Business Development Director SOCOM

Redwire Defense Tech

23h•$180,900 - $252,000•Remote

About The Position

Redwire Defense Tech is actively seeking a Business Development professional for our Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) Gimbals product lines to drive growth across long-range surveillance and tactical mission platforms. This role leads corporate growth, customer engagement, and strategic capture across USSOCOM Headquarters, Component Commands (USASOC, AFSOC, NAVSPECWARCOM, MARSOC), and Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs). Operating in a high-growth, fast-paced environment, the Director bridges business development, strategy, and initial project management to win key USG solicitations, orchestrate executive-level relationships, and transition programmatic execution to dedicated team leads. The position reports directly to the Vice President, Business Development.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in an area with at least 8-10 years of progressive association experience and/or managing the business development/marketing function OR a Master's degree in Business, Marketing, MBA or related field and 5+ years of related work experience.
Minimum of 5 years' technical business development experience supporting military UAS, gimbal, or electro-optical/imaging requirements with a proven track record of revenue growth.
Previous experience in winning key USSOCOM or US Army/DoD contracts supporting UAS and payload requirements.
Proven experience sculpting, writing, and submitting responses to government solicitations such as RFIs, Market Research, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), OTAs, etc.
Strong technical understanding of commercial and defense/military UAS, mission payloads, and imaging/gimbal solutions.
Proven ability to drive and close contract negotiations and manage teaming arrangements with industry partners.
Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills tailored to senior military and defense civilian leadership.
Domestic and international travel is required and could exceed 30%. Passport required.

Nice To Haves

7+ years of direct engagement experience with USSOCOM Headquarters, Component Commands (USASOC, AFSOC, NAVSPECWARCOM, MARSOC), or TSOCs.
Previous military and/or government civilian experience supporting USSOCOM or Special Operations Forces requirements.
Experience utilizing SAM.gov, VULCAN, GOVWIN, Salesforce and other CRM resources and tools.
Shipley Capture/Proposal Management certification or equivalent formal sales framework training.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute business growth strategies and account plans aligned with SOCOM operational priorities, capability gaps, and long-range surveillance requirements.
Drive, shape, pursue, and close opportunities; manage sales funnel records and project pipelines within the corporate CRM; and present weekly updates to senior management.
Orchestrate executive-level relationships across SOCOM program offices, PEOs, requirement directorates, operational units, and key industry partners.
Act as the initial project manager for newly developed accounts and awarded contracts prior to transitioning leadership to the designated Program Manager.
Lead proposal responses to government solicitations (RFIs, Market Research, RFPs, OTAs), shaping win strategies, interpreting requirements, and providing Basis of Estimate (BOE) inputs in coordination with engineering, supply chain, and pricing teams.
Maintain a deep understanding of customer technical needs—specifically regarding UAS platforms, imaging/gimbal solutions, and mission payloads—working closely with engineering and marketing teams to deliver solutions.
Establish and nurture teaming arrangements and industry partnerships to fill capability gaps and win large-scale defense solicitations.
Provide market insight and competitive analysis regarding upcoming SOCOM procurements, unfunded requirements, and market trends to guide product and go-to-market strategies.
Plan, coordinate, and execute product showcases, field evaluations, and flight demonstrations with SOCOM operational teams and end-users.
Travel as necessary (30%+) for customer site visits, trade shows, field demonstrations, and operational support.
Assumes all other responsibilities as assigned