Senior Business Development Manager – Aerospace & Security 

What you will do

Within the business segment of Aerospace & Security, you will address companies that have specific system and technological needs to drive their products forward towards new functionalities, better performance, more integration, lower energy consumption and lower cost. 

As a Senior Business Development Manager, your main tasks will be: 

• Based on your good knowledge of the Aerospace and Defence ecosystem as well as your past experience in the semiconductor industry, you will identify opportunities where imec technologies and know-how can provide a unique value proposition to customers’ space and defence programs in terms advanced R&D and Volume Manufacturing. 
• As such, you will build, grow and manage a portfolio of customers for RadHard ASIC’s, Si/SiN Photonics, Advanced Imagers, Quantum Sensors, Flat optics/Meta surfaces, Hyperspectral & Multispectral, Front-End RF systems & ADC’s, GaN RF, GaN Power, Batteries, Photovoltaics, MEMS, Ultrasound and Chiplets.   
• You will coordinate business interactions, generate leads, discover new business opportunities, and convert them into effective contracts. 
• You will closely work with the technical teams for the business aspects of the collaborations. 
• In all cases you will develop the optimal business model together with our intellectual property and legal teams, and together with our technical and portfolio teams you will shape the offering. 
• You will lead business negotiations with customers until contract signature covering IP model, legal aspects, export control and financials. You will further grow the business with key strategic accounts leveraging the regional presence of imec Partnership Account Managers. 
• You stay in contact with the customer monitoring customer satisfaction, and you clearly communicate current and future customer needs to internal stakeholder at imec 
• You represent imec at external trade shows and exhibitions. 
• You report to the Business Line Director for this business sector. 

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth.

In this role you stay informed of the very latest chip and system technologies, and you interact with chip makers across the globe, from world leaders to start-ups across the globe. 

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits. 

Who you are

We are looking for a highly motivated person with the following assets: 

• You have a Master’s degree (preferably in electronics or physics) with strong business acumen and customer orientation. 
• You have experience in the aerospace and defence industry as well as in semiconductor technologies or semiconductor systems. 
• Ability and willingness to obtain Security Clearance (National, EU, NATO) – a mandatory requirement for this role. 
• You have experience in sales and/or business development in markets making use of semiconductor technologies, semiconductor systems and design methodologies. Understanding of business development for R&D and product collaborations is an asset.  
• You have an understanding of business models and intellectual property licensing.  
• You have experience in discussing with technical leaders of companies and negotiating business terms in contracts. 
• You love to keep yourself abreast of the latest evolution of these techniques and technologies.  
• You are a strong communicator, very customer-oriented and diplomatic.  
• You can extend your internal and external networks and can talk and confer on technical, legal and business-related matters. A relevant network is a plus.  
• You can adequately judge problem situations and opportunities, recognize priorities and act accordingly in a flexible manner.  
• You are a team player, working closely with the technical teams, legal and intellectual property team and the regional partnership teams, but also you are able to pass on opportunities to colleague business development managers. 
• You enjoy regular traveling to wherever business opportunities arise (approx. 10 to 20% of your time) 
• You are very fluent in English, both verbal and in writing; Dutch and/or French are the preferred additional languages.