Business Development Manager (for Space Programs)

Position Details
• Location: Athens & Brussels
• Employment Type: Full-time

EFA GROUP comprises companies in Aerospace, Security, Defense, and Industrial Cooperation with a solid international presence. EFA GROUP currently employs more than 220 people, most of whom are engineers and scientists. The GROUP has established offices across 6 international regions: Greece, Cyprus, Switzerland, USA, UAE, and Singapore to serve its customers in 34 countries worldwide. EFA GROUP includes EFA VENTURES (Supply Chain Management and integrated services), AEROSPACE VENTURES (Industrial Participation and related services), SCYTALYS (Systems Integration and Software), ES SYSTEMS (MEMs & IoT Integration), EPICOS (Global Defense B2B Information Platform), UCANDRONE (Unmanned Systems), AETHER AERONAUTICS (Target Drones), STHENOS AI (Intelligence Solutions).

EFA Group is currently looking for skilled Business Development Manager for Space Programs who will drive growth in the space domain by identifying, shaping, and capturing opportunities across satellite systems, payloads, ground segments, and related services. This role requires strong commercial acumen, technical understanding of space technologies, and the ability to build strategic partnerships with government agencies, primes, and industry stakeholders. It requires significant time spent with the customer and ability to operate in both technical and business capacities.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Strategy

• Identify, assess and shape new business opportunities in commercial, and defense space markets.
• Analyze market trends, customer needs, and competitive landscape across satellite platforms, payloads, and ground systems.
• Define and execute business development strategies aligned with the company’s space roadmap and long-term growth objectives.
• Support portfolio positioning across LEO/MEO/GEO missions and downstream services.

Customer Engagement

• Act as primary interface with customers including space agencies, ministries, prime contractors, and commercial operators.
• Build and maintain long-term customer relationships, ensuring early visibility of upcoming programs and procurements.
• Represent the company at industry events, space conferences, and customer reviews.
• Capture customer requirements and translate them into actionable internal opportunities.

Proposal & Capture Management

• Lead opportunity capture from early shaping through contract award.
• Coordinate internal teams (engineering, program management, legal, finance) to develop compliant and competitive proposals.
• Contribute to technical, commercial, and contractual sections of proposals.
• Support pricing strategy, risk assessment, and bid/no-bid decisions.

Strategic Growth & Partnerships

• Identify and establish strategic partnerships, teaming agreements, and consortia with primes, SMEs, and research organizations.
• Support joint ventures and international collaborations in line with export control and regulatory constraints.
• Contribute to make-or-buy decisions and ecosystem development for space programs.
• Support long-term strategic initiatives, including new product lines and service offerings.

Required Qualifications

• Education

• BSc or MSc in Aerospace Engineering, Space Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• MBA or equivalent business qualification is considered a strong asset.

• Experience

• Minimum 5 years of experience in business development, sales, or capture roles within the space sector or aerospace sectors, with emphasis on the former.
• Demonstrated success in international proposal and capture management, preferably with institutional or defense customers.
• Experience working with satellite programs, space payloads, ground segments, or space-related services.

• Skills

• Strong understanding of space systems architectures and program lifecycles.
• Proven ability to shape opportunities and influence customer requirements.
• Excellent proposal management and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Strong commercial, financial, and negotiation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (additional languages are a plus).

• Additional Requirements

• Self starter and ability to work individually.
• Ability to work in a multinational and multidisciplinary environment.
• Willingness to travel internationally as required, and spend over 65% on the road.
• Familiarity with ESA, EU, national space agency, or defense procurement processes is highly desirable.
• Ability to operate in sensitive environments, and eligible for the relevant security clearances.

We offer:

• Competitive remuneration package
• Private Medical Insurance package
• Continuous learning in new technologies
• Opportunity to work in large-scale projects with talented people