X-BAT Business Development Director Middle East R4949

Job Description

• Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
• Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines.
• With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide.
• For more information, visit www.shield.ai .
• Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn , X , Instagram , and YouTube .
• ****Job Description:****
• At Shield AI, we’re redefining the battlespace with autonomy-enabled airpower.
• As part of our global expansion, we’re looking for a bold and visionary Director – CCAs, Middle East to lead strategic sales, customer engagement, and capture efforts for our Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) initiatives across the region.
• This is a high-impact role at the cutting edge of aerospace and defense innovation.
• You’ll be on the front lines, driving adoption and revenue for Shield AI’s CCA technologies by engaging directly with top-tier defense stakeholders—military customers, industry primes, and government decision-makers.
• Your mission: position Shield AI as the go-to partner for next-generation air combat solutions in the Middle East.
• You’ll bring a rare mix of defense sales expertise, technical credibility, and a deep understanding of air domain CONOPS and acquisition frameworks.
• From identifying new opportunities to closing complex deals and launching early-stage programs, you’ll own the entire business development lifecycle.
• ****What Youll Do:****
• Drive Strategic Capture: Identify, shape, and capture high-value opportunities across Middle Eastern next-gen airpower programs relevant to CCAs and autonomy.
• Drive Regional Sales Pipeline: Lead the full business development lifecycle for CCA-focused efforts, from customer engagement through proposal, negotiation, and contract award.
• Engage Key Stakeholders: Build and maintain trusted relationships with Ministries of Defence, defense primes, integrators, and key partners.
• Shape Requirements & CONOPS: Influence customer requirements and future CCA CONOPS to align with Shield AI’s product offerings.
• Support Demonstrations & Campaigns: Lead Shield AI’s positioning and participation in regional flight demos, technical trials, and program pilots.
• Coordinate Cross-Functionally: Collaborate closely with engineering, product, legal, and program teams to align technical solutions with customer needs and delivery requirements.
• Inform Product Direction: Provide field intelligence to guide feature development, integration strategy, and roadmap priorities for Hivemind-enabled CCA solutions.

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years in a relevant air force occupation, bringing significant depth of understanding of relevant CONOPs and platform applications (preference for real-world operational experience flying tactical fighter aircraft with a strong technical background).
• 3–5+ years of experience in defense acquisition, business development, sales, or strategy, ideally with a focus on air platforms or autonomy.
• 5+ years of experience in region either operationally or from a defense business perspective
• Strong track record of capturing and closing defense programs or tech insertions with relevant ministries of Defense or multinational frameworks.
• Understanding of next-gen air combat trends, including CCAs, MUM-T, and AI-enabled CONOPS.
• Ability to credibly represent technically complex products to both strategic and operational-level audiences.
• Familiarity with key regional acquisition pathways.
• Willingness to live in regional (preferably Abu Dhabi) and to travel extensively across the Middle East (30–50%).
• #LF
• Our international teammates receive a comprehensive total rewards package aligned to your country office location.
• For full details on compensation and benefits, please consult your talent acquisition partner.
• We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses.
• These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment.
• Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.
• If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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