Director of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships

About Valstad Valstad is rebuilding how ships are made. American shipbuilding is constrained by slow, labor-intensive production methods and a shortage of skilled manufacturing capacity. We are developing robotic production systems that can turn engineering data directly into finished steel structures, dramatically reducing the time and manual programming required to build ships. Our first platform combines industrial robots, automated material handling, welding, sensing and AI-driven manufacturing software to produce large ship panels and structural assemblies. Instead of programming each new structure by hand, our goal is for the system to understand the CAD model, determine how the structure should be assembled and welded, and generate the robotic plan required to build it. We are beginning by manufacturing structures for customers from our Austin facility. Over time, we expect to expand production capacity, introduce additional structural products and deploy Valstad technology into partner shipyards and manufacturing facilities. Our broader mission is to create the manufacturing technology required to restore and radically expand American shipbuilding capacity. The Role Valstad is seeking a Director of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships to build the commercial relationships that turn our technology into scaled production programs. You will work directly with shipyards, vessel owners, naval architects, defense companies, autonomous-vessel developers, prime contractors, government stakeholders and other industrial partners. You will identify where Valstad can create immediate operational value, structure initial engagements, guide opportunities through technical and commercial evaluation, and convert successful projects into repeat production relationships. This is not a conventional software-sales role. Valstad sells physical manufacturing capacity, advanced production capability and, over time, robotic manufacturing systems. Opportunities may involve customer-supplied steel, engineering data, qualification requirements, production schedules, freight constraints, inspection standards, facility integration and complex commercial relationships. You will need to understand how customers build ships, where production is constrained, which structures are appropriate for Valstad’s process, and how a partnership can be structured to improve schedule, capacity, labor productivity or program risk. The ideal candidate combines commercial judgment with enough technical and manufacturing fluency to earn credibility with shipyard executives, program managers, engineers and production leaders. You should be comfortable originating relationships, developing opportunities from ambiguity, coordinating technical evaluations, negotiating agreements and staying involved until the promised outcome has been delivered. What You Will Own Market and Account Development Develop and execute Valstad’s business-development strategy across commercial shipbuilding, defense shipbuilding, autonomous vessels and adjacent maritime markets. Identify the shipyards, vessel programs, customers and strategic partners where Valstad can create the greatest near-term value. Build relationships with senior executives, program managers, engineering leaders, production leaders, supply-chain teams and government stakeholders. Develop account plans for priority shipyards, vessel owners, defense primes and emerging maritime companies. Originate new opportunities through direct outreach, industry relationships, customer referrals, events and targeted market development. Build a qualified pipeline based on actual production requirements, customer urgency, technical fit and likelihood of award. Maintain a clear understanding of relevant vessel programs, production schedules, backlog, capacity constraints and sourcing decisions. Identify opportunities before they become formal solicitations. Develop relationships early enough to shape technical requirements, sourcing strategies and commercial structures. Determine where Valstad should act as a supplier, manufacturing partner, technology provider, subcontractor or strategic collaborator. Avoid spending company resources on opportunities that lack urgency, funding, technical fit or a credible path to award. Customer Discovery and Opportunity Qualification Conduct detailed discovery with customer leadership, engineering, production, quality and procurement teams. Understand the customer’s current manufacturing process and identify the actual source of schedule, labor, throughput or quality constraints. Identify candidate panels, assemblies, modules or other structures that fit Valstad’s production capabilities. Gather the information required for technical evaluation, including CAD models, drawings, material specifications, welding requirements, inspection criteria, delivery schedules and production quantities. Work with Valstad engineering and manufacturing teams to assess technical feasibility and production readiness. Distinguish between opportunities that can proceed using existing capabilities and those requiring new engineering, equipment, qualification or process development. Quantify the operational and economic value Valstad can provide. Develop business cases based on schedule improvement, capacity expansion, labor reduction, capital avoidance, throughput, cost and program-risk reduction. Understand customer decision processes, budgets, procurement pathways and internal stakeholders. Identify the commercial, technical and organizational conditions required to close each opportunity. Maintain clear qualification criteria and recommend when opportunities should be advanced, paused or declined. Deal Development and Commercial Structuring Own opportunities from initial engagement through agreement, award and expansion. Develop proposals, statements of work, pricing structures, partnership frameworks and executive presentations. Structure paid pilots that prove technical and operational value while creating a path to larger production commitments. Negotiate commercial terms in coordination with Valstad leadership and legal counsel. Develop deal structures that appropriately account for: Non-recurring engineering Tooling and fixture development Qualification and testing Customer-supplied versus Valstad-supplied material Production quantities and capacity commitments Delivery schedules Freight and logistics Inspection and acceptance Payment milestones Intellectual property Exclusivity Warranty and liability Establish deposits, progress payments and other commercial protections appropriate for an early-stage manufacturer. Structure initial programs so that successful execution naturally expands into repeat production. Develop long-term supply agreements, capacity reservations, framework agreements and strategic partnerships where appropriate. Coordinate closely with finance and operations to ensure proposed pricing and terms reflect actual delivery costs and risk. Maintain disciplined control over proposal assumptions and commitments. Ensure that Valstad does not make commercial promises that engineering or manufacturing cannot reliably deliver. Strategic Partnerships Develop partnerships with shipyards that want additional capacity without large upfront capital investments. Structure relationships that allow Valstad to complement existing shipyard labor and facilities rather than create unnecessary competitive tension. Identify partnerships involving: Outsourced panel and structural production Dedicated manufacturing capacity Customer-funded process development Joint qualification Technology deployment Local or regional production Government-supported modernization Teaming on vessel programs Build relationships with naval architects, design firms, classification organizations, defense primes and maritime suppliers that can increase Valstad’s access to programs. Develop relationships with steel suppliers, equipment providers, logistics companies and other organizations that strengthen Valstad’s ability to deliver. Identify government, state, regional and industry programs that could support customer adoption or manufacturing expansion. Lead early discussions regarding deployment of Valstad robotic cells into partner facilities. Develop partnership models that align incentives and protect Valstad’s technology, economics and strategic position. Ensure strategic agreements produce concrete operational or commercial value rather than becoming inactive memoranda of understanding. Defense and Government Opportunities Develop Valstad’s pipeline across defense shipbuilding, unmanned maritime systems and other national-security applications. Build relationships with defense shipyards, prime contractors, program offices, research organizations and relevant government stakeholders. Identify opportunities through prime contractors, shipyard partners, subcontracting relationships and direct government engagement. Support capture planning for funded defense opportunities. Understand applicable acquisition pathways, contracting structures and budget cycles. Coordinate responses to requests for information, requests for proposals, white papers and other government or prime-contractor solicitations. Work with internal and external experts on proposal development, pricing, compliance and contracting. Help identify and pursue opportunities involving SBIR, STTR, OTA, research, industrial-base or manufacturing-modernization funding. Maintain awareness of qualification, cybersecurity, export-control, quality and contracting requirements that may affect an opportunity. Separate genuine funded demand from general expressions of government interest. Build a credible path from demonstration or research funding to production revenue. Commercial Shipbuilding and Maritime Markets Develop relationships with inland, commercial and specialty shipbuilders. Identify opportunities in barges, workboats, ferries, offshore vessels, autonomous vessels and other steel maritime structures. Understand customer requirements for cost, delivery, inspection, classification and production flexibility. Position Valstad as a source of flexible manufacturing capacity for yards experiencing backlog, labor constraints or schedule pressure. Develop repeatable offerings for common structural products and customer segments. Identify opportunities where Valstad can produce structures faster or more economically than conventional internal production. Build partnerships with vessel owners and developers that influence sourcing decisions. Help customers understand how design choices and data quality affect robotic manufacturability. Convert successful first articles into recurring production work. Pipeline Management and Forecasting Build and maintain a disciplined CRM process. Track accounts, opportunities, stakeholders, technical requirements, next actions, risks, estimated value and expected timing. Define clear opportunity stages and exit criteria. Maintain realistic forecasts based on customer evidence rather than optimism. Conduct regular pipeline reviews with company leadership. Identify the specific action required to advance each priority opportunity. Track leading indicators such as: Qualified customer meetings Technical-data packages received Feasibility assessments completed Paid pilots proposed Proposals submitted Commercial terms agreed Awards received Pilot-to-production conversion Repeat bookings Develop bookings, revenue and capacity forecasts with finance and operations. Ensure the commercial pipeline can be translated into credible production and hiring plans. Build systems that can support a larger business-development and capture organization over time. Customer and Internal Leadership Serve as a senior commercial representative of Valstad. Communicate Valstad’s technical capabilities clearly without exaggerating maturity or performance. Translate customer needs into actionable internal requirements. Bring engineering and manufacturing leaders into customer discussions at the right time. Prepare internal teams before customer meetings and document decisions afterward. Maintain a clear record of customer commitments, assumptions and unresolved questions. Coordinate executive briefings, facility tours, demonstrations and production reviews. Communicate setbacks, delivery risks and technical limitations directly and professionally. Develop trusted relationships that survive inevitable challenges during new-product introduction. Help the company develop positioning, sales materials, case studies and customer references. Provide structured voice-of-customer input to company strategy, product development and manufacturing priorities. Represent Valstad at relevant industry events, conferences and customer locations. Initial Priorities First 30 Days Develop a working understanding of Valstad’s technology, production process, cost structure and current capabilities. Learn which structures can be produced today and which require additional development. Review the current customer pipeline, active discussions, proposals and strategic relationships. Meet current customers, prospects and important industry partners. Develop a clear account map for priority commercial and defense opportunities. Implement a consistent CRM structure and opportunity-qualification process. Identify the ten highest-priority accounts and the next action required for each. Begin taking ownership of customer follow-up and commercial coordination. Build a factual view of where near-term revenue is most likely to come from. First 90 Days Establish a qualified pipeline with clear technical fit, customer urgency, value and award path. Advance several priority accounts into technical evaluation, proposal or paid-pilot discussions. Develop standardized materials for customer discovery, technical-data requests, feasibility assessment and proposal development. Establish repeatable pricing and commercial frameworks with finance and operations. Create account strategies for Valstad’s most important shipyard and maritime relationships. Develop a systematic process for converting facility visits and technical discussions into defined next steps. Improve visibility into expected bookings, production timing and customer dependencies. Identify the partnerships most likely to accelerate qualification, customer access or production scale. Build a clear strategy for commercial shipbuilding, defense and autonomous-vessel markets. First Six Months Secure paid production, pilot or development agreements with strategically important customers. Convert at least one initial engagement into a credible repeat-production pathway. Establish strong relationships with multiple shipyards, vessel developers or defense partners. Build a pipeline large and mature enough to support Valstad’s production and growth plans. Create repeatable commercial structures for pilot projects, production work and strategic partnerships. Reduce the amount of CEO time required for routine opportunity management while using the CEO effectively in high-value relationships. Develop customer references, case studies and evidence that improve future sales. Establish a disciplined commercial operating cadence that can support additional business-development or capture hires. First Twelve Months Produce material contracted revenue from a diversified group of customers. Establish Valstad as a credible production and technology partner within the maritime industrial base. Convert successful projects into multi-vessel, multi-year or repeat-production relationships. Develop partnerships that expand Valstad’s market access, capacity or technical credibility. Build a forecastable commercial pipeline rather than relying on isolated founder-led opportunities. Help define the next business-development, capture and account-management roles required as the company grows. Required Experience Seven or more years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, sales, capture, program development or a related commercial role. Demonstrated success developing and closing complex business-to-business or government opportunities. Experience selling or partnering around physical products, manufacturing capacity, engineering services, industrial technology or complex systems. Experience managing opportunities with long sales cycles and multiple technical, operational and commercial stakeholders. Ability to conduct detailed customer discovery and identify the actual source of business value. Ability to translate technical capabilities into clear operational and economic outcomes. Experience developing proposals, commercial structures and negotiated agreements. Strong executive communication and relationship-building skills. Strong written communication and presentation ability. Demonstrated judgment about where to invest limited company resources. Experience maintaining a disciplined pipeline, CRM and forecast. Ability to work closely with engineers and manufacturing personnel. Willingness to travel regularly to customer sites, shipyards, industry events and partner facilities. Ability to work primarily on-site in Austin when not traveling. Strongly Preferred Experience in shipbuilding, maritime, marine construction or naval programs. Existing relationships with commercial or defense shipyards. Experience selling into manufacturing, heavy industry, aerospace, defense or other complex physical-product environments. Experience working with vessel owners, naval architects, prime contractors or government program offices. Experience selling fabricated structures, contract manufacturing, industrial automation or production capacity. Experience developing partnerships between technology companies and established industrial operators. Experience with Department of Defense acquisition, capture or contracting. Experience with FAR-based contracts, OTAs, SBIR/STTR or other government pathways. Experience building opportunities before a formal solicitation is issued. Experience negotiating teaming agreements, pilot agreements, long-term supply agreements or strategic partnerships. Experience at an early-stage industrial, robotics or defense-technology company. Experience converting technical demonstrations into production contracts. Experience developing new markets where the customer buying process is not yet standardized. Additional Differentiators Technical or engineering background. Experience in shipyard production, industrial engineering, manufacturing operations or program management. Experience working inside a shipyard, prime contractor or maritime supplier. Familiarity with structural steel fabrication, welding, modular construction or industrial robotics. Familiarity with Navy shipbuilding, commercial-vessel construction or unmanned maritime systems. Understanding of manufacturing economics, capacity planning and capital-equipment decisions. Experience developing government-funded manufacturing or industrial-base programs. Experience with defense quality, cybersecurity, export-control or qualification requirements. Existing relationships across Gulf Coast, East Coast or inland shipbuilding markets. Experience building and managing a business-development, capture or partnerships team. A long-standing maritime network is valuable, but it is not sufficient on its own. We are looking for someone who can combine relationships with disciplined qualification, commercial judgment and personal ownership of the work required to close and deliver an opportunity. What We Look For The strongest candidates will have evidence that they can: Create opportunities rather than merely respond to inbound interest. Earn trust with technical and operational customers. Distinguish a real buying process from a promising conversation. Develop a business case grounded in the customer’s actual operations. Structure a small initial engagement that creates a path to scale. Stay personally involved through technical evaluation, contracting and delivery. Communicate limitations honestly without losing commercial momentum. Build repeatable systems rather than relying entirely on personal relationships. Operate effectively without a large sales-support organization. Work collaboratively with founders, engineers and manufacturing leaders. This role requires persistence and patience, but not passive relationship management. The successful candidate will consistently turn conversations into decisions, decisions into agreements and agreements into successful production work. What Success Looks Like Success means Valstad has a focused, qualified and increasingly forecastable commercial pipeline. Valstad’s engineering and manufacturing teams receive opportunities with clear customer requirements, credible budgets, appropriate technical data and defined decision processes. The company spends its time on customers and programs where it can create meaningful value. Initial projects are structured to protect Valstad economically while proving capability quickly. Successful pilots become repeat orders, broader production programs or long-term partnerships. Customers understand what Valstad can deliver today, what will require development and how the relationship could expand over time. Internal teams understand what has been promised and why the opportunity matters. The CEO remains involved in the highest-value relationships, but no longer needs to personally manage every follow-up, proposal and commercial workstream. Most importantly, Valstad develops durable partnerships that accelerate revenue, production scale and the adoption of robotic manufacturing across American shipbuilding. Compensation and Benefits The anticipated base-salary range for this position is $150,000 to $185,000 , depending on experience, relationships, track record and anticipated scope. The position will also include performance-based incentive compensation. The anticipated target incentive is approximately 25% to 35% of base salary , tied to a combination of bookings, strategic milestones, quality of revenue and successful conversion of opportunities into deliverable programs. The role also includes: Meaningful early-stage equity ownership Medical, dental and vision benefits Paid time off Relocation assistance where appropriate Travel reimbursement The opportunity to build the commercial foundation of a company working to transform American shipbuilding Valstad is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate candidates based on their ability, experience and potential to contribute to the company’s mission.