Director of Sales, Europe

Job description

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth. Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one. Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles. As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains. We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world. Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands. About the Role: The Director of Sales, Europe will be responsible for leading our regional sales organization, driving Planet’s Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy, and accelerating revenue growth across national security, defense, and government sectors. As a people manager and business leader, you will own the regional revenue target, drive executive alignment, and establish disciplined pipeline governance to ensure forecast predictability. You will be responsible for building, mentoring, and coaching a team of direct reports—fostering a culture of accountability, operational excellence, and continuous professional development. In addition to team development, you will architect large-scale strategic programs, lead high-stakes commercial negotiations, and scale partner ecosystems to penetrate priority markets. Above all, you will leverage your leadership experience to elevate Planet’s market presence across NATO and the Nordics in alignment with our mission to see change and change the world. The ideal candidate is an accomplished sales leader with deep defense domain expertise and a track record of managing high-performing teams across Alliance structures and Northern European markets. You will bring an established executive network spanning NATO HQ, allied Defense Ministries, Armed Forces Commands, Intelligence Agencies, and key European Prime Contractors/System Integrators. Combining strategic commercial acumen with an understanding of collective defense and national security priorities, you will position Planet as a trusted capability provider for mission-critical operations. This is a full-time, remote position based in the United Kingdom or Germany. If located near an office, you are expected to work from that office 3 days per week. Impact You’ll Own: Drive Strategic Revenue Growth: Own and execute a result-oriented Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy to build, negotiate, and close high-value, complex deals across sovereign defense and government sectors, consistently hitting or exceeding regional quota targets. Forecast Governance & Predictability: Maintain rigorous pipeline hygiene (Salesforce.com) and deliver accurate, data-driven revenue forecasts to executive leadership through disciplined deal inspection and pipeline management. Capture Strategy & Value Messaging: Engineer tailored capture strategies and high-impact executive narratives that align with agency-level priorities, resonate with key decision-makers, and win competitive procurements. Manage, Coach & Empower: Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing sales team, establishing a culture of accountability, operational excellence, and continuous professional development. Methodology Alignment: Train and inspect direct reports on core sales methodologies and capture frameworks (e.g., MEDDPICC, Shipley), coaching them on deal qualification, stakeholder mapping, and win strategies. Talent Bench & Scaling: Proactively recruit, onboard, and retain elite commercial and defense-domain talent to build a solid talent bench as the regional footprint expands. Cross-Functional Matrix Alignment: Orchestrate seamless collaboration across internal matrix teams including Government Affairs, Product, Engineering, and Field Marketing to align corporate capabilities with regional market opportunities. Technical & Post-Sales Win Alignment: Partner closely with Pre-Sales/Solutions Engineering to secure technical wins, and collaborate with Post-Sales teams to ensure flawless customer onboarding, retention, and long-term expansion. Deal Cadence & Executive Escalation: Communicate deal velocity transparently across internal business units, mobilizing executive sponsorship and cross-functional support when needed to de-risk complex pursuits. What You Bring: 8+ years of relevant work experience and 6+ years supervisory / leadership experience, with a track record of driving revenue growth, building high-performing teams, and consistently exceeding multi-million-dollar individual and team quotas. Ability to recruit, mentor, and retain top-tier talent, instilling a high-accountability culture and coaching direct reports through complex, multi-year deal cycles. Deep experience establishing pipeline discipline, accurate revenue forecasting, and thorough deal inspection using Salesforce.com and modern sales methodologies (e.g., MEDDPICC). Extensive background navigating complex government, NATO, and defense procurement frameworks (e.g., NCI Agency, FMS/DCS, national MoD acquisition bodies) across Northern Europe and Allied Command structures, with a focus on key Nordic nations (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark). An established, C-level network across Defense Ministries, Intelligence Agencies, Allied Commands, and European Defense Primes / System Integrators. Deep understanding of how commercial technology and advanced data feeds support Allied posture, sovereign defense, intelligence, and ISR missions. Success collaborating across internal matrixed teams (Government Affairs, Product, Engineering, Legal) to align corporate capabilities with regional opportunities. A strategic, self-directed leader with commercial judgment, adept at leading teams through dynamic, high-growth, or startup-like market environments. Professional working proficiency in English, the language of the company. What Makes You Stand Out: 5+ years of progressive sales leadership and enterprise business development experience within the defense, national security, or government technology sectors, with a track record of building high-performing teams and consistently exceeding revenue targets. Operational understanding of NATO defense priorities, Nordic security dynamics, joint acquisition processes, and agency decision-making across Allied Ministries of Defense and Tier-1 Defense Primes. Experience managing complex, multi-year deal cycles, with the ability to lead sales teams through disciplined capture frameworks, pipeline governance, and accurate revenue forecasting. Professional proficiency in a Nordic language (Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Danish) is a plus for engaging senior government ministers, military command leadership, and internal executives. Application Deadline: 11:45p / 23:45 CET on the date stated below. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. This posting may be removed earlier than projected if a suitable pool of applications has been received. For this reason, we recommend applying as soon as you are able to. Export Control Requirements: Planet Labs Germany GmbH is authorized to receive U.S. export-controlled information at Planet under an export license issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security. This position requires access to U.S. and German/EU export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by German, EU, or U.S. authorities. Benefits While Working at Planet: These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy. Paid time off including vacation, holidays and company-wide days off Employee Wellness Program Home Office Reimbursement Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning Equity Volunteering Paid Time Off Compensation: The expected starting gross salary range for this role is listed below. Individual placement within this range is determined objectively based on gender-neutral criteria such as your skills, qualifications, and professional experience. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or equity. In addition to the salary range listed below, this role is also eligible to receive commission. #LI-REMOTE Germany Salary Range €117.200 — €146.500 EUR San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Why we care so much about Belonging. We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride. EEO statement: Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights. Accommodations: Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to accommodations@planet.com or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you. Privacy Policy : By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Planet Data Privacy Notice for California Staff Members and Applicants , and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein. Privacy Policy (European Applicants): By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Candidate Privacy Notice GDPR Planet Labs Europe , and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein. AI in Our Interviewing Process : Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a "Planet AI Notetaker" for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy. Candidate AI Policy : Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions . If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact accommodations@planet.com with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.