Business Development Manager (AI Defense)

Location: Bucharest, Romania; on-site. The role covers Romania’s internal security sector and defence and security opportunities across the Caucasus. Candidates must be based within the region or willing to relocate to a strategic location within the assigned territory.

Company

hirify.global is a venture-backed defence technology company developing AI pilot systems, autonomous aircraft, autonomy software, and AI-enabled ISR capabilities.

What you will do

• Own and execute the go-to-market strategy for assigned Romanian and Caucasus markets.
• Build and manage a pipeline for autonomy, aircraft, ISR, and mission-system opportunities.
• Lead account planning, customer shaping, competitive positioning, proposals, negotiations, and contract closure against a sales quota.
• Engage senior military leaders, government ministries, procurement authorities, sovereign stakeholders, and strategic industry partners.
• Develop regional partnerships, consultants, industrial participation structures, and offset-aligned strategies.
• Coordinate Business Development, Product, Engineering, Government Relations, Legal, Contracts, Export Compliance, Operations, and Customer teams while maintaining forecasts, market intelligence, and post-award account growth.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience in business development, capture, sales, strategic engagement, account management, or related customer-facing roles in defence, aerospace, national security, or advanced technology.
• Experience with international defence, government, or regulated markets and complex procurement environments.
• Track record of shaping and advancing complex opportunities involving long sales cycles, senior stakeholders, and technically differentiated solutions.
• Technical aptitude in autonomous systems, ISR, mission systems, AI-enabled capabilities, or related defence technologies.
• Strong executive presence, communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration skills; willingness to travel frequently internationally.
• Fluency in English and regional languages relevant to the assigned market; regional presence or relocation to the territory is required. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional, military, or operational experience is preferred.

Nice to have

• Experience with UAS, autonomy, ISR, mission systems, aerospace, or AI-enabled operational capabilities.
• Relationships with defence ministries, military organizations, procurement authorities, or strategic industry partners.
• Experience with direct commercial sales, Foreign Military Sales, or international government procurement programs.
• Military, operational defence, government, or national security experience.

Culture & Benefits

• Mission-driven environment focused on protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
• Work at the forefront of AI, autonomy, next-generation defence systems, and unmanned aircraft.
• International collaboration with teams working on complex operational challenges.
• Direct impact on international growth and strategic defence partnerships.