Business Development Manager

URBAN SKY

 | REMOTE

About Urban Sky:

Urban Sky is a Seed-stage, venture-backed aerospace startup pioneering utilization of the stratosphere for remote sensing applications. We collect Earth Observation data and produce aerial maps and geospatial products that will fuel and enhance our understanding of planet Earth.

Urban Sky is building a capability to offer the highest resolution, most frequently updated, lowest cost aerial imagery available on the market, which will unlock new, unprecedented use-cases for remote sensing data. The data we collect supports applications ranging from real-time wildfire monitoring and disaster response to urban mapping and analysis related to how our cities and the environment grow and change over time.

To enable this future, Urban Sky has developed the first ever precisely placeable stratospheric balloon, a new category of aerial vehicle we call the “Microballoon.” This vehicle (and the custom sensors it carries) are designed, built, and entirely operated by Urban Sky. Targeted remote sensing from the stratosphere has been virtually impossible until now, and the Microballoon will unlock the full value of the Stratosphere for commercial remote sensing applications. The vehicle can be deployed from virtually anywhere within minutes and can map large portions of the Earth in significantly higher resolution than satellites at costs far lower than remote sensing aircraft. The Microballoon is a zero-emission vehicle, making it not only the lowest cost method to collect remote sensing data, but also the most sustainable. It’s also the first ever fully reusable stratospheric balloon, a leap in innovation that allows Urban Sky to deliver significant customer value by reducing the cost of broad-area data collection.

We’re looking to build the next chapter of stratospheric history right here in Denver and are looking for self-starting, open-minded, hard-working team members who are ready to take on larger than life problems with an immense potential to positively impact the world.

About the Role:

As a seed-stage, deep-tech startup, Urban Sky is still largely pre-product-market-fit. The company has commercial traction and momentum within several vertical markets, with tangible revenue coming from a variety of early adopters, commercial strategic partners, and federal and state contracts. As Business Development Manager, you will work directly with Urban Sky's CEO to establish and implement the general strategy for Urban Sky’s business development function.

This role will report directly to Urban Sky’s CEO and support all commercial efforts, both strategic and transactional. This person will be responsible for shaping and helping to deliver several commercial milestones prior to the company’s Series A investment round. This person will be critical in supporting the CEO to develop a broad-encompassing commercial strategy to achieve product-market-fit and exponentially drive customer and shareholder value (we intend to become a billion-dollar+ space-tech company!) This is a very hands-on role (i.e. the commercial team will consist of just the CEO and this person for the next 18+ months,) and this person will be expected to have a strong strategic mind with an exceptional ability and desire to execute.

Key Responsibilities:

• Overall business strategy: Support Urban Sky’s management team in the development of the overall commercial strategy. Assist the CEO in identifying new business opportunities, refining business strategies and solving difficult business problems including business case development and business model analysis.
• Commercial KPI Ownership: Responsible for contributing to and managing several commercial KPIs, including bookings, top-line revenue, in-bound lead generation, and funnel velocity.
• Market Needs Assessment: Support Urban Sky’s ongoing, broad-vertical-market needs assessment exercise intended to objectively prioritize geospatial and imagery customer requirements across several industries (including Environmental Monitoring, Utility Monitoring, InsurTech, Civil Government, and others). The results of this exercise will directly influence Urban Sky’s strategic product and R&D roadmap.
• Partnership & Customer Development: Identify, analyze and prioritize strategic partnership, major account, and channel partnership opportunities. Initiate discussions and evangelize Urban Sky’s value proposition with target partners. Maintain consistent visibility with new and existing prospects and strategic customers.
• Sales Enablement: Support the execution of a regional sales exercise in 2022 to generate revenue in a sample market prior to Urban Sky’s Series A fundraise. Negotiate business terms and the design and execution of partnership initiatives that drive early-stage, scalable revenue opportunities.
• Federal/State Contract Sourcing: Keep a pulse on federal and/or state contracting opportunities (SBIRs, STTRs, etc.) that align with Urban Sky’s R&D roadmap and near-term goals.
• Industry Advocacy: Source, organize, and participate in various industry presentations, conferences, conventions, etc., with the goal of establishing Urban Sky as a market leader in the aerial imagery/geospatial industry to further enhance our Business Development efforts. Identify and propose various content leadership opportunities to support overall market education.

Requirements:

Successful candidates will demonstrate strong analytical and strategic skills, coupled with a broad understanding of the remote sensing or geospatial market. Candidates will be expected to solve highly unstructured business problems, and be a self-starter with high levels of energy and drive. Specific attributes should include:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or technology, MBA a plus
• Demonstrated experience (2-4+ years) developing and executing on commercial strategies
• Clear and confident communicator who is at ease with sales and business development processes (including on-site customer visits, RFP responses, etc.)
• Experience with the sales funnel process from lead generation through to close
• Experience with CRMs (Pipedrive, Salesforce, etc.)
• Technical proficiency and excitement (i.e. a willingness to understand deep technical constraints and effectively communicate a clear, simple value proposition to customers)
• A willingness to work within a small, fast-paced, high-growth environment
• A strategic thinker/problem-solver with a knack for execution and a willingness to stay humble and get your hands dirty
• Occasional travel and conference attendance (less than 20%)
• Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly MS Excel modeling and PowerPoint

Nice-to-Haves:

• Geospatial product/industry experience (i.e. a thorough understanding of various GIS products, customer needs, market trends, etc.)
• Demonstrated track-record of leading or directly contributing to strategic sales efforts
• Early-stage startup experience, directly related to driving product-market-fit
• Strategic Product Development or Sales Engineering experience
• Background in management consulting a plus

Benefits:

• Competitive equity compensation at an early-stage, high-growth, venture-backed startup
• Medical, Vision and Dental
• Unlimited Vacation
• Cell Phone Bill Stipend
• Commission and bonus structure

Urban Sky is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.