Job Description
KEY JOB DETAILS:
- Position Title: BD Manager – New Markets (Army & DRDO Lead)
- Location: Gurgaon (5 days Work from Office)
- Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Electronics / Electrical /Aerospace preferred) ; MBA (Marketing / Strategy / Operations) preferred
- Industry: R&D and Manufacturing of state-of-the-art avionics-grade, defense-grade, and railway-grade equipment.
About Samtel
Samtel Avionics, a group company of the 50-year-old Samtel Group is an Indian high-technology company developing advanced mission-critical systems for aerospace, defence and strategic sectors. With deep expertise in avionics, rugged electronics and indigenous design, the company plays a key role in strengthening India’s self-reliance in critical technologies. Samtel operates across the entire value chain from design, development and engineering to manufacturing, testing, qualification, repair & maintenance, upgrades, and obsolescence management. Its core capabilities include avionics displays and mission computers, optronics, rugged displays and electronics for airborne, land and naval platforms, automated test equipment, and engineering services. Samtel’s systems support several Indian Armed Forces platforms through close collaborations with India’s defence ecosystem.
Building on decades of expertise in avionics and ruggedized electronics, the company is expanding into emerging domains including satellite technologies, defence ISR systems, unmanned aerial systems, loitering munitions, and advanced drone platforms, while also contributing to high-technology solutions for rail and other strategic sectors. Through indigenous innovation and strategic partnerships, Samtel continues to support India’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India.
Role Overview
The BD Manager – Army & DRDO Lead is responsible for developing and expanding business opportunities across the:
- Indian Army ecosystem
- Defence Research and Development Organisation labs and associated defence development agencies
The role focuses on:
- Market development
- Opportunity identification
- Early positioning
- Strategic engagement
- Business conversion
Particularly in:
- Land systems
- Vetronics
- Rugged displays
- Defence electronics
- Indigenous development programs
This is a front-end business development role requiring:
- Strong ecosystem understanding
- Technical-commercial engagement capability
- Strategic relationship building
- Long-term opportunity development
Key Responsibilities
A. Market Development & Growth Strategy
Develop and execute structured business development strategy for:
- Indian Army modernization programs
- DRDO-driven indigenous development programs
- Armoured vehicle and vetronics opportunities
- Rugged display and defence electronics applications
Identify high-potential areas including: Combat vehicle displays
- Vetronics systems
- Rugged mission computers
- Human-machine interfaces
- Situational awareness systems
B. Customer & Ecosystem Engagement
Build and manage relationships with: Indian Army stakeholders
- DRDO labs and program teams
- Defence development agencies
- Program offices and user groups
Engage with:
- Program Directors
- Technical teams
- Procurement stakeholders
- Integration agencies
Position Samtel as a trusted subsystem and display solutions partner
C. Opportunity Identification & Pipeline Development
Identify and track:
- New Army programs
- Upgrade and retrofit opportunities
- DRDO indigenous development initiatives
- Future land-system opportunities
Maintain structured opportunity pipeline including:
- Opportunity stage
- Customer
- Estimated value
- Probability
- Closure timeline
Ensure early engagement during:
- Concept stage
- Design stage
- Prototype stage
D. Technical Engagement & Solution Positioning
Participate in technical discussions with Army, DRDO, and development agencies
Work closely with internal engineering teams to:
- Understand operational requirements
- Position suitable solutions
- Align customer needs with Samtel capabilities
Translate field/customer requirements into internal technical inputs
E. Proposal & Bid Support
Collaborate with Proposal Manager (Techno-Commercial) to:
- Define solution scope
- Support bid strategy
- Align compliance requirements
Provide customer insights and inputs for:
- Technical compliance
- Commercial positioning
- Pursuit strategy
Drive proposal follow-ups and customer clarifications
F. Competitive Intelligence & Pursuit Management
Conduct detailed SWOT analysis of competitors for key opportunities and programs
Gather and analyze:
- Competitor participation
- Historical bid trends
- Commercial benchmarks
- Program intelligence
Develop win strategies based on competitive positioning
Participate in pursuit teams and internal gate reviews
Present:
- Business case
- Opportunity potential
- Strategic importance
During internal reviews and Go / No-Go discussions
G. Opportunity Conversion & Order Finalization
Lead customer engagement during:
- Negotiations
- Commercial discussions
- Technical-commercial alignment
Support closure of opportunities into firm orders
Ensure smooth coordination during transition from proposal stage to execution phase
H. Strategic Ecosystem Development
Build long-term engagement within:
- Army ecosystem
- DRDO labs
- Development agencies
- Technology ecosystem
Support strategic collaborations and co-development opportunities
Position Samtel for future indigenous and strategic defence programs
Internal Coordination
- Act as the bridge between:
- Customer ecosystem
- Engineering teams
- Proposal team
- Leadership
- Ensure alignment during:
- Opportunity shaping
- Proposal preparation
- Technical positioning
Key Deliverables
- Entry into new Army and DRDO programs
- Strong pipeline of land-system opportunities
- Early visibility into future programs
- Strategic positioning in indigenous development ecosystem
- Growth in revenue from Army / DRDO segments
- Successful conversion of opportunities into orders
- Establishment of strong ecosystem relationships
Required Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Electronics / Electrical / Aerospace preferred) ; MBA (Marketing / Strategy / Operations) preferred
- 8–10 years of experience in:
- Defence / aerospace sector
- Business development
- Program interfacing
- Experience in:
- Land systems
- Armoured platforms
- Vetronics
- Defence electronics preferred
- Prior exposure to DRDO ecosystem preferred
Key Skills & Competencies
Market Development Skills
- Ability to build new business ecosystems
- Strategic opportunity identification
- Pipeline creation and management
Technical Understanding
- Understanding of:
- Defence electronics
- Rugged displays
- Vetronics
- Human-machine interfaces
- Ability to engage in technical discussions with customers
Relationship Management
- Strong networking capability
- Ability to build trust with:
- Army stakeholders
- DRDO teams
- Defence ecosystem partners
Business & Commercial Acumen
- Understanding of:
- Proposal processes
- Pursuit strategy
- Commercial positioning
- Ability to support business case development
Execution & Ownership
- High ownership mindset
- Strong follow-up capability
- Ability to work in evolving and ambiguous environments
Communication
- Clear and structured communication
- Ability to represent organization professionally across defence ecosystem
Success Profile
A successful Army & DRDO Lead will:
- Create new business opportunities within Army and DRDO ecosystem
- Gain early access to future indigenous programs
- Build strong relationships across land-system ecosystem
- Position Samtel in strategic modernization and indigenous development initiatives
- Drive strong pipeline growth and opportunity conversion
- Establish Samtel as a credible and preferred subsystem/display partner in land systems and defence electronics domain
Key Behavioural Attributes
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work seamlessly in cross-functional teams
- Curiosity and eagerness to explore new technologies
Why apply:
If you are looking for a role that combines technical ability and research thinking capacity within a cutting-edge, growing Global tech business, then this could be the role for you. If you meet the requirements above, then we’d love to hear from you.
Send your CV at hr@samtelgroup.com