Business Development Manager - Defense Chemicals
Position Title: Business Development Manager - Defense Chemicals
Location: On-site - Tampa, FL
Industry: Government / Defense / Chemicals / Energetic Materials
Compensation: $150K plus bonus
Employment Type: Full-time
Join a growing defense-focused organization supporting critical chemical, energetic materials, and advanced manufacturing programs where technical capability, customer relationships, and regulatory discipline directly impact mission success.
We are seeking a Business Development Manager to drive growth and strategic expansion across a defense chemicals portfolio, including propellants, explosives, specialty chemicals, intermediates, energetic materials, and related technologies. This role will identify new business opportunities, build relationships with defense agencies, prime contractors, OEMs, and international defense customers, and support long-term contract growth in compliance with U.S. and foreign government defense regulations, export controls, and hazardous materials requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Business Development
Identify and pursue new business opportunities within defense and military chemical markets.
Pursue defense market opportunities where finished products are supplied using existing energetic materials production capacity.
Develop and execute growth strategies aligned with company objectives.
Monitor global defense spending trends, procurement programs, and emerging requirements.
Map key stakeholders across the Department of Defense, Ministries of Defense, armed forces, and defense prime contractors.
Customer & Relationship Management
Build and maintain strong relationships with defense agencies, procurement bodies, OEMs, and defense contractors.
Serve as the primary commercial interface for defense customers.
Lead negotiations for long-term supply agreements and strategic partnerships.
Tender & Proposal Management
Identify and track RFPs, RFIs, and defense tenders through existing customer relationships, new customer development, SAM.gov, GovWin, and other tools.
Coordinate cross-functional teams, including engineering, production, regulatory, quality, and finance, for proposal development.
Prepare commercial product proposals for defense-related customers, ensuring compliance with defense standards and export/security protocols as applicable.
Technical & Regulatory Alignment
Work closely with technical teams to align product capabilities with military specifications.
Ensure compliance with ITAR, export control regulations, hazardous materials handling requirements, and defense certifications.
Support product qualification, testing, and approval processes with defense authorities.
Market Intelligence & Competitive Analysis
Conduct market research on defense chemicals, energetic materials, and specialty defense formulations.
Analyze competitor positioning, pricing strategies, and contract awards.
Identify emerging technologies and potential acquisition or partnership targets.
Identify budget data using P-forms and other government databases.
Internal Collaboration
Collaborate with manufacturing to ensure production capacity alignment with contract commitments.
Coordinate with supply chain for secure sourcing of required raw materials.
Support leadership with business forecasts, pipeline reporting, and strategic planning.
Key Performance Indicators
New contract awards and revenue growth
Bid win ratio
Expansion into new defense programs or geographies
Strategic partnerships established
Pipeline development and conversion rate
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Chemistry, or related field, or equivalent experience
5-10 years of experience in business development, sales, or program management
Minimum 5 years of experience in defense chemicals, energetic materials, propellants, explosives, or related sectors
Experience working with defense procurement processes and government contracting
Understanding of military specifications (MIL-STD)
Knowledge of energetic materials, specialty chemicals, and hazardous materials compliance
Familiarity with export control laws and defense regulations
Strong negotiation and contract management skills
Strategic thinking and market analysis capability
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
High integrity and ability to handle sensitive information
Ability to work in complex regulatory environments
Project management and cross-functional leadership experience
Preferred Qualifications
MBA or equivalent business qualification
Experience with defense primes, OEMs, foreign ministries of defense, or international defense customers
Experience using SAM.gov, GovWin, P-forms, and other government market intelligence tools
Other Requirements
Travel: Approximately 30-50% domestic and international travel
Work Environment: Office work environment
Requirements: Background investigation, drug screen, and U.S. Person status required
Why This Opportunity
Direct impact on programs supporting defense chemicals, energetic materials, and advanced manufacturing
High-visibility role with leadership exposure and influence
Opportunity to build strategic customer relationships across defense agencies, primes, OEMs, and international markets
Collaborative environment focused on accountability, quality, growth, and long-term mission success
EOE/ADA
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