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-BATaircraft, 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. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Shield AI is seeking a senior sales leader to lead and scale the International Aechelonsales organization. This leader willbe responsible forintegratingAecheloninto Shield AI’s broader go-to-market strategy,accelerating revenue growth, and building a unified, high-performing sales motion across simulation, visualization, and autonomy solutions.
This role is both transformational and operational—requiring a leader whocan stabilize and scale an acquired business, align teams to a common vision, and unlock cross-sell opportunities across Shield AI’s portfolio.
Partnering closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, Customer Engagement, and Hivemind sales leadership, you will ensure thatAechelon’sofferings areeffectively positioned within Shield Ais ecosystemaligned to mission-critical customer outcomes.
- Lead and develop theAechelonInternational sales team;establisha high-performance culture, clear accountability, and strong coaching discipline
- Drive post-acquisition integration of people, processes, systems, and GTM strategy into Shield AI
- Assess and upgrade talent, roles, and coverage to align with growth objectives
- Own theInternational GTM plan forAechelon(segmentation, ICP, account strategy, pipeline generation, positioning)
- Identifyand execute cross-sell and bundling opportunities acrossAechelon, Hivemind, and broader Shield AI offerings
- Expand footprint across defense, government, and enterprise simulation/training markets
- Establish operating rigor (forecasting, deal reviews, MBRs/QBRs, dashboards, KPIs/OKRs)
- Improve pipeline quality, deal velocity, and forecast accuracy
- Standardize sales processes (qualification, CRM hygiene, deal stages, governance) across the integrated team
- Personally lead key pursuits and executive-level engagements in complex, multi-stakeholder deals
- Build deep relationships with defense agencies, primes, and enterprise customers
- PositionAechelonas a criticalcomponentof mission-ready simulation and operational environments
- Expand relationships with Large Systems Integrators (LSIs), primes, and strategic partners
- Enable partner-led growth in simulation, training, and visualization programs
- Align partner strategy with Shield AI’s broader autonomy and platform roadmap
- Partner with Product and Engineering to inform roadmap based on customer needs and market signals
- Align Marketing and Customer Engagement to drive demand generation and customer success
- Serve as a key voice in shaping Shield AI’s integrated platform GTM strategy
- Successful integration ofAechelonsales team into Shield AI operating model, systems, and culture
- Improved forecast accuracy, pipeline hygiene, and operating cadence
- Increased win rates and deal velocity through standardized, repeatable sales motions
- Measurable growth inAechelonstandalone revenue and cross-sell revenue with Shield AI products
- Clear territory, coverage, and account strategy
- Strong leadership bench with defined structure enabling second-line scalability
- 15+ years of B2B sales experience in technically complex domains (simulation, visualization, AI/ML, autonomy, SaaS, aerospace/defense, or similar)
- 5+ years of senior sales leadership, includingleading through transformation, integration, or scaling phases
- Proven successintegrating or scalingacquiredsales teamsand driving consistent revenue growth
- Strong technical credibility with engineering, product, and operational stakeholders
- Deep understanding of GTM fundamentals (segmentation, coverage, pipeline strategy, positioning)
- Demonstrated ability tosell complex, multi-product/platform solutions
- Excellent executive communication and cross-functional leadership
- Bachelor’s degreerequired
- Experience in modeling & simulation, synthetic environments, or visualization platforms
- Experience selling into defense, government, aerospace, or mission-critical enterprise environments
- Experience working with Large Systems Integrators (LSIs), primes, and partner ecosystems
- Familiarity with autonomy, training systems, or digital battlefield environments
- Experience driving post-M&A integration and GTM unification
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.
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Sr Director, Simulation - International employer: Shieldai
At Shield AI, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration in the heart of London. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through continuous learning opportunities and a supportive environment where your contributions directly impact the future of defense technology. Join us to be part of a mission-driven team that values your expertise and empowers you to tackle meaningful challenges in autonomy and defense systems.