Business Development Manager - Counter-Drones

About the role

CDDS develops low-collateral kinetic interceptors to neutralise malicious drones such as Mavic, FPV racing and fast fixed-wing drones, protecting critical infrastructure and armed forces. It is looking for a Business Development Manager based in Zurich to grow its business across selected European and global markets, identifying prospects, qualifying leads and building a sustainable commercial pipeline.

Key responsibilities

• Research and identify organisations, programmes, decision-makers and partners in defence, law enforcement, critical infrastructure and the wider security ecosystem.
• Generate and qualify leads through outreach, procurement monitoring, referrals, events and inbound enquiries.
• Hold discovery conversations to understand needs, stakeholders, timelines and budgets, and document qualification criteria.
• Build relationships with prospects, follow up regularly and turn early interest into active opportunities.
• Maintain accurate CRM records of leads, statuses, contacts and follow-ups.
• Coordinate meetings, demonstrations and events with engineering, product and operations teams, and prepare commercial materials.
• Support responses to requests for information, proposals and public tenders, and help move qualified opportunities through trials, proposals and contract discussions.

Required profile

• 2+ years in business development, sales, partnerships or market development, ideally in defence, security or public-sector technology.
• Ability to identify prospects, conduct outreach and convert early conversations into qualified opportunities.
• Strong research and commercial curiosity, confident communication and presentation skills, and professional English.
• Structured approach to CRM, follow-up, prioritisation and pipeline management; proactive and able to work in a fast-moving startup.
• Based in Switzerland, eligible to work there, and available to travel regularly for customer meetings and events.

Nice to have

• Experience with UAS, counter-UAS, autonomous systems or air defence.
• Experience with armed forces, law enforcement, critical infrastructure operators or government customers.
• Familiarity with European defence procurement and public-sector ecosystems.
• Startup or scale-up experience.

What we offer

• A direct impact on a mission-critical technology shaping Europe's security landscape.
• A fast-moving startup environment with high ownership and a highly technical, hands-on team.
• Real-world testing, deployments and customer demonstrations.
• Attractive compensation.