At a Glance
- Tasks: Build strategic relationships and drive business growth across Europe & Africa.
- Company: Join Shield AI, a leading defence tech company revolutionising military operations with AI.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive rewards package, and a mission-driven work environment.
- Other info: Opportunity to work at the forefront of AI and next-gen defence systems.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in defence technology while collaborating with exceptional teams.
- Qualifications: 15+ years in government, defence, or international affairs with strong stakeholder engagement skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
About Shield AI: Founded in 2015, 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 and V‑BAT and X‑BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia‑Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide.
The Senior Director of Strategic Engagement for Europe & Africa is a senior regional leader responsible for advancing Shield AI’s strategic position across Europe & Africa through high‑value external engagement, relationship development, market insight, and business enablement. This role works across the regional business development organization to expand access to senior stakeholders, strengthen Shield AI’s brand, inform regional strategy, and support the pursuit of new business opportunities across the company’s technology portfolio.
This position operates at the intersection of business development, government relations, strategic communications, and executive relationship management. The Senior Director of Strategic Engagement does not own an individual sales quota but is expected to contribute meaningfully to team success through pipeline generation, closed bookings, opportunity shaping, senior‑level access, and the quality and frequency of external engagements.
What you’ll do:
- Build and sustain trusted relationships with senior defense, government, diplomatic, political, and industry stakeholders across Europe & Africa to increase Shield AI’s strategic access and long‑term market position.
- Create opportunities for the regional business development team by opening doors with key decision‑makers, facilitating senior introductions, and helping position Shield AI in priority accounts, markets, and partner ecosystems.
- Represent Shield AI at external engagements such as conferences, panels, roundtables, executive meetings, and government or industry forums, strengthening the company’s visibility, credibility, and thought leadership in the region.
- Identify and help shape new business opportunities by surfacing customer priorities, partnership pathways, and regional developments that can influence pipeline creation and long‑term growth.
- Advise the Shield AI executive team, fellow business development leaders, and other internal leaders on regional strategy by bringing forward actionable insight on market dynamics, stakeholder sentiment, policy context, and competitive positioning.
- Partner closely with regional business development leaders and cross‑functional teams to align external engagement activity with campaign priorities, product positioning, and broader market expansion efforts.
- Help address complex or sensitive customer, partner, and market challenges by applying sound judgment, senior presence, and strategic problem‑solving to move critical initiatives forward.
Required qualifications:
- 15+ years of experience in government, diplomacy, defense, aerospace, national security, international affairs, or advanced technology business development or strategic engagement roles.
- Demonstrated success working with senior government, military, diplomatic, or industry stakeholders in complex international environments.
- Strong understanding of the defense, security, or public‑sector landscape in Europe and/or Africa, including the importance of stakeholder relationships, market access, and institutional decision‑making.
- Proven ability to influence outcomes without direct authority through credibility, judgment, communication, and relationship management.
- Excellent executive communication and presentation skills, including the ability to represent an organization effectively in high‑profile external settings.
- Experience operating cross‑functionally and supporting strategic initiatives across business development, partnerships, product, and leadership teams.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently across Europe & Africa to support customer, partner, and industry engagement.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience serving as a public‑facing representative for an organization in policy, defense, diplomatic, or international business settings.
- Established network across relevant defense, government, diplomatic, and industrial stakeholders in Europe & Africa.
- Experience supporting international market expansion, strategic partnerships, or regional growth initiatives in defense or dual‑use technology sectors.
- Deep familiarity with AI, autonomy, unmanned systems, aerospace, or related defense technology markets.
- Advanced degree in international affairs, public policy, business, engineering, or a related field.
Why join Shield AI:
- Help build the defining defence technology company of this century.
- Work at the forefront of AI, autonomy, and next‑generation defence systems.
- Operate in a highly entrepreneurial and mission‑driven environment.
- Make a direct impact on international growth and strategic defence partnerships.
- Collaborate with exceptional teams solving some of the world’s most complex operational challenges.
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.
Senior Director of Strategic Engagement in London employer: The Rundown AI, Inc.
At Shield AI, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions innovation and collaboration in the defence technology sector. Our dynamic work culture fosters entrepreneurial spirit and mission-driven engagement, providing employees with unique opportunities for professional growth while making a tangible impact on global security. With a comprehensive rewards package tailored to your location, joining our team means contributing to cutting-edge advancements in AI and autonomy alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Director of Strategic Engagement in London
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Director of Strategic Engagement in London
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Show Us Your Strategic Thinking:When crafting your CV and cover letter, highlight your strategic analysis skills. Focus on past experiences where you've effectively assessed market trends or made impactful recommendations. Evidence-based achievements, like improving processes or contributing to significant projects, will help us see your potential for driving corporate strategy at The Rundown AI, Inc..
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✨Master the Numbers
Corporate strategy often involves data analysis and financial forecasting. Brush up on your quantitative skills, and be prepared to handle case studies or numerical problems during the interview. We might get questions about how to approach market trends or assess the performance of a hypothetical company — so practice these scenarios!
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