Director, Business Development - Defence & Government (France)

The role

You will own the full sales cycle with French defence and government customers, from lead generation through to contract close. You will build relationships with the Ministère des Armées, DGA, CNES and related prime contractors, and lead proposals and negotiations in French and English.

What you will do

• Own the full sales cycle with French defence and government customers, from lead generation to close
• Build and deepen relationships across the Ministère des Armées, DGA, Commandement de l'Espace, AID, CNES and French prime contractors
• Win through French public procurement, navigating tenders, innovation programmes and direct contracting
• Lead written and verbal proposals in French and English
• Negotiate contracts, including pricing, terms, security and sovereignty requirements
• Identify opportunities beyond the core French portfolio, including European and allied programmes
• Stay close to accounts once programmes are underway and identify additional opportunities
• Bring market intelligence on French and European defence and space priorities back to the business

Required qualifications

• 5+ years of direct sales or business development experience selling complex technical products to French defence or government customers
• Established network across the French defence and government ecosystem, particularly Minarm and DGA
• Familiarity with CDE and CNES and how French defence programmes are planned, funded and procured
• Proven track record of developing strategic opportunities, leading complex negotiations and securing significant government contracts
• Technical understanding of defence, aerospace, intelligence or space systems
• Excellent communication and executive presence with senior government, military and industry leaders
• Native or fully professional French and English, written and spoken
• Eligible to obtain and hold a French national defence security clearance (habilitation)

Nice to have

• Experience selling mission- or satellite-as-a-service offerings to defence or institutional customers
• Strong technical fluency in space hardware and systems
• Direct experience at a French prime, a space scaleup or startup, the DGA, CNES or the French armed forces
• Familiarity with European defence funding instruments and ESA programmes, and selling to other European MoDs
• Background in engineering that transitioned into sales
• Residence in or willingness to relocate to Toulouse

Benefits

• Equity
• Up to 35 days of paid time off (vacations and RTT) and flexible working hours
• Health and life insurance
• Lunch vouchers
• Cross-office travel between San Francisco, Colorado and Toulouse
• Company and team off-sites and events
• Relocation assistance to Toulouse when applicable

Before you apply

• Must be eligible to obtain and hold a French national defence security clearance (habilitation)

About the company

Loft Orbital is hiring for a senior business development role focused on French defence and government customers. The posting describes offices in San Francisco, Colorado and Toulouse.