Defence Sales Manager APAC

About Alta Ares

Alta Ares is a deeptech startup founded in 2024, building real-time AI for defense operations - ISR, C-UAS, and autonomous systems. Our clients are NATO-aligned militaries and defence institutions, with regular deployments during live exercises and operational demonstrations. We raised €2M seed in May 2025, 50M in June 2026, and are expanding fast.

Our product suite includes:

Real-time AI ISR module deployable on drones and tactical platforms

Counter-UAS solution enabling autonomous drone takeover in GNSS-denied environments

Full-stack MLOps platform for training & deploying military-grade AI models

Data fusion and trajectory prediction

Role & Mission

As Defence Sales Manager APAC, you will own Alta Ares' commercial development across the entire Asia-Pacific region - one of the most dynamic and fast-evolving defence procurement theatres in the world. Based in Singapore, you will build the pipeline from scratch across Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia, positioning Alta Ares as the AI-enabled defence partner of choice for APAC armed forces and their industrial ecosystems.

The Indo-Pacific security environment is reshaping defence procurement at an unprecedented pace - AUKUS, Japan's historic rearmament, South Korea's defence export surge, and Southeast Asia's rapid capability build-up all represent concrete near-term opportunities for Alta Ares' ISR, C-UAS, and autonomy stack. You will be the person on the ground, opening doors and converting relationships into contracts.

This is a builder role with broad geographic scope and high ownership. You will operate with significant autonomy, reporting directly to Paris leadership, and will define how Alta Ares shows up across the world's most strategically consequential region.

1. Defence Sales & Pipeline Development

Own and drive the full APAC sales pipeline across priority markets: Japan (MOD / ATLA / SDF), South Korea (DAPA / ROK Armed Forces), Australia (Defence / CASG / ADF), New Zealand (NZDF), Singapore (MINDEF / SAF), and broader Southeast Asia

Lead qualification, opportunity shaping, proposal development, and contract negotiations across ISR, C-UAS, autonomy, and AI programmes

Identify and pursue relevant procurement vehicles across each market: AUKUS Pillar II opportunities, Japan's counter-drone programmes, South Korea's defence AI initiatives, and Singapore's C-UAS requirements

Convert demonstrations, pilot engagements, and proof-of-concept deployments into scalable, long-term contracts

Maintain accurate pipeline forecasting and deal tracking, reported regularly to the Head of Sales and top management

2. Institutional & Partner Relations

Build and maintain trusted, senior-level relationships with military end-users, procurement officials, and MOD programme managers across APAC

Engage with regional defence primes and industrial partners as teaming and channel partners: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hanwha Defence, BAE Systems Australia, ST Engineering, and equivalent

Navigate the specific procurement culture of each APAC market - understanding bilateral cooperation frameworks, foreign vendor access rules, and local industrial partnership requirements

Represent Alta Ares at key regional defence events: IMDEX Asia, Indo Pacific, DSEI Japan, Seoul ADEX, Avalon Airshow, and bilateral exercises

3. Market Intelligence & Strategy

Map APAC defence markets across all priority countries: procurement budgets, capability gaps, C-UAS and ISR priorities, threat environments, and competitive landscape

Track regional security dynamics and their procurement implications: Taiwan Strait tensions, North Korean drone proliferation, South China Sea, and Indo-Pacific alliance frameworks (AUKUS, Quad, Five Eyes)

Monitor bilateral defence cooperation frameworks between France, EU, and APAC nations relevant to Alta Ares' market access

Provide regular market intelligence and strategic recommendations to the Paris leadership team

Support export compliance across multiple jurisdictions: French AECA, Australian export controls, Japanese security trade regulations, ITAR considerations

4. Cross-functional Coordination

Work closely with Engineering and Product in Paris to align demo schedules, technical proposals, and delivery timelines with APAC client requirements

Prepare and deliver tailored capability briefings, product demonstrations, and technical presentations for diverse APAC military and institutional audiences

Coordinate logistics for client visits, field demonstrations, and operational showcases across the region

Act as the cultural and operational bridge between APAC partners and Alta Ares HQ in Paris - translating context, expectations, and timelines in both directions

Brief leadership on pipeline status, key account developments, and strategic risks across APAC

Candidate Profile

Experience

4–7 years of experience in defence sales, business development, or programme management - with direct exposure to APAC defence procurement across at least two of the priority markets

Proven track record building relationships and closing contracts with APAC military or government clients

Experience working with or within a defence prime, neoprime, or advanced defence tech company operating in APAC (e.g., Thales, Airbus Defence, BAE Systems, Elbit, Palantir, Anduril, or equivalent)

Demonstrated ability to manage a multi-country sales territory simultaneously with different procurement cultures, timelines, and access requirements

Background in C-UAS, ISR, AI autonomy, or adjacent systems is a strong plus

Skills & Qualities

English fluency - mandatory: primary language across all APAC markets and internal reporting

Additional Asian language is a strong plus: Japanese, Korean, or Mandarin significantly increases effectiveness in key markets

French is a meaningful plus - direct communication with Paris HQ

Culturally agile: able to adapt communication style, relationship approach, and commercial cadence to Japan, Korea, Australia, and Southeast Asia simultaneously - four very different operating environments

Hunter mindset - proactive, persistent, and comfortable building pipeline from scratch across a large, diverse region

Comfortable operating autonomously across multiple time zones, geographies, and institutional cultures

High integrity and discretion - you operate in security-sensitive environments across multiple jurisdictions

Entrepreneurial and resilient: long sales cycles, complex stakeholder maps, and remote-from-HQ operations are features of this role, not bugs