Business Development & Partnerships Manager

Location: Paris (HQ). Mobility: Frequent travel across Europe required to develop and animate business activity. Sector: Next‑gen European Defense. Type: Full‑time, Permanent. Seniority: Senior. Compensation: Competitive salary + equity + full health coverage.

About EGIDE

EGIDE is building a new European defense leader focused on scalable, intelligent, air‑defence architectures. We develop mass‑use interceptors and mission systems that combine missile‑grade performance with modern embedded computing and advanced autonomy. We are growing fast and assembling a world‑class team driven by ambition, engineering rigor, and real operational impact. If you want to help shape the future of European defence innovation, this is the place.

About the Role

We are seeking a Business Development & Partnerships Manager to lead EGIDE’s commercial growth strategy and forge the partnerships that will define the company’s expansion across European and global defence markets. This role sits at the intersection of industrial strategy, defence procurement, and international business development. You will be responsible for identifying new revenue opportunities, structuring strategic alliances, and advancing key customer relationships with defence ministries, prime contractors, and NATO‑aligned entities. You will work closely with the founders, engineering, and public affairs teams to translate EGIDE’s technical capabilities into compelling commercial propositions. Significant travel across Europe is required to engage with defence ministries, attend industry events, and build relationships that underpin EGIDE’s commercial development.

Responsibilities

• Business Development & Revenue Growth
• Define and execute EGIDE’s go‑to‑market strategy across European and allied defence markets
• Identify, qualify, and pursue new business opportunities with defence ministries, NATO bodies, and prime contractors
• Lead the full business‑development cycle from prospecting to contract signature
• Monitor procurement landscapes, tender pipelines, and competitive intelligence to prioritise opportunities
• Build and manage a portfolio of strategic partnerships with industrial primes, system integrators, and technology partners
• Structure teaming agreements, MoUs, and joint‑venture frameworks aligned with EGIDE’s growth objectives
• Represent EGIDE in industry coalitions, defence exhibitions, and bilateral meetings
• Coordinate with the public affairs team to align partnership strategy with institutional positioning
• Develop tailored value propositions and technical‑commercial presentations for key accounts
• Lead the preparation of bids, RFI/RFP responses, and unsolicited proposals
• Build trusted, long‑term relationships with senior decision‑makers in customer organisations
• Gather and relay customer feedback to inform product and capability roadmaps
• Analyse defence budget cycles, procurement priorities, and policy trends across target markets
• Contribute to EGIDE’s annual business planning and revenue forecasting
• Provide regular reporting on pipeline status, partnership developments, and market dynamics to the executive team

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business, Engineering, International Relations, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in business development, sales, or strategic partnerships in the defence, aerospace, or dual‑use technology sectors
• Strong understanding of European defence procurement processes and customer ecosystems
• Proven track record of closing complex, multi‑stakeholder deals in long sales‑cycle environments
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (French & English required)
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate market intelligence into actionable plans
• Existing network with European defence ministries, NATO agencies, or major primes (e.g., MBDA, Thales, Airbus DS, Leonardo)
• Familiarity with EU defence funding mechanisms (EDF, EDA, EDIRPA)
• Experience working in a start‑up or high‑growth industrial environment
• Knowledge of export control frameworks (ITAR, EAR, national regulations)
• Technical background in systems engineering, missiles, or embedded systems

Benefits

• Build the future of European defence capability
• Work on real systems that fly – fast
• Competitive salary plus meaningful equity
• 100 % health coverage
• A high‑autonomy, high‑impact environment
• A chance to shape a category‑defining company from the ground up

If you want to help build the commercial engine of a cutting‑edge European defence company and drive real strategic impact, we would love to talk.