Back to jobs
New

Director, Business Development - Middle East & North Africa

Arlington, Virginia, United States

At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in unmanned aircraft systems. Our team of engineers and innovators is developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions that push the boundaries of UAS technology - solving complex challenges that matter.

We're building the future of UAS capabilities, and we're looking for exceptional talent to join us. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on next-generation flight systems, you belong here.

We are seeking a seasoned Director of Business Development to lead Foreign Military Sales (FMS) pursuit activities across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This senior role serves as Zone 5's primary interface with U.S. interagency partners, partner-nation Ministries of Defence, military services, and sovereign government stakeholders — driving engagement from initial country contact through to actionable FMS milestones.

The Director will leverage deep expertise in the FMS process and an established network across the Department of State (DoS), Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OuSD(P)), and relevant foreign embassies to open doors, shape requirements, and advance Zone 5 opportunities toward Letters of Request for Pricing & Availability (LOR for P&A) and Letters of Request for Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOR for LOA).

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

FMS Business Development & Pipeline

  • Identify, qualify, and develop FMS opportunities across UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Morocco, Jordan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) or other nations (a/r).
  • Build and sustain a robust opportunity pipeline from initial country engagement through LOR for P&A and LOR for LOA, coordinating with Zone 5 portfolio program leadership and marketing throughout.
  • Develop tailored country-level engagement plans that align Zone 5 capabilities with identified requirements and U.S. security cooperation priorities.
  • Represent Zone 5 at key industry events, defense exhibitions, and bilateral forums relevant to MENA security cooperation markets.

Partner-Nation Stakeholder Engagement

  • Establish and sustain senior-level relationships with partner-nation Ministries of Defence, military service headquarters, and — where required — Ministries of Commerce and Finance.
  • Engage foreign embassies and defense attachés assigned to the United States, and the US corollaries inside partner nation, to build awareness of Zone 5 capabilities and facilitate early case development.
  • Guide sovereign stakeholders through the FMS process from requirements identification through case initiation, acting as a trusted advisor on U.S. government procedures and timelines.

U.S. Interagency Engagement & Advocacy

  • Serve as Zone 5's primary advocate within the U.S. interagency, with particular focus on DoS (PM Bureau, NEA), DSCA, and OuSD(P).
  • Build and maintain working-level and senior relationships with Country Directors, Regional Affairs Officers, and Security Cooperation Officers to support responsive case processing.
  • Monitor and actively engage on Qualitative Military Edge (QME) adjudications, ensuring assessments are informed by accurate, complete information and are, where possible, favorably influenced for Zone 5 platforms.
  • Track and interpret evolving security cooperation policy, Congressional notifications, and end-use monitoring requirements that may affect FMS timelines or case viability.

Market Intelligence & Strategic Planning

  • Provide leadership with timely intelligence on partner-nation defense budgets, procurement priorities, political developments, and competitor activity across the MENA region.
  • Contribute to Zone 5's long-range strategic planning by identifying emerging requirements, shifts in security cooperation policy, and new market entry opportunities.
  • Monitor legislative and regulatory developments — including Section 36(b) notifications and Congressional holds — that may affect FMS case progress.

Internal Coordination

  • Partner with capture, proposal, and program teams to develop FMS-compliant offerings and technically credible solutions tailored to partner-nation requirements.
  • Coordinate with contracts, pricing, and legal teams to ensure positions are consistent with FMS regulations, ITAR, and EAR requirements.
  • Report regularly to executive leadership on pipeline status, country engagement progress, and interagency relationship health.

 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor's degree in International Relations, Political Science, Business, Engineering, or related field; advanced degree strongly preferred.
  • 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in defense business development, security cooperation, or government service directly supporting FMS.
  • Demonstrated expertise across the FMS life cycle: case initiation, P&A, LOA development, and case execution.
  • Established, verifiable relationships with DoS, DSCA, and OuSD(P) personnel at working and senior levels.
  • Proven ability to engage and build trust with senior officials in partner-nation Ministries of Defence and military services across the MENA region.
  • Experience operating in or alongside foreign embassies, with U.S. or foreign defense attachés.
  • Working knowledge of QME policy frameworks and the U.S. interagency adjudication process.
  • Active U.S. Secret clearance required
  • Ability to travel internationally approximately one week per month; valid U.S. passport required.

 

PRIORITY COUNTRY FOCUS

UAE  ·  Qatar  ·  Bahrain  ·  Oman  ·  Kuwait  ·  Morocco  ·  Jordan  ·  KSA

 

Country prioritization may be adjusted based on evolving security cooperation policy, country team guidance, and emerging opportunities. The Director is expected to maintain engagement awareness across all listed countries regardless of current priority ranking.

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Prior U.S. military (uniformed or GS), DoS Foreign Service, or DSCA service in roles directly supporting MENA security cooperation or FMS case management.
  • Direct experience managing or supporting high-value FMS cases (>$100M) from P&A through LOA signature.
  • Informal Arabic language and cultural familiarity.
  • Familiarity with U.S. arms transfer policy including AECA Section 3 and related SAMM provisions.
  • Experience with Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) structures complementary to FMS programs.
  • Existing relationships with In-Country Security Cooperation Organizations (SCOs) in one or more priority countries.

 

CORE COMPETENCIES

  • Strategic relationship management — cultivates and sustains influence at senior government and military levels across both U.S. and partner nations.
  • FMS process expertise — thorough command of the FMS life cycle from requirements generation through case closure.
  • Political acumen — navigates complex U.S. interagency dynamics and partner-nation sensitivities with skill and discretion.
  • Executive communication — synthesizes complex security cooperation issues for senior internal and external audiences.
  • Initiative and autonomy — self-directed, capable of managing a complex multi-country portfolio with limited day-to-day oversight.
  • Integrity and discretion — operates with the highest ethical standards in a sensitive government-adjacent environment.

This role will also be eligible for annual bonus in addition to the base salary. 

Pay range for this role

$138,000 - $178,000 USD

What's in it for you:

Benefits: 

  • Competitive total compensation package 
  • Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.
  • 401k with company-match 
  • 4 weeks of paid time off each year
  • 12 annual company holidays

Why Join Zone 5 Technologies?

  • Innovative Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology that is shaping the future of defense and aerospace.
  • Collaborative Culture: Join a team of passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
  • Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

If you are passionate about unmanned aircraft technology and want to be a part of a dynamic and growing company, we would love to hear from you. Apply today and join the Zone 5 Technologies team! 

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Zone 5 Technologies is a federal contractor and participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. As required by law, we will verify the identity and employment authorization of all new employees using the E-Verify system. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify: https://www.e-verify.gov.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Zone 5 Technologies? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...

Work Authorization

Select...

Sponsorship

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Zone 5 Technologies’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.