We design, manufacturer and support actuation systems for commercial and military systems. Backed by a16z.
About the role
The Principal Business Development Manager – Defense owns and grows Salient Motion's defense order pipeline, with primary focus on the missile actuation product line: control actuation systems (CAS), fin and canard actuators, electromechanical actuators (EMA), and thrust vector control (TVC). The mandate is to convert Salient's technical credibility into committed defense programs with missile and munitions primes, systems integrators, and U.S. Government customers. Found on 1752vc Careers, the job board for startup and VC roles.
What they're looking for
- 12+ years of business development, capture, or program-facing experience in aerospace and defense, with a demonstrable record of personally winning new business at the prime or Tier 1 level
- Direct experience with missile, munitions, precision-guided weapons, or flight control and actuation products and the customers who buy them
- Demonstrated ownership of full-lifecycle captures, including win strategy, price-to-win, and competitive positioning on pursuits of meaningful scale
- Working knowledge of electromechanical or hydraulic actuation systems sufficient to hold credible technical discussions with customers and internal engineering, unaided
- Established, active network among defense primes, systems integrators, and DoD program offices that can be brought to bear immediately
- Deep working understanding of the DoD acquisition process, the federal budget cycle, and FAR/DFARS contracting
More about this role
The Principal Business Development Manager – Defense owns and grows Salient Motion's defense order pipeline, with primary focus on the missile actuation product line: control actuation systems (CAS), fin and canard actuators, electromechanical actuators (EMA), and thrust vector control (TVC). The mandate is to convert Salient's technical credibility into committed defense programs with missile and munitions primes, systems integrators, and U.S. Government customers.
This is the company's most senior individual-contributor capture role. It exists for someone who already holds the relationships, program knowledge, and technical fluency to shape requirements early, position Salient ahead of solicitation, and win. The role operates with a high degree of autonomy across the full business development lifecycle, from opportunity identification through contract award, and sets the capture standard that the rest of the business development team follows.
- Own the business development and capture strategy for the missile actuation product line, and identify adjacent growth opportunities across the broader defense portfolio.
- Build and manage a qualified opportunity pipeline across current...
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