As a key member of the international growth team, the Capture Manager will represent Shield AI’s autonomy and aircraft portfolio, including V-BAT, X-BAT, ViDAR-enabled ISR capabilities, and Hivemind autonomy software across customer engagements, operational demonstrations, strategic partnerships, and competitive pursuits.
This role combines strategic capture management, defence business development, customer engagement, and district growth initiatives. The ideal candidate is a highly motivated and mission-driven professional with deep knowledge of defence acquisition environments, strong district relationships, and the ability to operate independently in a fast-paced and high-growth environment.
The Capture Manager will play a critical role in identifying and shaping opportunities, building sales pipeline, and support executing those to drive long-term growth and operational impact for Shield AI across the district.
What You’ll Do
- Lead district capture and business development activities across assigned defence and government markets.
- Develop and execute capture strategies to position Shield AI for competitive advantage and contract awards.
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with military, government, industry, and strategic partner stakeholders.
- Represent Shield AI at trade shows, defence exhibitions, operational demonstrations, and industry engagements.
- Present and communicate Shield AI’s product portfolio, operational capabilities, and mission value to customers and partners.
- Coordinate and execute customer demonstrations, evaluations, and operational engagements.
- Identify and grow new business opportunities aligned with regional growth objectives.
- Work cross-functionally to support customer needs and regional growth efforts.
- Provide market intelligence, customer feedback, and competitive insights to internal stakeholders.
- Support long-term strategic planning and regional growth initiatives.
- Support maintaining accurate opportunity tracking, forecasting, and CRM reporting.
Required Qualifications
- Typically requires 8+ years of experience in defence, military operations, business development, capture management, or international government relations.
- Strong understanding of defence acquisition processes, military procurement, and operational customer environments.
- Demonstrated experience building trusted relationships across government, military, and industry stakeholders.
- Exceptional communicator: strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to engage seamlessly across different audiences.
- Proven ability to operate independently while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Self-motivated, highly accountable, and results-oriented professional with a strong sense of ownership.
- Technical aptitude and ability to understand and communicate advanced UAV, autonomy, AI, ISR, or defence technology concepts.
- Willingness and ability to travel internationally on a frequent basis.
- Collaborative team player capable of operating effectively in high-performance environments.
- Based within the region, or willing to relocate to a strategic location within the assigned territory.
- Fluency in regional languages relevant to the assigned market.
- Bachelor degree or relevant military education preferred.
- Influential authority with the ability to motivate and inspire others while conveying Shield AI’s mission, technology, and products.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior business development, capture, or defence market experience within the assigned district or allied defence markets.
- Experience supporting defence captures, multinational procurement programs, Foreign Military Sales (FMS), or government acquisition activities.
- Prior experience with UAV, autonomy, ISR, AI-enabled systems, or defence technology platforms.
- Existing relationships across defence ministries, military organizations, procurement authorities, or strategic industry stakeholders.
- Understanding of military operational scenarios, defence systems, and procurement environments.
- Experience developing industrial participation, offset, or strategic partnership initiatives.
- Strong analytical, strategic planning, and competitive positioning capabilities.
- Demonstrated success operating in high-growth, fast-paced, and internationally distributed environments.
- Master’s degree in a relevant field.
Skills Required
- 8+ years of experience in defense, military operations, business development, capture management, or international government relations
- Strong understanding of defense acquisition processes, military procurement, and operational customer environments
- Experience building trusted relationships across government, military, and industry stakeholders
- Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
- Ability to operate independently while managing multiple priorities and deadlines
- Self-motivated, accountable, results-oriented, and able to take ownership
- Technical aptitude to understand and communicate UAV, autonomy, AI, ISR, and defense technology concepts
- Willingness and ability to travel internationally frequently
- Ability to work collaboratively in high-performance environments
- Based in the region or willing to relocate within the assigned territory
- Fluency in relevant regional languages
- Bachelor's degree or relevant military education
- Ability to motivate and inspire others while communicating company mission, technology, and products
- Prior business development, capture, or defense market experience in the assigned district or allied defense markets
- Experience supporting defense captures, multinational procurement programs, Foreign Military Sales, or government acquisition activities
- Experience with UAV, autonomy, ISR, AI-enabled systems, or defense technology platforms
- Existing relationships with defense ministries, military organizations, procurement authorities, or strategic industry stakeholders
- Understanding of military operational scenarios, defense systems, and procurement environments
- Experience developing industrial participation, offset, or strategic partnership initiatives
- Strong analytical, strategic planning, and competitive positioning capabilities
- Experience in high-growth, fast-paced, internationally distributed environments
- Master's degree in a relevant field
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Company materials highlight comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with mental-health support and an EAP. Third-party benefits summaries also portray health coverage as a strong component of the package.
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Retirement Support — Offerings include a 401(k) with employer matching, cited on the careers page and independent benefits directories. Multiple sources indicate a match exists, though exact formulas have varied over time and warrant confirmation.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Company communications describe equity for all full-time hires and stock benefits as part of total rewards. Independent listings also note company equity/RSUs as a standard element.
Shield AI Insights
What We Do
At Shield AI, you won't wait years to see your work reach the field. You'll build hardware and software that operates in the real world right now, in the hands of the people who depend on it. Hivemind, our AI pilot, has been flying since 2018. It has flown more than 30 platforms, including an F-16, and it now sits under a U.S. Air Force production contract for Collaborative Combat Aircraft. When you write code or shape a system here, you contribute to technology with a proven flight record and a clear production future. V-BAT flies intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions with an operational record that stretches from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific. It delivers eyes where they matter most, in the most demanding conditions on earth. The teams behind it watch their work get tested where the stakes are real. X-BAT takes its first flight this year. It's an AI-piloted fighter that needs no runway, built to operate where traditional aircraft can't. Join now and you help shape a program at its earliest, most formative stage. That's the kind of ground-floor work that defines a career. Do the most impactful work of your life, on problems that matter. Autonomy at this level asks a lot of you. You'll take on problems in perception, planning, and control that few teams anywhere are equipped to solve. You'll work across disciplines, from aerospace and robotics to machine learning and systems engineering, alongside people who hold themselves to an exacting standard and expect the same from you. Our mission is clear: protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. That purpose runs through every decision, every design review, and every deployment. It's why the work here carries a weight you can feel. Ready to join our mission? Explore our open roles and find where you fit.
Why Work With Us
Founded in 2015 by a former Navy SEAL, Shield AI builds AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft. Veterans aren't an afterthought here, they're at every level. It's why the work carries weight: AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft flying real missions, from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific, protecting service members and civilians.
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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
