Quantum Defense Innovation
VP of Sales & Partnerships
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About QDI
Quantum Defense Innovation is a deep-technology cybersecurity company building the world's first commercially deployable Dual-Spectrum Security Architecture a platform that runs classical RSA-4096 encryption alongside NIST-standardised Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) simultaneously, protecting government, defence, enterprise, and healthcare infrastructure against both today's threats and tomorrow's quantum decryption capability.
We are pre-seed, pre-revenue, and currently closing a £2.5M round. Our technology is built and demonstrated (TRL 6), our core IP is patent-pending, and we already have real-world demand validation: three paid Proof-of-Concept engagements with critical-infrastructure organisations and a weighted pipeline of £450k+. What we don't yet have is the person who turns that validation into signed, recurring revenue. That's this role.
The UK's National Cyber Security Centre has mandated a phased PQC migration with a binding 2028 discovery deadline. Infrastructure migration cycles take five to seven years which means the organisations that need to act are starting their procurement now. This is a compliance-driven, non-discretionary market, and we're entering it at the right moment.
The Role
We're looking for a VP of Sales & Partnerships to own QDI's entire revenue motion — from first conversation to signed contract, and from single-client deals to full channel partnerships. You'll report and work directly alongside the CEO as the commercial engine of the company through this critical growth phase, with the mandate to build the sales function from the ground up.
This is not a role for someone who wants a playbook handed to them. At founder stage, you're building the process, the pricing conversations, the partner agreements, and the pipeline discipline as you go — while closing real deals in parallel.
What You'll Own
- Client acquisition at pre-revenue stage — you know how to get security-conscious, risk-averse buyers (CISOs, procurement officers, defence primes) to commit to a paid Proof-of-Concept with a company that doesn't yet have a long client list. This is the core skill this role requires.
- Build and convert a global paid POC pipeline — target: 3+ signed POCs within 9 months, across the UK and international markets. Geography is not a constraint: UK, EU, North America, APAC wherever the right buyer and the right deal are.
- Channel and white-label partnerships — identify, negotiate, and onboard Tier-1, Tier-2, and Tier-3 cybersecurity and IT companies (UK and international) to white-label QDI's technology or embed our cryptographic core into their platforms, opening routes to market that bypass standard 18-month procurement cycles.
- Direct enterprise and government sales — build relationships with CISOs and procurement leads across Government, Defence, Enterprise, and Healthcare, and run the full sales cycle from outreach to negotiation to close.
- Procurement channel development — support QDI's G-Cloud (Crown Commercial Service) listing and equivalent public-sector procurement frameworks internationally, turning them into low-cost, inbound revenue channels.
- Commercial ownership end-to-end — pricing conversations, contract terms, and the ongoing relationship post-close, in close coordination with the CEO.
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What We're Looking For
- A proven track record closing deals in cybersecurity, deep-tech, SaaS, or defence ideally including experience selling unproven or pre-revenue technology into risk-averse, compliance-driven buyers.
- Existing relationships with CISOs, procurement officers, channel partners, or government/enterprise buyers you can bring to the table from day one.
- Demonstrated ability to structure and close paid POC or pilot agreements this is a distinct skill from selling an established product, and it's central to this role.
- Comfort operating at founder-stage: undefined process, direct founder access, and full ownership of outcomes.
- UK market experience strongly preferred; international deal experience (EU, North America, APAC) is a genuine advantage given QDI's global ambitions.
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Compensation
This is an early-stage, equity-heavy role, and we're upfront about what that means: QDI is pre-revenue, so we cannot offer a large fixed guaranteed salary at this stage. What we offer instead:
- Milestone-linked base salary — structured around funding close and revenue milestones, discussed openly at interview.
- Commission on revenue generated — percentage and structure to be discussed and agreed directly with the successful candidate, reflecting the scale of the deals and partnerships you bring in.
- Meaningful equity — ground-floor ownership in a company with patent-pending IP, a validated £450k+ pipeline, and a modelled path to £1M ARR within 12 months of funding close.
We're building this compensation structure collaboratively with the right person — if you're excited by the opportunity but want to discuss the specifics differently, we're open to that conversation.
Growth path: QDI does not currently have a CRO. This role is the foundation of our commercial leadership team, and strong performance against our revenue and partnership milestones is a direct path to promotion to Chief Revenue Officer as the company scales post-seed.
Why This Role, Why Now
QDI closes its pre-seed round in 2026 with an 18-month runway and a clear roadmap: two white-label partners signed by Month 3, three paid UK POCs commenced by Month 9, G-Cloud listing by Month 6. You're not being asked to hit an arbitrary target — you're being asked to lead the commercial motion that this entire funding model is built around.
If you want to build something, not just sell something, we want to hear from you.
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