Segment Business Development Director

Overview

Rock West Composites, Inc. offers a Segment Business Development Director position in San Diego, CA, reporting to the SVP of Space Structures.

Position Summary

The Business Development Director will drive new business in custom composite products for DoD and Space clients across industries such as Aerospace, Defense, Sports, Maritime, and Energy.

Essential Functions

• Identify and engage key clients across diverse industries with emphasis on DoD and Space opportunities.
• Develop a growth plan for the segment, identifying target programs, hardware types, and customers.
• Exceed annual sales targets using traditional and nontraditional sales methods.
• Initiate and organize business development initiatives, improve market share, implement pricing strategies, control expenses, and deliver technical services.
• Build strong relationships with clients, prospects, suppliers, and internal teams to advance strategic sales growth plans.
• Act as liaison with Rock West teams, providing feedback about customer needs.
• Lead efforts to protect new innovations and intellectual property.
• Manage the customer qualification process and transition from project conception to mass production.
• Follow up on leads generated by the company website.
• Travel to visit customers and attend trade shows.
• Manage the marketing and trade show strategy for the segment.
• Lead and develop the segment‑aligned business development team, including Business Development Managers, Estimators, and other contributors.
• Negotiate customer contracts and oversee new account setup and onboarding.
• Maintain new business orders, sales forecasts, and track performance against forecasted goals.

Non‑Essential Functions

• Perform other duties as required.

Required Education and Experience

• BS or BA degree in engineering or a technical major.
• Minimum eight years of experience in composites and/or aerospace sales.
• Experience establishing budgets, tracking expenditures, and monitoring profit.
• Experience communicating with customers.
• Strong technical knowledge of aerospace and space structures, including design, analysis, and/or fabrication.
• Knowledge of composite materials such as tapes, fabrics, braids, prepregs, resin infusion fibers (carbon, fiberglass, quartz, Kevlar), and resins (epoxy, vinyl ester, cyanate ester).
• Knowledge of composite finishing processes (trimming, drilling, coating, etc.).

Leadership Skills

• Vision, passion, perseverance, and intensity.
• Proven track record and emotional intelligence.
• Decisive collaboration and ownership of outcomes.
• Strong communication skills as a relationship builder.
• Curiosity, risk tolerance, and navigation capabilities.

Perks and Benefits

• 100% Employer‑Paid Medical and Dental.
• Annual bonus.
• 401(k) – 5% match.
• Employee Stock Option Program.
• 9/80 work schedule.
• 8 paid holidays.
• PTO: Max. 4 weeks after 5 years of employment.
• $2,500 tuition reimbursement.

Compensation

The salary range is $150,000–$200,000 annually, with final compensation based on experience, skillset, and other legally permissible factors.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Rock West Composites is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the company to provide equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, transitioning status, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, medical condition, mental disability, physical disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. EEO is the law. We also prohibit compensation discrimination under all applicable laws.

ITAR Requirement

To comply with U.S. Government export regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident, a refugee, or an asylee and must be authorized to work in the U.S. without company sponsorship. The company will not offer immigration sponsorship or export authorization for this role. Candidates may also be subject to drug and alcohol screening.