Vice President Sales & Strategic Funding (m/f/d)

The role

You will drive commercial growth through customer acquisition, strategic partnerships, and non-dilutive funding. You will lead the Sales, Business Development, Grants, and Prizes teams to secure launch contracts and public funding.

What you will do

• Define and execute sales, business development, and strategic funding strategy
• Lead and scale Sales, Business Development, Grants, and Prizes teams
• Establish commercial governance and performance management processes
• Own the commercial pipeline from opportunity to contract signature
• Lead customer acquisition across commercial, institutional, and government markets
• Drive contract negotiations and secure long-term launch agreements
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships
• Lead identification and pursuit of national, European, and international funding opportunities
• Align commercial commitments with Engineering, Program Management, and Finance
• Define key commercial KPIs and manage annual budgets

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business, Engineering, Economics, Aerospace, or a related field
• Significant experience in sales, business development, commercial leadership, or strategic partnerships within aerospace, defense, technology, industrial, or highly regulated sectors
• Proven experience leading high-performing sales and business development organizations
• Track record of securing complex, high-value commercial agreements and strategic partnerships
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing commercial growth strategies
• Strong understanding of government and institutional procurement environments
• Experience with grants, public funding programs, innovation funding, or other non-dilutive financing mechanisms
• Strong financial and commercial acumen
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with significant ambiguity and complexity
• Fluent in English

Nice to have

• Experience within the launch, satellite, aerospace, defense, or space technology sectors
• Experience managing international sales organizations
• Familiarity with European Commission, ESA, DLR, national space agency, or defense funding programs
• Experience with government affairs and institutional customer engagement
• Strong understanding of export control, regulatory, and compliance considerations
• Additional language skills, particularly German or other European languages
• Previous experience scaling commercial organizations during periods of rapid growth

Benefits

• Employee Participation Program: virtual company share program
• 30 days of vacation
• Company pension plan with 20% employer contribution after probation period
• Subsidised lunch
• Fully financed Deutschlandticket
• Rental clothing with laundry service
• Sponsored sports club memberships (EGYM Wellpass)
• Individual learning budget granted after the probation period
• Childcare allowance for non-school-age children

Before you apply

• Due to security clearance requirements, affiliations with countries listed under § 13 para. 1 no. 17 SÜG may affect the application process

About the company

Isar Aerospace is a fast-growing company aiming to provide sustainable and environmentally friendly launch solutions for small and medium-sized satellites and constellations into Low Earth Orbit. The company is privately funded by world-leading technology investors.