[Remote] Director, Commercial Business Development - EMEA
Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Loft Orbital is a company that simplifies space missions for governments, companies, and research institutions. They are seeking a commercially driven Business Development Lead to expand their European business, focusing on building a pipeline and closing deals within the space industry.
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
Skills
- 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
- 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
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 let’s be honest, we love food! (we even have a slack channel about it [#loft-gourmand](https://loftorbital.slack.com/archives/C02G64537DF))
- 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
Company Overview