AALTO, a global leader in Stratospace. Based in Farnborough, AALTO is an Airbus subsidiary that manufactures, operates, and delivers services with its solar-powered, stratospheric platform: Zephyr.

Zephyr’s persistence enables continuous flight for months at a time. Its current flight-time record of over 67 days in the stratosphere. From above 60,000+ft, or 20km above ground, AALTO can deliver several applications including direct-to-device connectivity and high-resolution Earth observation.

AALTO operates in a new operational layer between most of air traffic and low-Earth orbit, Stratospace. This is where high-altitude platforms led by Zephyr deliver services to commercial and government partners. We can help monitor environments, observe borders, track natural disasters and connect unconnected communities.

Join us as we create a new domain of aerospace: Stratospace. You’ll be part of a highly-skilled, innovative and passionate group of people – Team AALTO. Together, we can Unlock Stratospace.

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced Government Sales Director to lead business development, sales, and relationship management within the global government and defence. Leveraging deep industry knowledge and a strong network, you will identify and secure new opportunities, and drive revenue growth. This role requires a proactive, entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.

Responsibilities to include:

Business Development & Strategic Growth:

• Lead business development in the government, defence, and telecom sectors, strengthening key relationships with UK Ministry of Defence, other civil government entities and expanding engagements across strategic accounts.

• Build and maintain a robust pipeline aligned with 2026–2027 Five Eyes + Friends strategy, ensuring growth capacity matches demand.

• Drive 2027-2028 flight proposal efforts, leading them to successful contract signatures.

• Identify upcoming projects and oversee bid preparation, including cost estimation, tender development, and presentations.

Stakeholder & Relationship Management:

• Support Airbus US and contribute to the US DoW programme build, ensuring strategic alignment and opportunity development.

• Strengthen relationships and drive bids within the wider Airbus ecosystem, coordinating efforts for business growth.

• Represent the company at international forums and in customer presentations, positioning the company as an industry leader.

Operational & Compliance Support:

• Support the PMO and Legal/Compliance teams, ensuring that all processes align with industry regulations and company policies.

• Monitor and track the sales pipeline, preparing monthly sales process presentations for leadership review.

Skills and Knowledge Required

• Proven success in business development with a strong track record in securing government and defence contracts.

• Deep understanding of the global government and defence sectors.

• Excellent relationship management skills, with the ability to engage and influence key stakeholders.

• Strategic and analytical thinker, with an innovative approach to business growth.

• Bid management experience, including cost estimation, tender preparation, and contract negotiations.

• Security cleared with experience in defence and compliance processes.

This is a high-impact role offering the opportunity to shape international growth in a dynamic and evolving industry. If you are a strategic leader with a passion for driving success, we encourage you to apply!

In addition to an attractive market-aligned salary, we offer:

Rewarding Excellence: Benefit from our short-term incentive plan that rewards your hard work and dedication.

Enjoy Your Time Off: Benefit from 25 days of holiday to relax and recharge.

Stay Healthy: We’ve got your health covered with private medical insurance, along with dental and optical cash back.

Secure Your Future: Take advantage of our personal pension plan to ensure a comfortable retirement.

Peace of Mind: Our income protection and life assurance schemes are there to support you when you need it most.

Getting around: Drive the latest vehicles with our discounted salary sacrifice scheme.

We Care About You: Our employee assistance programme is always available to provide the support you need.

Perks Galore: Enjoy a range of employee discounts via Perkbox, from household goods to travel!

Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?

If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at AALTO, you can register your details here: https://careers.aaltohaps.com/connect