Description
Veterans Encouraged to Apply: Detroit Defense proudly supports those who have served. We welcome applicants with military experience, including those transitioning to civilian careers. Your leadership, adaptability, and mission-focused mindset are valued here. Detroit Defense is a 3x recipient of the Hire Vets Gold Medallion Award.
Detroit Defense is seeking an accomplished, strategic Vice President of Business Development – International & Platforms to lead the growth of our global business portfolio and expand our footprint across key vehicle platforms and allied defense markets.
Reporting to the SVP, Head of Growth, this executive role is responsible for shaping and executing a global business development strategy aligned with Detroit Defense’s capabilities in vehicle systems integration, platform modernization, sustainment services, and defense product innovation. The VP will be expected to build strategic relationships with foreign military organizations, U.S. defense primes, and international partners to drive new growth across both new-build and retrofit platform programs.
This is a remote position with up to 50% travel, including routine engagement with customers and stakeholders across the U.S. and allied partner nations. Regular visits to company headquarters in Troy, MI are expected.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategic Market Development
- Lead and expand Detroit Defense’s international and platform-focused business development strategy with a focus on allied military customers, global OEM partnerships, and emerging foreign military sales (FMS) and direct commercial sales (DCS) opportunities.
- Identify, qualify, and mature large-scale platform modernization, integration, and lifecycle support opportunities across key vehicle programs and coalition partners.
Customer Engagement & Capture Leadership
- Build and maintain executive-level relationships across U.S. and foreign defense ministries, OEMs, and government-industry partnerships.
- Lead executive engagement strategies and translate customer requirements into actionable pursuits with defined capture plans and resource alignment.
- Oversee capture efforts from opportunity identification through proposal submission, ensuring winning strategies, responsive solutions, and compliant delivery.
Pipeline Growth & Accountability
- Own the international and platform opportunity pipeline, ensuring alignment with Detroit Defense’s strategic objectives and long-range revenue targets.
- Maintain accurate, up-to-date pipeline data and reporting through regular CRM usage and executive-level reviews.
- Ensure pipeline health and progression to support quarterly and annual business goals.
Internal Coordination & Influence
- Partner closely with Engineering, Program Management, and Product Development to ensure offerings meet international and platform-specific customer needs.
- Influence IR&D investments, product roadmaps, and technology demonstrations to support strategic international growth objectives.
Thought Leadership & Representation
- Represent Detroit Defense at international defense exhibitions, industry days, and senior-level meetings with foreign defense leaders.
- Promote Detroit Defense as a trusted systems integrator and lifecycle partner for platform and vehicle-based modernization solutions.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in business, Engineering, International Relations, or a related field from an accredited college or university; Master’s preferred.
- Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret Security Clearance. U.S. citizenship is required.
- Ten plus years of progressively senior experience in defense business development, with a focus on international markets, vehicle platforms, and integration programs.
- Demonstrated success leading major international pursuits and platform-based business growth within the defense sector.
- Deep understanding of U.S. and allied military acquisition pathways, including FMS/DCS, ITAR compliance, offset considerations, and cooperative development programs.
- Prior military experience or experience supporting foreign MODs/OEMs is strongly preferred.
- Proven experience managing a multi-million-dollar opportunity pipeline, from strategic shaping through contract award.
- Outstanding executive communication, cross-cultural engagement, and negotiation skills.
- Comfort operating in a high-autonomy, high-accountability environment with frequent travel and time-zone flexibility.
Detroit Defense offers an impressive compensation and benefits package including:
- Medical, Dental & Vision Benefits
- Company Paid Life and AD&D
- Company Paid Short Term and Long-Term Disability
- Flexible Spending & HSA Accounts
- Legal & ID Shield Services
- 401k with Company Match
- Paid holidays, vacation, and sick days
Why Detroit Defense:
At Detroit Defense, we deliver mission-critical solutions that enhance national security, protect the warfighter, and enable readiness through innovation, technical excellence, and end-to-end lifecycle support.
Remaining steadfast in our core values of Trustworthy, Mission Driven, Creative, and Agile we are a complex systems integrator for the U.S. Government, Detroit Defense provides solutions to meet the technical and programmatic challenges faced by our customers. Our proven success in multi-domain cross-platform system-of-systems integration results in fielded capability for warfighters. From R&D to production, fielding, and sustainment, Detroit Defense provides services and solutions to Empower Those That protect Us.
Detroit Defense is a proud recipient of the 2022, 2023 & 2024 Hire Vets Gold Medallion Award.
Detroit Defense is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity or gender expression), age, mental or physical disability, creed, ancestry, citizenship, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, medical condition, genetic trait or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
