Defense Sales (FR) H/F

About Alta Ares

Alta Ares is a deeptech startup founded in 2024, building real-time AI for defense operations (ISR, C‑UAS). Our primary clients are NATO‑aligned militaries, with regular deployments during live exercises. Raised €2M pre‑seed in May 2025.

Products

• Real‑time AI ISR module deployable on drones and tactical platforms
• Full‑stack MLOps platform for training & deploying military‑grade AI models
• Data fusion and trajectory prediction
• Counter‑UAS solution enabling autonomous drone takeover under GNSS‑denied environment

Position Details

• Location: Paris, France – mobility required
• Reports to: Head of Sales
• Contract: CDI (permanent contract)
• Position objective: Drive Alta Ares' commercial expansion by securing defense contracts, building relationships with procurement agencies, and positioning Alta Ares as a category‑defining leader in AI‑enabled defense systems. Seeking a high‑performance sales leader with a strong background in the defense industry, ideally experienced with neoprimes or advanced defense tech companies.

Role & Mission

Defense Sales & Business Development

• Own the sales pipeline across French MOD, procurement agencies, and armed forces
• Lead qualification, opportunity shaping, proposal management, and contract negotiations
• Identify and drive multi‑million‑programs across ISR, C‑UAS, autonomy, and AI
• Establish a repeatable sales motion with clear forecasting and metrics
• Convert tactical demos and pilot deployments into scalable contracts

Customer & Partner Relationships

• Build trusted relationships with military users, procurement officers, and program managers
• Engage with primes, neoprimes, integrators, and defense engineering firms
• Develop and manage channel partnerships where relevant
• Conduct regular on‑site visits, field demos, and customer workshops across Europe

Market Expansion & Strategic Development

• Map European defense markets: budgets, procurement cycles, capability gaps
• Shape requirements for upcoming tenders and influence capability roadmaps
• Provide competitive intelligence and product feedback to engineering & founders
• Support localisation strategies for key European countries

Cross‑functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Engineering, Product, and Operations teams to align demos, deployments, and delivery
• Help refine pricing strategy, sales collateral, and customer‑facing documentation
• Contribute to showcasing Alta Ares at major defense exhibitions (Eurosatory, DSEI, MSPO, IDEX, etc.)

Requirements

Candidate Profile

• 5‑10 years of experience in defense sales, business development, capture management, or program engagement
• Strong track record selling to MODs, procurement agencies, or armed forces
• Experience in defense tech companies, primes, or ideally neoprimes (e.g., Anduril, Helsing, Palantir, Shield AI, or equivalent)
• Deep understanding of defense procurement cycles and bidding processes
• Demonstrated ability to close complex deals in multi‑stakeholder environments
• Experience working with drones, C‑UAS, ISR, AI autonomy, or adjacent systems is a major plus

Skills & Qualities

• Strong hunter profile with resilience and deal‑making mindset
• Ability to translate technical capabilities into operational value
• Excellent relationship‑building with military and technical stakeholders
• High integrity, discretion, and understanding of security culture
• Entrepreneurial spirit: able to operate in fast‑moving, resource‑efficient environments
• Bilingual: English + another European language (French strongly preferred)

Nice to Have

• Experience in a neoprime or high‑growth defense startup
• Experience in NATO procurement or European Defence Fund (EDF) programmes
• Former military service (officer or NCO)
• Knowledge of operational C‑UAS, ISR, or AI workflows
• Existing network inside European MODs and procurement bodies
• Ability to support deployments and demos in live environments