Business Development Manager

Do you want to contribute to Western resilience? Do you want to protect people and critical infrastructure - ultimately saving lives?

Do you want to work at the frontier of high-performance autonomous systems?

Join us at CDDS to bring high-speed kinetic interceptor drones into the hands of armed forces, law enforcement agencies, and critical infrastructure operators.

CDDS specialises in developing low-collateral kinetic interceptors designed to neutralise malicious drones (Mavic drones, FPV racing drones, and fast fixed-wing drones). Our solutions are built for precision and safety, minimising risk to the surrounding area while effectively countering unauthorised or threatening unmanned aerial systems. We work at the cutting edge of counter-drone technology, delivering reliable protection for critical assets and environments.

Your Mission

We are looking for a Business Development Manager to help grow CDDS's business from Switzerland across selected European and global markets. Your main focus will be identifying prospective customers and partners, opening new conversations, qualifying leads, and turning early interest into well-defined opportunities. Working closely with our engineering, product, operations, and leadership teams, you will connect customer needs with CDDS's capabilities and help build a strong, sustainable commercial pipeline.

What You'll Do

• Help grow CDDS's business in selected European and global markets by building a healthy pipeline of prospective customers and partners.

• Research and identify relevant organisations, programmes, decision-makers, and potential partners across defence, law enforcement, critical infrastructure, and the wider security ecosystem.

• Generate and qualify leads through targeted outreach, procurement monitoring, referrals, industry networks, events, and inbound enquiries.

• Conduct initial discovery conversations to understand customer needs, stakeholders, timelines, budgets, and next steps, and document clear qualification criteria.

• Build trusted relationships with prospective customers and partners, maintain regular follow-up, and create momentum from first contact to active opportunity.

• Keep CRM records, lead statuses, contact information, and follow-up actions accurate and current, providing clear visibility of the developing pipeline.

• Coordinate customer meetings, demonstrations, and events with engineering, product, and operations teams, prepare relevant commercial materials, and manage follow-up actions.

• Support responses to requests for information, proposals, and public tenders by coordinating inputs and ensuring opportunities continue to progress.

• Work with leadership to prioritise qualified opportunities and support them through trials, proposals, contract discussions, and handover to delivery teams.

What You Bring

• 2+ years of experience in business development, sales, partnerships, market development, or a related customer-facing role, ideally in defence, security, public-sector technology, or another technical B2B environment.

• Demonstrated ability to identify prospects, conduct outreach, build relationships, and convert early conversations into qualified opportunities.

• Strong research and commercial curiosity, with the ability to understand an organisation, identify relevant stakeholders, and recognise where CDDS can create value.

• Confident communication and presentation skills, including the ability to explain technical capabilities in clear customer and operational terms.

• Professional proficiency in English.

• A structured approach to CRM, follow-up, prioritisation, and pipeline management, with attention to detail and reliable execution.

• A proactive, hands-on mindset and the ability to collaborate effectively with technical and operational colleagues in a fast-moving startup.

• Based in Switzerland with eligibility to work in Switzerland and availability to travel regularly for customer meetings, demonstrations, and events.

Nice to have

• Previous experience with UAS, counter-UAS, autonomous systems, air defence, or related defence and security technologies.

• Experience working with armed forces, law enforcement agencies, critical infrastructure operators, government customers, or defence and security partners.

• Familiarity with European defence and public-sector ecosystems, procurement processes, or industry networks.

• Experience in a startup or scale-up environment, or in bringing an emerging technical product to new customers and markets.

Benefits

Why CDDS

• Direct impact on a mission-critical technology shaping Europe's security landscape

• Fast-moving startup environment with high ownership

• Work with a highly technical, ambitious, and hands-on team

• Real-world testing, deployments, and customer demonstrations

• Attractive compensation

Details

Location: Zurich, on site

Start date: ASAP

Environment: High-impact deep-tech startup working on real deployments