Commercial Director - Defence (f/m/d)

Our Mission

At Circus (Xetra: CA1), headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin and Hamburg, we are pioneering global developments in on-demand autonomous food production.
From culinary creation to production and operations, everything is powered by seamlessly integrated robotics and transformative AI.

Our foundation lies in groundbreaking advancements in robotics, driven by artificial intelligence — the long-missing link in realizing fully autonomous food automation.
The time has come for a new status quo: just as autonomous vehicles are reshaping our cities and daily lives, we are redefining the entire experience of food.

Our team brings together leading minds in Robotics, AI, Engineering, and Culinary, working closely with industry-leading partners to revolutionize how food is prepared, accessed, and experienced.

Join us as we shape a future where the art of cooking meets the science of technology — and where food becomes something fundamentally new.

About the Role

As our Commercial Director – Defence (f/m/d), you drive Circus’s growth in the defence and government sector — leading all commercial, bid, and deal activities related to our autonomous supply infrastructure for modern forces. These modular and deployable robotic systems enable fully autonomous food production and logistics support in the most demanding environments.

We are a NATO-approved supplier for defence and logistics programmes, delivering next-generation autonomous field infrastructure that enhances operational resilience, efficiency, and scalability.

You own the entire commercial lifecycle — from opportunity identification to deal closure — building strong relationships with ministries, procurement agencies, and system integrators. Together with our VP Commercial and VP Defence, you shape the future of autonomous field logistics and infrastructure for modern armed forces.

Your Daily Business

• Take full ownership of the commercial and bid process for defence programmes, framework contracts, and tenders related to autonomous food and logistics infrastructure.

• Drive direct sales and partnerships with national and international defence customers (e.g. Bundeswehr, NATO, EU).

• Identify and qualify opportunities across ministries, procurement agencies, and integrator networks.

• Lead bid and proposal development — ensuring commercial competitiveness and compliance.

• Negotiate and close high-value framework and system contracts with full commercial accountability.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key defence stakeholders and industry partners.

• Provide structured forecasting, reporting, and pipeline visibility to senior leadership.

• Represent Circus externally in the defence ecosystem — including fairs, forums, and institutional engagements.

Base Qualifications

• 8+ years of B2G / B2B commercial experience in defence, aerospace, infrastructure, or industrial systems.

• Proven track record in closing complex, high-value government or institutional deals.

• Strong understanding of public procurement and tendering processes (Bundeswehr, NATO, EU).

• Structured, strategic, and hands-on approach to sales execution.

• Excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills at senior level.

• Fluent in German and English; additional European languages are a plus.

• Eligible for or holding a security clearance is an advantage.

Our Offer

• Competitive Compensation: Receive a competitive compensation package with offered stock options for full-time employees.
• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy regular team events, a hybrid work setup, 2 months/year remote work (Worcation), and unlimited vacation days, along with a corporate pension plan.
• Personal Development: Personal budget for training, in-house trainings, and growth opportunities in a fast-paced environment.
• Mobility: Benefit from a monthly budget for mobility or other expenses and a subsidized Dance Mobility Subscription for E-Bike/E-Moped.
• Well-Being: Get access to discounted Urban Sports Club membership and Wellhub for a variety of well-being offerings.