DroneShield

Director of Channel and Distributor Management

DroneShield  •  Sydney, AU / Amsterdam, NL (Onsite)  •  2 months ago
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Job Description

Work withcutting edgeAI technology, making the world a safer and more secure place. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) offers an opportunity to solve some ofworld’smost challenging technical problems in the rapidly growingcounter-dronesector.

Our customersoperatein some of the most challenging and high-stakes environments in the world, including militaryorganisations, government agencies, airports, critical infrastructure operators, and law enforcement. Protecting airspace in these settings requires technology that performs under pressure and teams that understandwhat’sat stake. At DroneShield, employees work at the leading edge ofcounter-drone innovation, helping to address real-world security challenges as drone threatscontinue to evolve globally.

With one of the largest listeddefencecompany marketcapitalisationsin Australia, now part of the ASX200 index, DroneShield is experiencing a period of hypergrowth. Revenue has surged from A$57 million in 2024 to over A$217 million in 2025,representinggrowth of more than 400% year-on-year, with record profitability and cashflow. The total addressable global market forcounter-droneis assessed at approximately$100 billion, andis currently at the nascent stage with much of the growth still tocome, with DroneShield well positioned as a global market leader, and the only public listed pure-play business in this sector.

Thecompany has grown from 11 employees in 2017 to over 450 staff globallytoday, andis on track to reach around 550 by the end of2026. This expansion includes investment of over A$50 million annually in R&D, a global pipeline exceeding A$2.5 billion, andcontinuous scaling of production capacity to meet accelerating demand.

About the role

The Head of Channel & Distributor Management is a newly created role responsible for building and operationalisingDroneShield'sglobal distributor ecosystem. This person will own the full lifecycle of distributor relationships — from identification and onboarding through to performance governance, tier progression, and exit — across more than 40 active markets. The role exists becauseDroneShield'schannel is generating revenue at scale without the structure, process, or accountability frameworksrequiredto sustain or grow it. That changes with this hire.

Reports to: Chief Commercial Officer

Location: Sydney or Amsterdam (with significant international travel)

Scope: Global (minus the US) — with immediate priority on Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Five Eyes markets.

Responsibilities, Duties and Expectations

  • Own and govern the global distributor ecosystem end-to-end, including tiering, performance standards, lifecycle management, and structured exits or remediation of underperforming partners
  • Lead onboarding of new distributors from due diligence through activation, ensuring compliance, training, clear go-to-market plans, and full readiness before entering the active network
  • Design and deliver a structured enablement programme, ensuring distributors are equipped with up-to-date product knowledge, tools, and technical capability, while addressing capability gaps across the network
  • Drive performance management and accountability through scorecards, QBRs, revenue targets, and CRM discipline, providing clear visibility and reporting to the CCO on partner health and outcomes
  • Own and continuously refine the global coverage map,identifyinggaps,eliminatingoverlaps, and ensuring strong, clearly defined market coverage aligned to strategic priorities
  • Lead recruitment of new distributor partners in priority markets,maintaininga forward pipeline of qualified partners aligned with strategic, commercial, and compliance requirements
  • Build andmaintainthe operational infrastructure supporting the channel function, including systems, processes, governance frameworks, and Salesforce as thesingle sourceof truth
  • Act as the central coordination point between distributors and internal teams, ensuring effective support, alignment with government and marketing initiatives, and strong partner engagement globally

Qualifications, Experience and Skills

  • 5-10 years’ experience in senior channel, distributor, or partner leadership roles in complex B2B environments
  • Proven track record building and governing global distributor networks across multiple regions (EMEA and/or APAC required)
  • Background in defence, aerospace, security, government, or complex hardware‑led technology businesses where sales involve long cycles, technical products, and regulated customers
  • Demonstrated ownership of the full distributor lifecycle: recruitment, onboarding, enablement, performance management, tiering, remediation, and exit
  • Experience designing and enforcing tiered partner models, scorecards, KPIs, and executive‑level QBRs
  • Strong understanding of indirect sales economics and distributor commercial accountability for hardware or solution‑based offerings
  • Hands‑on experience building process, governance, and reporting frameworks in a channel that generates revenue but lacks structure
  • Deep working knowledge of Salesforce (or equivalent CRM) as a system of record for partners, pipeline, and performance
  • Ability to manage underperforming or conflicted distributors, including structured exits and partner replacement
  • Executive presence and credibility to operate autonomously and influence senior internal and external stakeholders
  • Familiarity with export controls, trade compliance, or regulated supply chains (e.g. ITAR, EAR, or equivalents) preferred
  • Willingness to travel internationally and be based in Sydney or Amsterdam

Renumeration

  • Competitive base salary and stock options

What this role is not

This role does not carry a direct revenue quota, does not replace regional sales owners as the day-to-day relationship for distributors in their geography, and does not own end-customer account strategy. The Head of Channel & Distributor Management owns the system, the standards, and the health of the partner network — regional sales owners execute within it.

Note for recruitment agencies: We do not accept unsolicited candidates from external recruiters unless specifically instructed.

DroneShield

About DroneShield

DroneShield is a worldwide leader in counter-UAS security and technology. DroneShield develops pre-eminent UAS security solutions that protect people, organisations and critical infrastructure from intrusion from UAS threats. Its leadership brings world-class expertise in engineering and physics, combined with deep experience in defence, intelligence, and aerospace.

Industry
Aviation & Aerospace
Company Size
201-500 employees
Headquarters
Sydney, AU
Year Founded
2014
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