(Senior) Business Development Lead - DE

You want to help protect western values? You want to protect people and critical infrastructure - ultimately saving the lives of thousands.

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 specializes in developing low-collateral kinetic interceptors designed to neutralize malicious drones (Mavics, FPV racers and fast fixed wings). Our solutions are built for precision and safety, minimizing risk to surroundings while effectively countering unauthorized 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 (Senior) Business Development Lead / Manager to build and grow CDDS's business in Germany and selected European markets. You will develop our presence across the Bundeswehr and wider national-security ecosystem, shape growth priorities with leadership, and turn operational needs into funded opportunities, trials, procurement programmes, and contracts. Working independently and with our engineering, product, and operations teams, you will connect German and European customer requirements with achievable solutions and help establish sustained growth.

What You'll Do

• Own business growth in Germany and selected European markets, deliver agreed commercial targets, and set market priorities with CDDS leadership.

• Build trusted relationships with Bundeswehr end users, BAAINBw programme organisations, procurement officials, relevant federal authorities, defence primes, and senior decision-makers; identify mission needs and develop priority accounts.

• Identify and qualify opportunities through direct engagement, procurement monitoring, and industry networks, then lead capture from initial engagement and trials through contract award across complex public-sector sales cycles.

• Develop capture strategies covering customer requirements, budgets and funding cycles, procurement routes, partners, competitors, compliance requirements, and CDDS's value proposition; recommend which opportunities to pursue.

• Work with engineering, product, and operations to shape feasible solutions and delivery commitments, bringing customer feedback into product priorities.

• Lead responses to requests for information, requests for proposals, and public tenders; coordinate technical and commercial inputs; and negotiate contracts with leadership and relevant legal or contracting support.

• Represent CDDS at customer meetings, Bundeswehr and partner demonstrations, industry events, and trade fairs, coordinating technical teams to demonstrate capabilities against operational requirements.

• Maintain a qualified German and European pipeline, accurate CRM records, account plans, and reliable forecasts, reporting award timing, risks, resource needs, and progress against targets.

• Coordinate contract handover to delivery teams, maintain customer and partner relationships after award, and develop follow-on opportunities as operational needs evolve.

What You Bring

• 3+ years of experience in defence business development, capture management, public-sector sales, government acquisition, or military procurement.

• Demonstrated success winning defence contracts or advancing funded government acquisitions, with clear responsibility for the outcomes.

• Hands-on knowledge of German defence requirements development, Bundeswehr budgeting and acquisition pathways, BAAINBw procurement, and public contracting; familiarity with EU or NATO procurement is an advantage.

• Established relationships and credibility within the German defence ecosystem, ideally including Bundeswehr users, BAAINBw, the Federal Ministry of Defence, defence primes, or relevant federal authorities.

• Fluent German and professional English, with strong negotiation and communication skills and the ability to explain technical capabilities in terms of operational value.

• Commercial judgment and the ability to lead cross-functional teams without formal authority, prioritize competing opportunities, and take ownership in a fast-moving startup.

• Eligibility and willingness to undergo and maintain any security clearance required for the role under German law, with sound judgment on sensitive information, procurement, security, and export-control requirements.

• Based in Germany with eligibility to work in Germany and willingness to travel regularly for customer engagements, demonstrations, European events.

Nice to have

• Previous experience with UAS, counter-UAS, autonomous systems, air defence, or related defence technologies.
• Prior service with the Bundeswehr or another NATO or EU armed force, particularly in operational, acquisition, capability-development, air-defence, or force-protection roles.
• Experience moving emerging technologies from trials and demonstrations into Bundeswehr or European funded procurement and operational use.
• Experience growing a defence-technology startup or building partnerships with German and European defence primes, systems integrators, research organisations, or public-sector partners.

Benefits

Why CDDS

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

• Opportunity to work directly with the CEO and leadership team

• High ownership and influence on the future of the company

• Build and shape an organisation in hyper growth phase

• Work with highly ambitious, technical, and mission-driven people

• Fast-moving environment with significant personal growth opportunities

• Attractive compensation

Details

Location: Germany

Start date: ASAP

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