Director of Strategic Growth - Defense
Leads strategic growth for DoD business by building senior government relationships, shaping defense programs 12-18 months ahead, and defining win strategies. Requires 15+ years DoD experience, PPBE expertise, and active security clearance.
About the job
Responsibilities
- Cultivate senior-level trust-based relationships with PEOs, PMs, requirements officers, and CTO offices.
- Shape opportunities 12-18 months in advance by influencing requirements and acquisition strategies.
- Lead strategic customer discovery to understand long-term roadmaps, budget trajectories, and political dynamics.
- Define win strategies, identifying competitive discriminators and making critical 'pursue vs. walk away' decisions.
- Provide strategic direction to the Capture Manager to ensure execution is aligned with shaping work.
- Author white papers and lead capability demonstrations that position our technology in the customer's thinking.
Requirements
- BS or MS in Engineering, Political Science, National Security, or a related field.
- 15–25 years of experience in or around the DoD (Military O-5/O-6, GS-15/SES, or senior Industry BD).
- Expert-level knowledge of the PPBE cycle and the POM process.
- Proven track record of shaping requirements for multi-million dollar defense programs.
- Specific, 'warm' relationships within target commands (e.g., Army Futures Command, NAVSEA, or AFMC).
- Experience operating in a "lean" environment, directly engaging in work rather than managing large support staffs.
- Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
Nice to Have
- Former experience as a Program Manager at DARPA, DIU, or a Service Research Lab.
- Established network within relevant Congressional staff or Authorization/Appropriation committees.
- Deep understanding of autonomous systems, modeling & simulation, or Vehicle OS architectures.
Compensation
Base salary range: $175,000 - $225,000 USD annually, plus equity and benefits.
Skills
Ppbe Cycle, Pom Process, Dod Acquisition, Autonomous Systems, Modeling & Simulation, Vehicle Os, Business Development, Capture Management, White Papers, Capability Demonstrations
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