Business Development Director

Job description

Business Development Director

RTI is seeking a Business Development (BD) Director to build and lead a cross-industry business development function at RTI.  This strategic role is responsible for creating, scaling, and operationalizing early-stage opportunity development across all of RTI’s verticals, including Defense, Automotive, and Medical.

This position reports directly to the VP of Sales and will define and execute our company-wide BD strategy, while also hiring, mentoring, and leading a team of BD professionals. You will work closely with internal cross-functional teams and external partners to identify, shape, and advance business opportunities – from first contact to qualified sales pipeline – tailored to the unique characteristics of each market.

The Opportunity

RTI provides infrastructure software for intelligent distributed systems. Our Connext technology powers over 2,000 designs worldwide, including:

• Defense: Over 500 programs in C-UAS, autonomy, JADC2, ship defense, MOSA, and more.
• Automotive: Distributed software architectures for SDV programs
• Medical: Advanced robotics, imaging platforms, and connected patient monitoring

In all these markets, our sales process has long lead times, complex stakeholder networks, and influence-driven procurement. As BD Director, you will architect a business development function that can proactively identify, shape, and nurture early opportunities before transitioning them to the sales team for pursuit and closing. Because each market operates under distinct procurement models, regulatory requirements, and sales dynamics, a specialized and strategic approach to business development is essential to drive our next phase of growth.

✨ What You’ll Do

• Develop and execute a cross-industry business development strategy tailored to the procurement, funding, and innovation patterns of Defense, Automotive, and Medical markets.
• Build and lead a high-performing BD team, including hiring, mentoring, and defining roles by vertical.
• In Defense, lead initiatives to:
  • Identify early-stage procurements and DIU “Area of Interest” opportunities spanning air, sea, and ground smart systems
  • Position RTI in key DoD initiatives such as C-UAS, autonomy, swarm control, air defense, ship defense, JADC2, and MOSA
  • Shape government-sponsored initiatives, technology programs, and funding opportunities, including Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements.
  • Maintain deep market intelligence on DoD trends, procurement cycles, and competitive landscapes.
• In Automotive and Medical, take the lead in:
  • Analyzing customer trends and emerging R&D investment areas to uncover early-stage opportunities
  • Developing and executing early engagement strategies that position RTI with top OEMs and leading technology innovators
• Collaborate closely with internal Account Managers and Field Application Engineers (FAEs) in cross-functional capture teams to develop winning strategies and proposals.
• Work with internal teams and external partners to strategically position RTI technologies as integral components of funded and commercial solutions.
• Coordinate with retained advisors internationally who act as BD counterparts, integrating their efforts into local sales initiatives.
• Maintain market intelligence on competitors, funding trends, procurement cycles, and innovation signals.
• Represent RTI at industry events, conferences, and strategic partner engagements.

Don’t meet every single requirement? At RTI, we are dedicated to building a fair and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t perfectly align with all qualifications in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway! You may be just the right candidate for this or another one of our open roles. Learn more about our commitment to our workforce, here !

🌟 What We Offer You

• Flexible working schedule.
• Remote working + Home Office Stipend to cover the costs of working from home.
• Flexible Paid Time Off + “Real Vacation Bonus,” an additional bonus for taking more than 1 week of uninterrupted vacation.
• Annual bonus based on individual and company performance + other prizes and awards.
• We recognize employees for their achievements, offer great opportunities for career growth and development, and provide the tools they need to succeed.

💙 How is life at RTI

• We have been certified as a Great Place to Work for seven consecutive years both in Spain and the US. In addition, we were listed as one of the Best Companies for Women to Advance.
• We live and work by our core values, which emphasize excellence, teamwork, and reaching your potential. Our motto is “Enjoy the journey,” above all we must enjoy what we do and have fun at work. At RTI, you will work in a positive, supportive, diverse environment with a team that truly cares about you.
• We are defined by our “Working as One” culture and truly care about the team’s interaction. That is why we plan trips for teams to get together in person, enjoy fun team-building activities and events, and feel more connected.

🎯 What We’re Looking For

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in business development, strategic sales, or a related role.
• Experience leading BD efforts across multiple verticals, or deep experience in one with the ability to extend across others.
• Proven track record of:
• Deep knowledge of one or more market-specific procurement models:
• Strong technical acumen to understand and promote complex distributed, AI-driven software development and intelligent systems.
• Exceptional leadership, management, communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to hire and lead a team, collaborate across function, including sales, engineering, and product management, and influence key stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field (Master’s or MBA plus).
• US Citizenship required*
  • *Due to applicable laws, government regulations and contract specifications, we are required to fill this position only with an individual who qualifies as a “U.S. Citizen.” Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance may be required.
• Prior military service or experience in a DoD acquisition or program management role is a strong plus.

🌍 What We Do / About RTI

RTI is the software framework company for physical AI systems, with a mission to run a smarter world. RTI Connext® provides the data architecture for over 2,000 designs in Aerospace and Defense, Medtech, Automotive, and Robotics – running in more than $1T of total deployed systems worldwide. Only RTI combines decades of technical expertise with industry-leading software and tools to develop smarter systems, faster. Learn more at www.rti.com. RTI is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability.

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