Capture Team Lead – Poland (X-BAT Programme)

Shield AI
Warsaw, Poland
Hybrid

Who this role is best for

Geared toward defense sales professionals with technical depth, comfortable with shaping customer requirements and leading full business development campaigns.

Best fit for

  • Defense sales veterans with experience in air platforms and autonomy who can lead high-profile capture campaigns.
    — “10+ years in a relevant air force or industry occupation”
  • Candidates who have successfully closed defense programs or tech insertions with Polish defense stakeholders.
    — “Strong track record of capturing and closing defense programs or tech insertions with Polish defence.”
  • Individuals with a strategic mindset and ability to influence future CONOPS and acquisition frameworks.
    — “Shape, and capture our X Bat campaign across Poland’s next-gen airpower program for X-Bat and autonomy.”

Things to consider

  • This role requires a high level of engagement with senior military and government stakeholders.
    — “Engaging directly with top-tier defense stakeholders—military customers, industry primes, and government decision-makers.”
  • The candidate must be familiar with Poland’s specific acquisition pathways and processes.
    — “Familiarity with key Polish acquisition pathways.”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in influencing customer requirements and aligning them with product offerings.
    — “Influence customer requirements and future CCA CONOPS to align with Shield AI’s product offerings.”
  • Demonstrate a history of leading end-to-end capture processes for complex defense programs.
    — “Own the entire capture lifecycle from identifying new opportunities to closing complex deals.”
  • Emphasize your ability to represent technically complex products to both strategic and operational audiences.
    — “Ability to credibly represent technically complex products to both strategic and operational-level audiences.”
  • Showcase your capability to coordinate cross-functionally with engineering, product, legal, and program teams.
    — “Coordinate Cross-Functionally: Collaborate closely with engineering, product, legal, and program teams.”
  • Demonstrate your experience in next-gen air combat trends like MUM-T and AI-enabled CONOPS.
    — “Understanding of next-gen air combat trends, including CCAs, MUM-T, and AI-enabled CONOPS.”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • capturing and closing defense programs
  • shaping requirements and CONOPS
  • leading regional flight demos
Typical background
10+ years in air force or industry5+ years in defense acquisition, business development, sales, or strategy

Skills & requirements

Required

Defense Sales ExpertiseTechnical CredibilityDefense AcquisitionBusiness DevelopmentSalesStrategyAir Domain ConopsAcquisition Frameworks

Preferred

Next-gen Air Combat TrendsCCAMum-tAi-enabled ConopsPolish Acquisition Pathways

Stack & domain

Defense Sales ExpertiseTechnical CredibilityAir Domain ConopsAcquisition FrameworksCustomer EngagementProposal WritingNegotiationContract AwardTechnical SolutionsDelivery RequirementsLeadershipCommunicationStrategic ThinkingTeam CollaborationProblem-solvingInfluenceStakeholder ManagementAerospaceDefenseAutonomyAir Combat SolutionsX-batPolish Defense

About the role

Original posting from Shield AI via Lever

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-BAT aircraft, 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. 

At Shield AI, we’re redefining the battlespace with autonomy-enabled airpower. As part of our global expansion, we’re looking for a bold and visionary Capture Team Lead, Poland to lead an active and high profile campaign.

This will involve customer engagement and senior military, industry and government levels, while directing our  capture efforts for our X-Bat and Autonomy initiatives across Poland. This is a high-impact role at the cutting edge of aerospace and defense innovation. You’ll be on the front lines, driving adoption and revenue for Shield AI’s technologies by engaging directly with top-tier defense stakeholders—military customers, industry primes, and government decision-makers. Your mission: position Shield AI as the go-to partner for next-generation air combat solutions in Poland closing an active campaign.

You’ll bring a rare mix of defense sales expertise, technical credibility, and a deep understanding of air domain CONOPS and acquisition frameworks. From identifying new opportunities to closing complex deals and launching follow on programs, you’ll own the entire capture lifecycle.

What you'll do::

  • Drive Strategic Capture: Shape, and capture our X Bat campaign across Poland’s next-gen airpower program for X-Bat and autonomy.
  • Own our Polish Strategic Campaign: Lead the full business development lifecycle for X-Bat, from customer engagement through proposal, negotiation, and contract award.
  • Engage Key Stakeholders: Build and maintain trusted relationships with all key Poland stakeholders, partners and influencers.
  • Shape Requirements & CONOPS: Influence customer requirements and future CCA CONOPS to align with Shield AI’s product offerings.
  • Support Demonstrations & Campaigns: Lead Shield AI’s positioning and participation in regional flight demos, technical trials, and program pilots.
  • Coordinate Cross-Functionally: Collaborate closely with engineering, product, legal, and program teams to align technical solutions with customer needs and delivery requirements.

Required qualifications::

  • 10+ years in a relevant air force or industry occupation, bringing significant depth of understanding of relevant CONOPs and platform applications and program delivery.
  • 5+  years of experience in defense acquisition, business development, sales, or strategy, ideally with a focus on air platforms or autonomy.
  • Strong track record of capturing and closing defense programs or tech insertions with Polish defence.
  • Understanding of next-gen air combat trends, including CCAs, MUM-T, and AI-enabled CONOPS.
  • Ability to credibly represent technically complex products to both strategic and operational-level audiences.
  • Familiarity with key Polish acquisition pathways.

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.

Source: Shield AI careers (Lever)

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