# Senior Business Development Lead - Hivemind - Ukraine

**Company:** [Shield AI](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-companies/shield-ai)
**Location:** Kyiv
**Work mode:** On-site
**Employment type:** Internship
**Salary:** USD 10–15/hr
**Category:** Sales & Marketing
**Department:** Other
**Listed:** 2026-05-21

[View and apply on Zero G Talent](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/shield-ai/senior-business-development-manager-ukraine-r5043-138715af-5752-409b-afe7-611fb67f8992)

## Job description

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit [www.shield.ai](https://shield.ai/). Follow Shield AI on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shield-ai), [X](https://x.com/shieldaitech), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/shield_ai), and [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@Shield_AI). 

  

Shield AI is seeking a high-performing Senior Business Development Lead to drive growth for Hivemind Autonomy across Ukraine, with a primary focus on defense and government customers.

Hivemind is Shield AI’s AI-powered autonomy software platform that enables intelligent aircraft, drones, and robotic systems to operate autonomously in complex and contested environments. It provides mission autonomy capabilities including navigation, teaming, decision-making, and autonomous mission execution across crewed and uncrewed systems.

This role is responsible for identifying, shaping, and closing complex opportunities while building enduring customer relationships and executing disciplined capture strategies.

### What you'll do:

-   Own and drive the full sales lifecycle for Hivemind opportunities across assigned accounts/territories (pipeline generation through close)
-   Develop and execute territory and capture strategies for priority pursuits, aligning with Shield AI’s long-term strategic plan
-   Identify, qualify, and shape new business opportunities through deep understanding of customer missions, budgets, and acquisition pathways
-   Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers, program offices, and influencers across defense and government customers
-   Lead proposal development in partnership with BD Operations and cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment with customer requirements and value propositions
-   Conduct competitive analysis and position Hivemind effectively in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
-   Partner with Product, Engineering, and Solutions teams to translate customer needs into compelling technical and operational solutions
-   Manage deal progression with rigour (qualification, deal strategy, forecasting accuracy, CRM hygiene)
-   Represent Shield AI at industry events, conferences, and customer engagements to expand market presence and pipeline
-   Communicate clearly with internal stakeholders and leadership on pipeline status, risks, and key milestones

### Required Qualifications

-   10–15+ years of experience in business development, sales, or capture roles in technically complex domains (AI/ML, autonomy, SaaS, aerospace/defence, or similar)
-   Proven track record of owning and closing deals, particularly within European government or defence markets
-   Deep understanding of defence acquisition processes and government procurement lifecycle
-   Strong experience developing and executing capture strategies for complex opportunities
-   Technical aptitude and ability to engage credibly with Engineering, Product, and Operational stakeholders
-   Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
-   Self-motivated, results-oriented, and capable of operating in a fast-paced environment

### Preferred Qualifications

-   Experience selling autonomy, AI/ML, or unmanned systems (UAS) solutions
-   Prior military experience a plus
-   Established relationships within defense, government, or aerospace customer sets
-   Experience working with Large Systems Integrators (LSIs) and strategic partners
-   Ability to travel as needed for customer engagements and industry events
-   Active or eligibility for security clearance
-   MBA or equivalent graduate degree

Our international teammates receive a comprehensive total rewards package aligned to your country office location. For full details on compensation and benefits, please consult your talent acquisition partner.

## Other open roles at Shield AI

- [Senior Manager, Autonomy (R5683)](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/shield-ai/senior-manager-autonomy-r5683-7a8cac10-c350-4aa0-9982-4638568590ca) — Melbourne
- [Staff Field Solutions Engineer (R6297)](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/shield-ai/staff-field-solutions-engineer-r6297-ac234764-8e81-4ffb-b822-8ff8338b2fda) — San Diego, California
- [Staff Field Solution Engineer - XBAT - AMER (R6265)](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/shield-ai/staff-field-solution-engineer-xbat-amer-r6265-90a28307-769a-49f8-bd19-a0d8b4385e11) — Washington, D.C.
- [Staff Engineer, Test Automation - San Mateo (R5792)](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/shield-ai/staff-engineer-test-automation-san-mateo-r5792-427ac807-bc6a-4e8c-8f15-8322880ffcaf) — San Mateo, California
- [Staff Engineer, Autonomy Software Integration - San Mateo (R4483)](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/shield-ai/staff-engineer-autonomy-software-integration-san-mateo-r4483-c572c4ac-5a16-40a7-ad56-aee3ebead2ef) — San Mateo, California

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*Source: [Zero G Talent](https://zerogtalent.com), the job board for space, defense, AI, robotics and frontier-tech companies.*