Director of Business Development (Commercial & Military Avionics)

What You Will Do:

Astronautics Corporation of America is seeking a Director of Business Development to lead our domestic and international business development organization and drive growth across military and commercial avionics markets. Astronautics produces products in avionics systems, displays, connectivity, and cyber.

In this role, you will lead a team of business development managers responsible for expanding Astronautics’ presence with defense organizations, aircraft manufacturers, avionics OEMs, Tier-1 aerospace suppliers, airlines, and commercial aerospace customers. You will develop and execute growth strategies, identify and capture new business opportunities, strengthen customer relationships, and help position Astronautics for long-term success in U.S. and international aerospace markets.

You will own the annual bookings plan and opportunity pipeline, and partner cross-functionally with engineering, program management, product management, contracts, finance, communications, and operations to align customer needs with Astronautics’ technical capabilities and business objectives. This role also serves as a senior customer-facing representative of the company and as a key voice of the customer in shaping growth priorities, pursuit strategies, and product direction.

This role is based at Astronautics’ headquarters in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Hybrid or remote arrangements may be considered for exceptional candidates, with regular travel to Astronautics headquarters, customer sites, industry events, and domestic and international business development meetings. This position reports directly to the President of Astronautics.

How You Will Do It:

• Lead, coach, and develop a global team of business development managers, including setting priorities, establishing performance expectations, reviewing pipeline health, and supporting key pursuits.
• Develop and execute business development strategies that grow Astronautics’ position in military and commercial avionics markets.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key U.S. and international government, military, OEM, airline, and commercial aerospace customers.
• Identify customer requirements, market trends, competitive dynamics, and emerging technology needs that create new growth opportunities for Astronautics.
• Lead capture strategies, campaign plans, customer engagement plans, and proposal efforts for major pursuits and strategic opportunities.
• Partner with engineering, product management, programs, finance, contracts, and operations to develop compelling technical, commercial, and pricing strategies.
• Serve as the voice of the customer within Astronautics by translating customer needs and market intelligence into actionable inputs for product strategy and technology roadmaps.
• Own and maintain the business development pipeline, bookings forecast, opportunity data, customer contact information, and pursuit status within the company’s CRM system.
• Plan and support customer demonstrations, executive briefings, industry events, trade shows, and regional business development activities.
• Provide leadership across domestic and international markets, ensuring regional business development activities are aligned with corporate strategy, export compliance requirements, and long-term growth objectives.
• Prepare and present business development updates, bookings forecasts, strategic pursuit reviews, and market assessments to executive leadership.

What We Look For:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, marketing, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• Significant business development, sales, capture, or customer-facing leadership experience in aerospace, defense, avionics, or a related technical market.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing growth strategies, winning new business, and achieving bookings or revenue objectives.
• Experience leading, managing, or coordinating business development teams, capture teams, or cross-functional pursuit teams.
• Strong understanding of aerospace customer environments, including military, OEM, airline, or major aerospace systems customers.
• Proven ability to build senior-level customer relationships and influence decision-makers across complex organizations.
• Ability to lead through influence across engineering, program management, product management, contracts, finance, and operations.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical, negotiation, communication, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Desired

• Experience in avionics systems, aircraft displays, connectivity, instrumentation, communications systems, mission systems, or related aerospace technologies.
• Existing relationships with U.S. DoD agencies, military aviation program offices, aircraft manufacturers, Tier-1 aerospace suppliers, airlines, or international defense and aerospace customers.
• Prior military aviation experience, commercial airline pilot experience, or direct experience working with military aviation organizations.
• Experience with long-cycle aerospace pursuits, capture planning, proposal development, pricing strategy, and contract award processes.
• Familiarity with export-controlled business environments and international aerospace sales.
• Master’s degree in engineering, Business, or a related field.

Measuring success in the role:

Success in this role will be measured by bookings performance, pipeline quality, win rate, customer relationship strength, major pursuit execution, team effectiveness, and contribution to Astronautics’ long-term growth strategy.

Who We Are:

We are a team that designs computers, displays and electronic systems for aircraft of the future! At Astronautics, you will be part of a creative group of professionals who work on the cutting-edge of technology. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and the opportunity for professional growth in a collaborative environment.

Astronautics, headquartered in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, is a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of secure avionics equipment and systems for the commercial and military aerospace industry. Key product areas include electronic primary flight and engine displays, connected aircraft and cyber solutions, electronic flight bags, and certified servers for airborne applications. Services include avionics system integration and custom software for critical applications. Since its founding in 1959, Astronautics has been providing trusted, reliable, and tailored solutions to help customers achieve mission success. Astronautics is the parent company of Kearfott Corporation, headquartered in Pine Brook, New Jersey.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.