Director BD and Sales

Description Ready to Shape the Future of Defense Tech? XTEND, a rapidly growing leader in defense technology and autonomous systems, is looking for an experienced Director of Business Development & Sales – Defense to identify, develop, and close strategic opportunities across international defense markets. We are looking for a proven dealmaker who understands the defense ecosystem, can independently build opportunities from the ground up, and has a demonstrated track record of turning customer needs and early-stage leads into substantial contracts. This is a hands-on commercial role combining Business Development and Sales, with direct responsibility for building pipeline, managing complex sales cycles, and closing high-value defense deals. What You'll Do: • Report directly to XTEND’s VP of Business Development & Sales, playing a key role in the company’s international growth. • Lead Business Development and Sales activities across assigned defense markets, from initial market entry and lead generation through contract signature. • Independently identify, qualify, develop, and close new business opportunities with defense ministries, armed forces, government agencies, prime contractors, and strategic industry partners. • Own the full sales cycle — from first engagement and requirements definition through demonstrations, commercial proposals, negotiations, contracting, and closing. • Build and manage a strong, measurable pipeline of high-value opportunities and maintain clear forecasts, priorities, and next steps. • Develop opportunities from the ground up, including creating access to relevant decision-makers and transforming early-stage leads into funded programs and contracts. • Drive large-scale and complex defense deals, including opportunities involving significant budgets, multi-system procurements, long sales cycles, and multiple stakeholders. • Work closely with Product, Engineering, Operations, Programs, Legal, and Finance to develop competitive technical and commercial solutions. • Lead responses to government and defense solicitations, including RFIs, RFPs, tenders, and other procurement processes. • Build and manage strategic relationships with local partners, integrators, prime contractors, distributors, and other key industry players. • Expand existing accounts by identifying follow-on opportunities, additional programs, and long-term strategic partnerships. • Represent XTEND in customer meetings, demonstrations, exhibitions, industry events, and senior-level engagements worldwide. Requirements • 5+ years of relevant experience in Business Development, or in combined Business Development and Sales roles, within the defense industry, with significant direct customer-facing responsibility. • Proven track record of personally originating, developing, and closing significant defense contracts, preferably multi-million-dollar deals. • Demonstrated experience managing large commercial opportunities and substantial customer/program budgets. • Strong understanding of defense procurement processes and experience working directly with defense ministries, armed forces, government agencies, or major defense contractors. • Proven ability to independently lead the full deal cycle, from initial lead or customer requirement through qualification, solution definition, proposal, negotiation, and contract closure. • Strong commercial and negotiation capabilities, including pricing, margins, commercial proposals, contract negotiations, and partner structures. • Excellent English communication skills. • Possession of an additional foreign passport. • Willingness and ability to travel internationally approximately 50% of the time. • Business Development or Sales experience in Gulf (GCC) markets - Significant Advantages • Arabic proficiency - Significant Advantages • Experience selling complex hardware, technology, autonomous systems, robotics, UAS, C4ISR, or other defense products and solutions- Advantage • MBA or equivalent advanced degree- Advantages Personal Attributes • Strong executive presence and the ability to communicate and negotiate with senior military, government, and industry stakeholders. • High sense of ownership, urgency, and accountability, with the ability to manage multiple complex opportunities in parallel. • Independent operator in international markets who works effectively with multidisciplinary internal teams