# Defense Sales (FR) H/F

> Alta Ares · Paris, France (Hybrid) · Full-time · Posted 2026-03-14

**Workplace:** hybrid

**Department:** Sales

## Description

### About Alta Ares

Alta Ares is a deeptech startup founded in 2024, building real-time AI for defense operations (ISR, C-UAS). Our primary clients are NATO-aligned militaries, with regular deployments during live exercises. Raised €2M pre-seed in May 2025 Products include:  

-   Real-time AI ISR module deployable on drones and tactical platforms
-   Counter-UAS solution enabling autonomous drone takeover under GNSS-denied environment
-   Full-stack MLOps platform for training & deploying military-grade AI models
-   Data fusion and trajectory prediction  
    

### Position details

-   Location: Paris,France, mobility required
-   Reports to: Head of Sales
-   Position objective: Drive Alta Ares’ commercial expansion by securing defense contracts, building relationships with procurement agencies, and positioning Alta Ares as a category-defining leader in AI-enabled defense systems. We are looking for a high-performance sales leader with a strong background in the defense industry, ideally with experience in neoprimes or advanced defense tech companies.
-   Contract: CDI (permanent contract)

### Role & Mission  

**Defense Sales & Business Development**

-   Own the sales pipeline across French MOD, procurement agencies, and armed forces
-   Lead qualification, opportunity shaping, proposal management, and contract negotiations
-   Identify and drive multi-million programs across ISR, C-UAS, autonomy, and AI
-   Establish a repeatable sales motion with clear forecasting and metrics
-   Convert tactical demos and pilot deployments into scalable contracts  
    

**Customer & Partner Relationships**

-   Build trusted relationships with military users, procurement officers, and program managers
-   Engage with primes, neoprimes, integrators, and defense engineering firms
-   Develop and manage channel partnerships where relevant
-   Conduct regular on-site visits, field demos, and customer workshops across Europe  
    

**Market Expansion & Strategic Development**

-   Map European defense markets: budgets, procurement cycles, capability gaps
-   Shape requirements for upcoming tenders and influence capability roadmaps
-   Provide competitive intelligence and product feedback to engineering & founders
-   Support localization strategies for key European countries  
    

**Cross-functional Collaboration**

-   Work closely with Engineering, Product, and Operations teams to align demos, deployments, and delivery
-   Help refine pricing strategy, sales collateral, and customer-facing documentation
-   Contribute to showcasing Alta Ares at major defense exhibitions (Eurosatory, DSEI, MSPO, IDEX, etc.)

## Requirements

### Candidate profile

-   5–10 years of experience in defense sales, business development, capture management, or program engagement
-   Strong track record selling to MODs, procurement agencies, or armed forces
-   Experience in defense tech companies, primes, or ideally neoprimes (e.g., Anduril, Helsing, Palantir, Shield AI, or equivalent)
-   Deep understanding of defense procurement cycles and bidding processes
-   Demonstrated ability to close complex deals in multi-stakeholder environments
-   Experience working with drones, C-UAS, ISR, AI autonomy, or adjacent systems is a major plus  
    

**Skills & Qualities**

-   Strong hunter profile with resilience and deal-making mindset
-   Ability to translate technical capabilities into operational value
-   Excellent relationship-building with military and technical stakeholders
-   High integrity, discretion, and understanding of security culture
-   Entrepreneurial spirit: able to operate in fast-moving, resource-efficient environments
-   Bilingual English + another European language (French strongly preferred)

### Nice to Have

-   Experience in a neoprime or high-growth defense startup
-   Experience in NATO procurement or European Defence Fund (EDF) programs
-   Former military service (officer or NCO)
-   Knowledge of operational C-UAS, ISR, or AI workflows
-   Existing network inside European MODs and procurement bodies
-   Ability to support deployments and demos in live environments

## Apply

[Apply at Alta Ares](https://apply.workable.com/alta-ares/j/2A5E74CBA8/apply)

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