Senior Sales Director - Aerospace and Defence
Solace Power Inc. is seeking to hire a Senior Sales Director - Aerospace and Defence.
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed as received and the position will remain open until filled.
Job Location: Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (Solace Power headquarters) is preferred. Candidates based elsewhere in Canada may be considered, provided they can effectively support customer-facing activities, collaborate with the Mount Pearl team and meet the role’s travel requirements.
Built on bold ideas, teamwork and a culture that values diversity of thought, Solace has earned recognition including the Boeing Silver Level Performance Excellence Award, Deloitte's Technology Fast 50™/Companies-to-Watch and Best Places to Work in Atlantic Canada awards in 2024 and 2025.
At Solace Power, we are pioneering the future of wireless power technology. As a collaborative team of over 70 people, we push the limits and redefine how the world thinks about wireless power. Our innovative solutions cater to complex requirements in telecommunications, automotive, aerospace and defence, and other industries. We are excited to bring truly groundbreaking products to market!
The Role:
The Senior Sales Director – Aerospace & Defence will lead Solace Power’s sales and business development activities across the aerospace and defence market. This role is responsible for building and converting a qualified opportunity pipeline, developing relationships with defence customers, prime contractors, system integrators and government stakeholders, and securing design wins, development agreements and commercial contracts, including customer- or partner-funded R&D and product-development work that advances Solace’s priority aerospace and defence platforms. Working closely with executive leadership, Engineering and Marketing, the successful candidate will own day-to-day engagement with priority customers and primes and lead opportunity progression, while working closely with executive leadership, Engineering and Marketing to develop and execute the Aerospace & Defence sales plan and provide disciplined opportunity, forecast and market feedback to support corporate growth.
Success in this role will be measured by the quality and value of the qualified pipeline, progress against opportunity capture plans, accuracy of sales forecasts, customer and partner engagement, achievement of design wins and funded development programs, and conversion of priority opportunities into contracts and revenue.
Your Day-to-Day at Solace Power:
Work directly with executive leadership and the Sales, Marketing, Engineering, Finance and Legal teams on the following activities:
- Lead and coordinate Solace Power’s aerospace and defence sales and business development activities, including directing assigned team members and leading cross-functional pursuit teams.
- Develop and execute strategic account and capture plans for priority aerospace and defence customers, programs, and platforms, including defined milestones, stakeholder mapping, competitive analysis, value propositions, budget planning, and strategies to maximize win probability.
- Identify, develop and manage strategic relationships with defence prime contractors, OEMs, tier-one suppliers, system integrators, government agencies, research organizations and other channel or technology partners that can accelerate contract awards, revenue and profitability.
- Maintain accurate opportunity, activity and forecast data in the company’s CRM; establish stage definitions and qualification criteria; lead regular pipeline and capture reviews; and provide executive leadership with clear reporting on probability, timing, value, risks and required actions.
- Work with Engineering to translate customer mission needs, technical requirements, qualification expectations and program constraints into credible solution proposals, product roadmaps and development plans, while ensuring that external commitments accurately reflect Solace’s technology, capabilities and delivery plans.
- Lead or coordinate responses to requests for information, requests for proposals, statements of work, capability briefings, technology demonstrations, funding applications and customer proposals, ensuring that technical, commercial, compliance and schedule inputs are complete and persuasive.
- Lead complex commercial and contractual negotiations and coordinate with legal counsel, Finance and Engineering on pricing, statements of work, intellectual property, licensing, development agreements, flow-down requirements, delivery commitments and risk allocation.
- Gather and communicate customer, competitive and market intelligence to Marketing, Engineering and executive leadership to inform product priorities, positioning, investment decisions and aerospace and defence market strategy.
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior decision-makers, program leaders, technical authorities, procurement teams and end users within target aerospace and defence accounts, and represent Solace Power at customer meetings, industry events and relevant trade shows.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Our Ideal Candidate Looks Like:
- Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive sales and business development experience, including substantial direct experience selling technology, components, systems or engineering solutions into the aerospace and defence market.
- An MBA and/or a degree, diploma or other certification in engineering or another technology-related discipline would be an asset but is not required.
- Demonstrated success developing and closing complex, multi-stakeholder aerospace or defence opportunities with long sales cycles, including experience securing design wins, funded development programs, strategic partnerships or production contracts. Candidates must be able to describe their personal role in building the opportunity, navigating the customer organization, shaping requirements, managing the capture process and closing the agreement.
- Strong working knowledge of aerospace and defence procurement processes including Canada’s Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy and Investment Framework (IF), customer qualification requirements and contracting practices. Familiarity with applicable export controls, controlled goods requirements, security protocols and government procurement frameworks is required; direct responsibility for compliance administration is not required.
- Established relationships within the aerospace and defence ecosystem, including relevant contacts among prime contractors, OEMs, system integrators, government organizations, procurement authorities or end users, with the credibility to gain access to priority accounts and programs.
- Proficiency with CRM systems is required, including disciplined opportunity tracking, pipeline management, forecasting and reporting. Experience with HubSpot is preferred.
- Solid leadership and project management skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with technical, commercial and executive stakeholders at all levels and to translate between technical and business issues.
- Strong knowledge of complex, solution-based sales processes, including opportunity qualification, account planning, stakeholder mapping, value-based selling, capture management and progression through long customer decision and procurement cycles.
- Proficiency in English is required; proficiency in French would be considered an asset.
- Must be self-motivated, be a team player, have a strong desire to learn, and be adaptable to a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
- Ability to manage own time and to direct and manage multiple tasks.
- Ability and willingness to travel frequently within Canada and internationally to meet customers and partners, attend industry events and support opportunity capture activities. Candidates, including those based outside Newfoundland and Labrador, must be able to satisfy the customer-site access and travel requirements applicable to the role and collaborate effectively with the Mount Pearl team.
- Demonstrated ability to build strong internal and external relationships and contribute positively to a collaborative, high-performance team environment.
- Must be a Canadian citizen and eligible for a Government of Canada Security Clearance.
Key Working Relationships:
- Reports to the VP Sales and works closely with executive leadership, Engineering, Marketing, and Finance to develop and execute the Aerospace & Defence sales strategy, qualify opportunities, prepare proposals, negotiate agreements and support successful customer programs.
Compensation
- Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience and will include a performance-based component aligned with agreed sales objectives.
Why Join Us:
- Lead the growth of an advanced Canadian technology platform across aerospace and defence markets.
- Work directly with customers, prime contractors, partners and internal technical leaders on complex, high-value applications.
- Join a collaborative and innovative environment that values fun, courage, teamwork and diverse perspectives.
- Comprehensive benefits package, including participation in an employee stock option plan, RRSP contribution matching and more.
Note on Qualifications and Experience:
Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that equity-priority individuals are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Solace Power, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for this or another role.
Join us at Solace Power and be part of our journey to revolutionize wireless power technology!
