Director, Business Development - Asia Pacific

Role overview

This senior leadership opportunity is focused on accelerating business growth across the Asia Pacific defense and aerospace landscape. Based in Ireland, the role sits at the crossroads of commercial strategy, government engagement, and complex defense procurement. You will help shape long-term partnerships with ministries of defense, air forces, and other influential stakeholders while contributing to the expansion of advanced airborne training solutions in the region.

The position calls for both strategic thinking and practical delivery in high-stakes, mission-critical settings. You will work with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to identify opportunities, lead capture efforts, and support regional expansion plans for a global organization active in defense innovation and training excellence.

Key accountabilities

• Guide the regional business development strategy by analyzing markets, assessing competition, and spotting new opportunities across APAC defense markets.
• Develop and sustain senior-level relationships with defense ministries, air forces, and government decision-makers.
• Own capture management activities, including responses to RFIs and RFPs, bid strategy, and proposal creation.
• Use market intelligence to evaluate trends, risks, opportunities, and overall market size.
• Partner with engineering, operations, finance, and technical colleagues to shape appropriate solutions.
• Represent the organization at international defense and aerospace forums and events throughout Asia Pacific.
• Lead government relations efforts, including monitoring regulations and engaging on policy matters.
• Support executive leadership in defining long-term regional expansion and partnership direction.

Candidate profile

We are seeking a seasoned professional with senior-level experience in business development, capture management, or government-facing commercial roles within aerospace, defense, or similarly complex services environments. The right candidate will combine strategic judgment with strong execution in regulated, relationship-led markets.

Requirements

• Experience working with Asia Pacific defense ministries, air forces, or government procurement organizations.
• Background in business development, bid management, or capture leadership within aerospace or defense.
• Strong knowledge of defense procurement cycles, government structures, and tendering practices.
• Excellent executive-level relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Solid strategic planning and analytical capabilities, including market and competitor analysis.
• Excellent English communication skills; additional APAC languages are a plus.
• Comfort managing several priorities in demanding, deadline-sensitive situations.
• Ability to use CRM systems and standard business tools such as Microsoft Office.
• Bachelor’s degree is required; an MBA or similar advanced qualification is beneficial.

What’s on offer

• Competitive compensation package.
• Flexible working setup with remote collaboration and international coordination.
• Chance to contribute to high-impact defense and aerospace programs.
• International exposure across APAC and global defense markets.
• Opportunities for professional development and long-term career progression.
• A collaborative, values-led culture built around integrity, excellence, and teamwork.
• Travel opportunities across important strategic markets.

Application and hiring process

This opportunity is presented on behalf of a partner organization, which handles applications and the subsequent hiring steps directly. A matching process is used to compare candidates against the role’s core requirements, and the hiring partner makes the final decisions, including interviews and assessments.

Privacy and data processing

By applying, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed for candidate evaluation and shared with the hiring employer in line with applicable data protection laws, including GDPR where relevant. You may request access, correction, deletion, or objection to the processing of your data. Artificial intelligence tools may assist with parts of the screening process, but human reviewers make the final hiring decision.