Director, Commercial Business Development

Wanna join the adventure? 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.

Wanna join the adventure? 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.

About the role:

• 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 elevate 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 let’s be honest, we love food (we even have a slack channel about it #loft-gourmand)
• 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
• Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other underrepresented people tend to only apply when they meet 100% of the qualifications. At Loft, we value respectful debate and people who aren’t afraid to challenge assumptions. We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t check all the boxes