.

* Developing commercial models and pricing strategies suited to defence procurement cycles and long-term programme structures.

* Analysing defence market dynamics, procurement trends, and competitor positioning to inform strategy and market entry.

Your Background

* 5+ years’ experience in business development, sales, or strategic partnerships within the defence sector.

* Strong understanding of defence procurement processes, contracting structures, and programme lifecycles.

* Demonstrated success selling complex technology or deep-tech solutions into government or defence organisations.

* Experience building structured, repeatable commercial pipelines for sophisticated enterprise-grade technologies.

* Proven ability to scale revenue from early-stage market traction to sustained growth.

* Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills across complex environments.

* Willingness to travel internationally when required.

Nice to have

* Active or previous security clearances within Germany or allied nations.

* Exposure to technologies such as autonomy, robotics, AI-driven systems, or advanced software platforms deployed in physical environments.

About the Company

Our client is a rapidly growing European deep-tech company building advanced autonomy and AI-enabled systems designed for deployment in complex, real-world environments. Their technology is used across sectors where reliability, performance, and safety are critical.

Working closely with major industrial and government partners, the company is focused on solving some of the most challenging problems at the intersection of AI, robotics, and large-scale physical systems.

Based in Munich, the team combines expertise across autonomy, AI, and embedded software, operating in a fast-moving environment with ambitious growth plans.

Why Join

* Work at the forefront of European defence and deep-tech innovation

* Play a key role in shaping commercial strategy in a high-growth market

* Competitive compensation and benefits package

* Equity participation through a virtual stock option plan

* Flexible working environment with strong technical leadership

How to Apply

If you are interested in learning more, please apply with your CV or reach out directly to the Stax team for a confidential discussion.