Business Development Director - Canada

Arondite is a defence technology company building the foundational software and AI to power the autonomous age. Our aim is to revolutionise the way organisations collaborate with robots, sensors and autonomous systems and use the data they generate. We are driven by our determination to help defend our collective democratic values and by our strong belief that an elite group of engineers can make a big difference. We are ambitious, well-funded and building for the long-term. You will join Arondite at a pivotal moment in the company’s journey. Our company is being built by exceptional engineers - people who find high-impact and technically challenging work engaging and exciting, and who consistently deliver outsized impact. You will collaborate with other brilliant minds to solve some of the world’s hardest and most important problems. You will have ownership and autonomy from Day One. There is no corporate ladder at Arondite. From your first day, you will directly influence the design, functionality, and direction of Arondite’s product offering. We hire the best people and give them extremely high levels of autonomy; the sky is the limit for an individual with the right ambition. If you are motivated by our mission and if you want to be part of a growing team of outstanding people, then we want to hear from you. About the role We are expanding into Canada as part of our next phase of growth. Ottawa is the proposed base for this effort because of its proximity to the Department of National Defence (DND), DRDC, federal government stakeholders and the wider public-sector ecosystem. Our initial objective is to establish a small, locally embedded team that can build trusted relationships and create an early go-to-market motion for Cobalt before growing into a broader Canadian office. Our Strategy & Partnerships team creates the relationships that bring our technology from concept to deployment. In Ottawa, you will lead that effort on the ground. You will identify high-value problems for us to solve, build relationships with defence and public-sector stakeholders, develop partnerships with Canadian organisations, and help establish Arondite as a credible and trusted participant in the Canadian defence and innovation ecosystem. This is a strategic and hands-on role. You will help define Arondite’s Canadian market approach while also executing the day-to-day work needed to build pipeline, qualify opportunities and move conversations forward. You should be comfortable operating in ambiguity, working independently and representing the company with senior stakeholders across government, industry and partner networks. Canada is a relationship-led market, and we see local presence as essential. This role is therefore intended to be Ottawa-based, with a strong focus on in-person engagement with DND, DRDC, IDEaS, relevant federal agencies and Canadian prime contractors. You will work closely with product and engineering teams in order to translate customer needs into product insight. The problems we are solving are technically ambitious, so you do not need to build the product yourself, but you do need to understand complex technical ideas, communicate them clearly and contribute meaningfully to discussions about roadmap, product positioning and deployment priorities. Your responsibilities will include: - Lead Arondite’s early business development and strategic engagement activity in Canada - Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders across DND, DRDC, IDEaS, federal innovation programs and adjacent public-sector organisations - Develop relationships with Canadian primes, technology partners and other organisations that can accelerate market access - Identify, qualify and progress commercial opportunities relevant to Cobalt and Arondite’s wider offering - Run structured customer discovery to test demand, refine positioning and surface priority use cases - Work with internal teams to translate market signals into product insight, roadmap input and go-to-market recommendations - Support partnership structuring, pricing discussions, proposal development and commercial negotiations - Represent Arondite credibly in meetings, events and external conversations with senior decision-makers, and indeed as a spokesperson for media and governmental affairs - Help shape Arondite’s long-term Canadian presence, including hiring insights, ecosystem mapping and local growth priorities Requirements You should have: - Experience winning enterprise software, defence technology or complex public-sector deals in the Canadian defence or national security environment as a quota-carrying individual contributor or player-coach - A strong understanding of how Canadian defence procurement, innovation funding and stakeholder engagement work in practice - Experience building and managing senior relationships across government, defence, industry or technology organisations - A track record of structuring and advancing partnerships in defence, public sector or other highly regulated environments - Strong commercial judgement, including business case development, pricing awareness, communication and presentation skills - The ability to work effectively in a fast-moving, high-growth company alongside engineers and technical teams - The confidence to engage with technical subject matter and explain complex products to a wide range of audiences - The ability to operate with high ownership and autonomy from day one - You will be a key part of our early team in Canada, with significant opportunity to take on leadership responsibilities should you wish. Depending on your experience you may find yourself taking on a leadership role straight away. We know the ideal candidate may not match every line item exactly. If this role is close to your experience and you are motivated by the mission, we would still like to hear from you. Nice to have: - Understanding of the unique considerations involved in deploying AI solutions in defence contexts - Experience selling AI or machine learning solutions in regulated environments - Familiarity with responsible AI, defence AI ethics or assurance frameworks - Knowledge of Canadian content considerations, industrial participation expectations or related contracting requirements - Awareness of export controls, security requirements and information-handling constraints relevant to defence work We aim to provide competitive compensation, equity participation subject to local arrangements, and the tools and support needed to do your job well. Local benefits, employment structure and related arrangements for Canada will be aligned to the final operating model. Right to Work We require that all candidates have an existing Right to Work in Canada at the time of application. Security clearance We believe in working closely with defence customers. As a result, this role is likely to require you to hold a clearance or be willing to undergo Canadian security screening. This normally requires having continuous residency in Canada for at least 5 years for Reliability Status, and 10 years for Secret. Office vs hybrid working We are focused on building a positive, collaborative engineering-driven culture. We therefore believe in making the office a friendly, comfortable and fun place to be, and we try to work from the office where possible. Of course, there are times when it makes sense for you to work from home and that is OK. You may also need to travel to visit customers, depending on your role. But in general you should only apply to join Arondite if you are excited to come into the office and work in person by default. For this role, Ottawa is the intended base given the importance of being close to Canadian defence and federal stakeholders, while also being available for regular travel to customer sites as needed. Benefits You will be one of our early team in Canada and we are still finalising our benefits package. However, as a guide, we currently intend to progressively offer the benefits below: - Generous equity scheme in Arondite so you have a stake in the company’s growth - Generous employer pension contribution - Private health and dental insurance - Any resources, equipment and training that you need to do your job in a world-class way