Director, Commercial Business Development - EMEA

About the role

Loft Orbital is hiring a commercially driven Business Development Lead to own and grow our European business. This is a senior individual contributor role built for someone who knows how to find opportunities, build trust with the right people, and close deals — in an industry that's moving faster than ever.

You'll be Loft's commercial engine in Europe. That means building a real pipeline, running complex sales cycles, and landing the kinds of contracts that matter. You're not coordinating from the sidelines — you're the one making it happen.

France is our primary focus, and deep fluency in that market — the language, the players, the culture — will set you apart. Toulouse is the center of European space, and ideally, you're already in it.

Responsibilities

• Drive revenue. Own the full commercial sales cycle across Europe — from prospecting and pipeline development through negotiation and close.
• Hunt and develop new business with commercial satellite operators, emerging space companies, defense primes, and technology integrators across Western Europe.
• Build and manage a healthy, high-quality pipeline — knowing which opportunities to prioritize, when to push, and when to walk.
• Get in early with customers — understand their programs and roadmaps before RFPs drop, and position Loft as the obvious partner.
• Lead commercial proposals and bid responses, coordinating across technical and commercial teams to put our best offer forward.
• Negotiate contracts with confidence — handling pricing, terms, and deal structure without losing momentum.
• Engage institutional customers (CNES, DLR, UKSA, etc.) where they intersect with commercial opportunities — leveraging these relationships to expand Loft's footprint rather than treating them as the primary sales motion.
• Represent Loft at industry events, trade shows, and customer meetings — building our brand and your network simultaneously.
• Bring market intelligence back into the business — what customers need, what competitors are doing, where the market is heading.

Must Haves

• 7+ years in commercial sales & business development in space/aerospace.
  • Existing commercial network in the European space or aerospace ecosystem — you already know who's buying and what they need.
  • A track record of closing deals. Not just pipeline building — actual signed contracts with real commercial customers.
  • Experience managing long, complex sales cycles with multiple stakeholders on the customer side.
  • Sharp commercial instincts — you can qualify fast, structure creative deals, and know when to escalate versus push forward independently.
  • Enough technical fluency in space systems or satellite technology to speak credibly with engineers and win the confidence of technical buyers.
  • Strong proposal and negotiation experience — you've handled pricing, terms, and contract structures without needing a lawyer in every meeting.
  • Bilingual - fluency in English, and one or more European Languages
  • Based in Europe

Nice to Haves

• Experience in a startup or NewSpace company — you're comfortable building process and pipeline without a lot of infrastructure behind you.
• Familiarity with satellite systems, mission operations, or space software — enough to have real conversations, not just read from a slide.
• You've worked both sides of the table — commercial and institutional — and know how to navigate each.

Some of Our Awesome 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 we love food!
• 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