Business Development Director - Directed Energy Systems, International

Worker Type Regular Job Description Location: Albuquerque, NM; Huntsville, AL; or National Capital Region Travel: Frequent international travel across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and the Indo-Pacific, with domestic engagement across AV teams and U.S. government stakeholders Help expand the future of directed energy air defense worldwide AeroVironment (AV) is seeking an experienced international business development leader to establish and expand the company’s directed energy business across allied and partner nations, including the LOCUST® X3 Laser Weapon System . This role will focus on translating regional defense priorities and emerging counter-UAS requirements into international directed energy programs. You will help customers evaluate how laser weapon systems can support layered air defense, protect forces and critical infrastructure, and address the growing threat posed by unmanned aircraft systems. You will lead AV’s directed energy systems international growth strategy across three priority regions: Europe, MENA, and the Indo-Pacific . Each region presents different threat environments, operational concepts, acquisition systems, funding mechanisms, industrial-base requirements, and partnership opportunities. You will develop a tailored approach for each market, identify priority countries and programs, build trusted relationships with customers and partners, and advance opportunities from early market development through contract award and program growth. Your work will help define AV’s international directed energy strategy, shape customer requirements, strengthen regional partnerships, and inform the evolution of products and offerings for international operators. What You’ll Lead Own regional directed energy strategies. Develop and execute market strategies for Europe, MENA, and the Indo-Pacific. Assess regional security priorities, counter-UAS requirements, air defense architectures, acquisition timelines, funding sources, competitive environments, and local industrial capabilities. Prioritize countries and opportunities. Identify the countries, ministries, military organizations, acquisition programs, exercises, demonstrations, and industry engagements where AV can create the greatest value and establish a durable market position. Build and manage the international pipeline. Translate regional strategies into actionable business development and capture plans. Establish pipeline objectives, qualify opportunities, shape requirements early, and maintain visibility from initial customer engagement through award and follow-on growth. Develop trusted regional relationships. Build relationships with allied and partner-nation ministries of defense, military users, acquisition organizations, test agencies, national security institutions, international primes, system integrators, and local defense companies. Understand the mission behind the requirement. Engage customers to understand their operational challenges, threat priorities, force structure, rules of engagement, infrastructure needs, and desired employment concepts. Position directed energy as part of an integrated, layered air defense and counter-UAS solution. Shape requirements and acquisition pathways. Help customers connect operational needs to requirements development, experimentation, demonstrations, funding, acquisition strategy, integration, training, sustainment, and long-term force development. Develop regional partnerships. Identify and establish relationships with international prime contractors, integrators, distributors, local industry, and strategic technology partners. Develop teaming, integration, industrial participation, local content, sustainment, and market-access strategies that support successful international programs. Lead international captures. Coordinate cross-functional teams across engineering, product management, program management, contracts, finance, supply chain, export compliance, legal, and communications to develop capture strategies, proposals, teaming arrangements, pricing approaches, and executable business plans. Navigate FMS and DCS opportunities. Coordinate Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), government-to-government, and other international acquisition pathways with AV specialists, U.S. government stakeholders, and customer representatives. Represent AV in international engagements. Lead senior-level customer meetings, technical briefings, demonstrations, operational assessments, trade shows, exercises, industry forums, and partner engagements throughout the priority regions. Make directed energy meaningful to customers. Clearly communicate the operational value, capabilities, employment considerations, integration requirements, limitations, readiness factors, and lifecycle implications of laser weapon systems to military, technical, acquisition, and executive audiences. Support international program growth after award. Maintain customer and partner engagement through implementation, fielding, training, sustainment, capability expansion, follow-on opportunities, and development of international references. Bring regional insight into AV. Translate customer feedback, competitor intelligence, policy changes, partner capabilities, and regional market trends into recommendations for product development, system integration, positioning, pricing, investment, and international portfolio strategy. What You Bring 10+ years of relevant defense or national security experience , including 5+ years in international business development, capture, defense sales, strategic partnerships, or acquisition . A demonstrated record of advancing complex defense opportunities and building trusted relationships with international customers, government stakeholders, and industry partners. An established network in one or more of AV’s priority regions: Europe, MENA, or the Indo-Pacific . A strong understanding of how intern