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
Loft Orbital leases space on satellites for any organization to collect information about the Earth, from space. It was founded in 2017, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, with a workforce of 201-500 employees. Its website is http://www.loftorbital.com.