Business Development Director

Summary

Join Loft Orbital as their first Business Development Director based in Germany and play a pivotal role in their European growth strategy. You will drive customer acquisition and strategic partnerships across the German ecosystem, including government agencies, defense primes, and commercial space players. This high-impact role requires a deep understanding of the German space and defense landscape and a passion for shaping new space infrastructure models. You will build and grow a customer pipeline, cultivate long-term relationships with key stakeholders, identify and negotiate strategic partnerships, shape the Go-to-Market strategy, influence Loft's product roadmap, and represent Loft at industry events. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the growth of a dynamic space technology company.

Requirements

• 7+ years of sales, business development, or strategic partnerships experience across the commercial space, aerospace, or defense sectors
• Demonstrated success in capturing new business across the German space and defense landscape, including customer procurement cycles and key players
• Experience selling complex technical solutions (ideally in space, aerospace, or defense applications)
• Understanding of the operating practices of European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC)
• Experience leading and/or contributing to RFP responses
• Effective professional communication skills; Fluency in German and English is required (both spoken and written)
• Passion for the space industry and a desire to be part of a fast-paced, mission-driven team

Responsibilities

• Build and grow a pipeline of customers across the German government (civil and defense) and commercial sectors
• Cultivate long-term relationships with key stakeholders such as DLR, BAAINBw, Bundeswehr, primes (e.g., Airbus, OHB, HENSOLDT), and commercial tech startups
• Identify and negotiate strategic partnerships that accelerate Loft’s ability to deliver space infrastructure-as-a-service
• Shape Go-to-Market Strategy, collaborating with our EMEA Business Development team to localize Loft’s positioning for the German market
• Influence Loft’s product roadmap. Work closely with technical and product teams to ensure customer requirements inform Loft’s platform development
• Attend and speak at German and European space industry events and support Loft’s brand presence in-country

Preferred Qualifications

• Fluency in French, and/or additional European languages
• Experience winning proposals for spacecraft development programs

Benefits

• Equity, we want you to have an active role in our success
• Up to 35 days of Paid Time Off (vacations & RTT ) and flexible working hours, we want you to be at your best
• Health and life insurance, we care about your health
• Lunch Vouchers, because let’s be honest, we love food! (we even have a slack channel about it #loft-gourmand )
• Cross-office travel opportunities between San Francisco, Colorado, and Toulouse to learn from our differences
• Company and team off-sites and many other events to work & celebrate together
• Relocation assistance to Toulouse when applicable