Director of Business Development & Sales – Defense

About the role

XTEND is seeking a senior Director of Business Development & Sales to drive international growth in the defense market. Reporting to the VP of Business Development & Sales, you will own the end‑to‑end commercial process, from market entry to contract signature, across multiple regions.

Key responsibilities

• Lead Business Development and Sales activities across assigned defense markets, from lead generation to contract closure.
• Identify, qualify, develop and close new opportunities with ministries, armed forces, government agencies, prime contractors and strategic partners.
• Own the full sales cycle – requirements definition, demonstrations, proposals, negotiations, contracting and closing.
• Build and manage a measurable pipeline of high‑value opportunities and provide clear forecasts.
• Drive large‑scale, multi‑system defense deals with long sales cycles and multiple stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Product, Engineering, Operations, Programs, Legal and Finance to craft competitive solutions.
• Lead responses to RFIs, RFPs, tenders and other procurement processes.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with local partners, integrators, distributors and prime contractors.
• Represent XTEND at customer meetings, exhibitions, industry events and senior‑level engagements worldwide.

Required profile

• 5+ years of Business Development or combined BD & Sales experience in the defense industry with direct customer‑facing responsibility.
• Proven track record of originating, developing and closing multi‑million‑dollar defense contracts.
• Strong understanding of defense procurement processes and experience working with ministries, armed forces or major defense contractors.
• Demonstrated ability to manage large commercial opportunities and substantial program budgets.
• Excellent English communication skills and possession of an additional foreign passport.
• Willingness to travel internationally ~50% of the time.
• Experience in Gulf (GCC) markets and Arabic language proficiency are significant advantages.
• Experience selling complex hardware, autonomous systems, robotics, UAS, C4ISR or related defense solutions.
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree is a plus.

Required skills

• Autonomous systems
• Robotics
• Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
• C4ISR
• Complex hardware and technology solutions