Director/Senior Director, Strategic Solutions - Industrial Defense and/or Ministry of Defense

About the role

The Director/Senior Director, Strategic Solutions - Industrial Defense and/or Ministry of Defense at C3 Ai is a strategic, quota-carrying position focused on the defence and national security ecosystem. The role requires an individual who can immediately leverage a deep network of relationships to open doors and accelerate complex sales cycles within a mission-critical environment. Success in this role is defined by the ability to discover and articulate high-value AI use cases that directly support mission readiness and operational effectiveness. The position demands fluency in translating intricate technical concepts into clear strategic narratives for senior defense leadership. The candidate will act as a trusted advisor, guiding defense customers through their digital transformation journeys using C3 Ai capabilities. This role involves owning the end-to-end sales cycle for strategic AI initiatives, partnering closely with product and engineering teams to shape solutions that address evolving defense challenges, and driving measurable outcomes in a fast-paced, high-performance environment.

Candidates should come from a defense-focused background, with prior experience selling into the military, Ministry of Defence, and/or law enforcement being essential. Military professionals and individuals with deep domain understanding of national security missions are strongly encouraged to apply. The role targets organizations within the defence sector to develop high-value AI use cases and AI application roadmaps, helping defence customers achieve their digital transformation objectives by identifying opportunities where C3 Ai technology can deliver mission impact.

What you'll do

• Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy to drive revenue growth within the defence sector, targeting key individuals within defence organisations and departments.
• Identify and prioritise key accounts, cultivating relationships with senior-level decision-makers, program managers, and influencers within defence organisations.
• Understand the unique challenges, requirements, and procurement processes of the defence sector, and tailor sales approaches and solutions accordingly.
• Engage in strategic relationships with defence customers to assure the realisation of their digital transformation goals.
• Develop, maintain, and manage the implementation of strategic defence customer engagement plans.
• Manage efforts to research and identify customer prospects and targets within defence organisations.
• Collaborate with sales, engineering, products, and marketing teams to develop new product offerings within existing and new lines of business.
• Represent C3 Ai by driving business development with company alliance partners.
• Personally engage in strategic account selling, business development, and ongoing customer success.
• Travel to customer sites up to 50% of the time (or more) depending on business needs.
• Champion the articulation of complex mission, operations, business, and technology issues to diverse stakeholders with clarity.
• Thrive in a fast-paced, high-performance, highly collaborative environment.
• Demonstrate an ability to execute precisely and quickly under demanding timelines.
• Leverage technical fluency in AI, machine learning, operations research, physics, math, engineering, data integration, or computer science to address defence-specific use cases.

Requirements

• Proven track record of success in sales with a focus on selling SaaS solutions to the defence sector.
• Deep understanding of the defence industry landscape, procurement processes, and acquisition programmes.
• Extensive knowledge of AI technology, data analytics, and their applications within the defense sector.
• Demonstrated experience in building and nurturing relationships with senior-level decision-makers and influencers within defence organisations.
• Degree in engineering, science, computer science, or related technical field of study. Master's or MBA degree preferred.
• Experience with and understanding of AI and Machine Learning is highly favorable.
• Exemplary written and oral communication skills to convey complex concepts with clarity and confidence.
• Ability to understand complex issues at the intersection of mission, operations, business, and technology, and communicate that complexity with clarity.
• Capacity to manage multiple strategic initiatives simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and exercising judgment when handling sensitive defence-related information.

Nice to have

• Prior military or Ministry of Defence sales experience.
• Direct experience working with national security missions or defence-related digital transformation programs.
• Familiarity with alliance partner ecosystems and business development within strategic partnership frameworks.

Practical notes

Travel to customer sites may be required up to 50% of the time or more depending on business needs. This role is subject to the standard terms and conditions outlined in the source engagement documentation.