Country Director

Business Development Director, Japan The Business Development Director, Japan, will lead AeroVironment's business development strategy and customer engagement across the Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD), Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA), relevant Japanese government organizations, and Japan's defence industrial base. The role requires a deep understanding of Japan's National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, Defense Buildup Program, Mid-Term Defense Program and associated annual budget priorities, Japan's defence modernization initiatives, the evolution of Japan's stand-off and counterstrike capabilities, integrated air and missile defense, unmanned and autonomous systems, and Japan's growing defence cooperation with the United States and other international partners. The successful candidate will help position AeroVironment as a trusted long-term partner supporting Japan's modernization of autonomous systems, unmanned aircraft systems, integrated ISR, resilient logistics, electronic warfare, counter-UAS, and precision and stand-off capabilities. This is a highly strategic role requiring disciplined opportunity development, capture management, and long-term relationship building across Japanese government, military, industry, and international defence stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities
Customer & Market Development
• Execute AeroVironment's Japan growth strategy through direct engagement with the Japan Ministry of Defense, JSDF, ATLA, relevant government organizations, operational units, acquisition organizations, research institutions, major Japanese defence companies, and industry partners.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with operational users, requirements organizations, acquisition authorities, programme offices, senior uniformed leaders, government officials, and defence-industry executives.
• Position AeroVironment's capabilities to support Japan's defence modernization priorities, national security objectives, alliance commitments, and long-term force development requirements.
• Develop relationships across the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), Joint Staff, and other relevant organizations as appropriate to AeroVironment's portfolio.
• Identify opportunities for AeroVironment capabilities to contribute to Japan-U.
S. defence cooperation, bilateral programmes, multinational initiatives, and Japan's evolving defence industrial strategy. Capture & Opportunity Management
• Develop and execute coordinated capture strategies aligned with Japanese defence procurement priorities, capability requirements, budget allocations, and modernization programmes.
• Identify and qualify new business opportunities through Japanese national procurement, U.
S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), government-to-government programmes, bilateral initiatives, and other applicable acquisition pathways.
• Develop stakeholder maps identifying key decision-makers, operational users, requirements authorities, acquisition organizations, influencers, industrial partners, and contracting authorities.
• Analyze customer requirements, competitive positioning, procurement strategies, funding sources, acquisition timelines, and contracting approaches to develop effective win strategies.
• Develop price-to-win strategies and appropriately shape customer requirements toward AeroVironment solutions in accordance with applicable Japanese procurement rules, U.
S. export-control requirements, and ethical business-development practices.
• Lead and coordinate capture activities from early customer engagement through requirements development, solicitation, proposal, negotiation, contract award, and transition to programme execution.
• Identify opportunities for Japanese industrial participation, technology cooperation, local partnerships, co-development, licensed production, sustainment, and integration with Japanese defence platforms and systems.
• Develop strategies for partnering with Japanese prime contractors and technology companies to strengthen AeroVironment's position in Japanese procurement programmes. Market Intelligence
• Monitor Japan's defence policy, national security priorities, defence budgets, procurement plans, capability requirements, and competitive landscape.
• Track the implementation of Japan's National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, Defense Buildup Program, and related defence investment priorities.
• Monitor Japanese programmes involving autonomous systems, UAS, loitering munitions, counter-UAS, ISR, electronic warfare, precision effects, stand-off capabilities, and resilient logistics.
• Identify funding sources, procurement cycles, acquisition authorities, contracting mechanisms, programme timelines, and Japanese industrial partnership opportunities.
• Monitor Japan-U.
S. defence cooperation and relevant bilateral initiatives that may create opportunities for AeroVironment.
• Assess the competitive environment, including Japanese defence companies, U.
S. competitors, European suppliers, and emerging technology providers.
• Provide market intelligence, customer insights, competitive assessments, and strategic recommendations supporting AeroVironment's Indo-Pacific growth objectives. Customer Engagement
• Serve as the primary senior representative for AeroVironment's autonomous systems portfolio throughout Japan.
• Develop and maintain executive-level relationships with Japanese military, government, acquisition, research, and industry stakeholders.
• Deliver executive and operational capability presentations to Japanese defence, government, and industry audiences.
• Coordinate demonstrations, evaluations, exercises, training activities, technical engagements, and customer visits with Marketing, Flight Operations, Program Management, Engineering, and Customer Support.
• Support customer demonstrations and operational assessments in coordination with applicable Japanese and U.
S. authorities.
• Represent AeroVironment at relevant Japanese and international defence exhibitions, conferences, industry forums, and customer events. Internal Collaboration
• Coordinate with Product Management, Engineering, Contracts, Legal, Export Compliance, Finance, Program Management, and international Business Development teams to support capture activities and proposal development.
• Develop and coordinate responses to Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Proposal (RFPs), solicitations, market surveys, capability inquiries, and other customer requirements.
• Coordinate Japanese industrial-partner strategies in support of capture campaigns.
• Support the development of teaming agreements, strategic partnerships, memoranda of understanding, and other appropriate business relationships with Japanese industry.
• Maintain accurate opportunity tracking, forecasting, pipeline reporting, and customer engagement records using CRM tools and established business development processes.
• Provide regular senior-management updates on market developments, pipeline health, capture status, customer engagement, competitive activity, and programme risks. Basic Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, International Relations, Defence Studies, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 12 years of business development, capture management, programme management, military, government, or defence-industry experience.
• Demonstrated success supporting Japanese defence customers and a strong understanding of Japan's defence acquisition and procurement processes.
• Strong knowledge of Japan's national security and defence strategy, JSDF modernization priorities, defence procurement environment, and evolving defence industrial policies.
• Understanding of autonomous systems, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), loitering munitions, counter-UAS, ISR, electronic warfare, precision effects, stand-off capabilities, or related defence technologies.
• Experience with Japanese defence procurement, U.
S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), export licensing, ITAR, EAR, U.
S.-Japan technology-transfer requirements, and applicable anti-corruption regulations.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing winning capture strategies and securing defence contracts.
• Existing relationships within the Japan Ministry of Defense, JSDF, ATLA, Japanese defence industry, or relevant U.
S.-Japan defence organizations are highly desirable.
• Must be a current resident of Japan, preferably in the Tokyo area or another major Japanese defence-industry centre, with authorization to work in Japan.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel extensively throughout Japan. Preferred Competencies
• Strong understanding of Japan's National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, Defense Buildup Program, and associated defence modernization priorities.
• Strong understanding of Japan-U.
S. security cooperation and the role of bilateral defence programmes in Japan's capability development.
• Experience navigating Japan Ministry of Defense and ATLA acquisition processes.
• Experience working with Japanese defence primes, including major aerospace, electronics, systems-integration, and technology companies.
• Experience with U.
S.-Japan bilateral defence programmes, multinational defence initiatives, and international technology partnerships.
• Understanding of Japan's evolving defence-export, international cooperation, and defence-industrial policies.
• Experience developing Japanese industrial participation, co-production, localization, sustainment, or technology-integration strategies.
• Excellent executive communication, relationship-building, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, programme-management, and capture-management abilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and CRM platforms; Salesforce experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while managing multiple strategic capture efforts simultaneously.
• Strong collaboration skills with cross-functional teams across Japanese, U.
S., and international time zones.
• Professional fluency in Japanese and English strongly preferred; exceptional written and verbal communication skills in both languages. Work Environment
• Primarily office-based with frequent customer engagement throughout Japan.
• Regular travel to Ministry of Defense and JSDF establishments, ATLA facilities, Japanese defence-industry partners, customer facilities, exercises, demonstration sites, and relevant defence events.
• Frequent travel to Tokyo and other Japanese military and defence-industry centres as required.
• Regular engagement with U.
S. government and defence-industry stakeholders supporting Japan-related programmes.
• Occasional international travel throughout the Indo-Pacific region and to the United States to support regional business development activities. Special Requirements
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.
• Ability to meet applicable Japanese, U.
S., and/or bilateral security-clearance requirements associated with assigned programmes.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain necessary security clearances, facility access credentials, and bilateral government/defense authorizations in accordance with applicable Japanese and U.
S. export control, defense procurement, and security frameworks.
• Willingness and ability to work within Japanese and U.
S. defence procurement, compliance, export-control, and anti-corruption frameworks.
• Ability to operate effectively within Japanese business and government engagement protocols, including appropriate relationship-management and communication practices.
• Availability to support customer engagements, exercises, demonstrations, and industry events outside normal business hours when required.