Business Development Manager – Aurora Spaceplane

About Dawn Aerospace
Dawn Aerospace is redefining space transportation through reusable, sustainable, and high-cadence flight systems. Our Aurora Spaceplane enables rapid access to suborbital space and speeds over Mach 3, serving a growing need for near-space testing, hypersonic flight, and microgravity research. Together with our in-space propulsion business, Dawn is building the infrastructure for sustainable access to and operation in space.

Role Overview

Until now, there has never been a vehicle capable of flying payloads to the edge of space multiple times a day. Because the Aurora is a first-of-its-kind capability, we're still discovering all the ways that it can create value. As a Business Development Manager, your mission is to explore this frontier.

This isn't a turn-the-crank or transactional sales role. Success will depend on your ability to understand both the capabilities of the Aurora and the technical needs of a wide range of customers, translating one into value for the other. You will uncover emerging applications, open deals, and grow revenue. The insights you gain will directly influence Aurora's commercial roadmap and future service offerings as we expand globally.

Key Responsibilities
Market Discovery & Development

• Identify, qualify, and prioritise opportunities in commercial, defence, and research sectors
• Engage directly with prospective customers to understand their challenges and identify where Aurora can deliver value.
• Build a clear, data-driven pipeline with quarterly and annual revenuegoals
• Represent Dawn Aerospace at key industry events and convert conversations into contracts

Business Development

• Understand and articulate the technical capabilities of the Aurora Translate customer needs into technically viable and cost-effective mission proposals and deals.
• Collaborate with internal operations, engineering, and mission planning teams to design flight concepts for a wide range of applications.

Strategic Growth

• Establish and maintain relationships with key industry primes, research organizations, and government agencies.
• Help define commercial models and processes as Aurora scales.
• Feed market intelligence directly into Aurora's commercial and product roadmap

Required Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in business development, sales, or mission management in aerospace, aviation, deep-tech, or a closely related sector.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a customer-first mindset
• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace , Mechanical, or Systems Engineering, Physics, or related technical discipline.
• Proven track record of hitting or exceeding hard revenue targets in complex, technical sales cycles.

Preferred Skills

• Experience working directly with customers in aerospace research, defense, or government space agencies.
• A strong understanding of general aerospace principles such as flight mechanics, mission planning and project lifecycles.
• Previous experience selling or supporting technically advanced products or services in aviation, aerospace, or related engineering sectors.
• Familiarity with HubSpot, or similar CRM suite.
• Familiarity with ITAR/EAR or export control frameworks is advantageous.
• Ability and willingness to travel both domestically and internationally (New Zealand and other regions as required)

What We Offer

• A leading role in commercializing the first vehicle capable of reaching space twice in a single day.
• High autonomy and influence over mission sales and growth strategies in your market(s).
• Opportunities to work with cutting-edge aerospace technology and with a wide range of global customers.

Please also note that due to our current customer base and the nature of our industry and technology, we are required to conduct background checks that are undertaken for security reasons. These checks will include nationality checks as it is a requirement of this position that the Employee be eligible to access equipment and data regulated by domestic and foreign regulations. Under these regulations, an employee may be ineligible for a role in our New Zealand office if they do not hold citizenship of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union or a country that is part of NATO, or if they hold ineligible dual citizenship or nationality.