Business Development Manager Army IT

Cherokee Federal•McLean, VA

About The Position

The Business Development Account Executive (Army C4ISR, Cyber & IT and Defense IT) serves as a senior growth leader responsible for shaping, capturing, and expanding large-scale Department of Defense and U.S. Army opportunities across enterprise IT, C4ISR, cyber, digital modernization, and mission support portfolios. This role requires deep operational credibility with Army and DoD stakeholders , the ability to translate mission needs into executable capture strategies and demonstrated success operating across the full BD lifecycle —from early shaping and customer engagement through proposal development, award, and account expansion. The Account Executive will operate as a trusted peer to senior government leaders (CIO/G-6, NETCOM, PEOs, DISA, AFC, DHA) and as a strategic integrator internally , aligning operations, solution architects, capture managers, and executive leadership to deliver sustained growth.

Requirements

15+ years of progressive experience in federal government business development , with a strong emphasis on Army and Defense IT markets .
Demonstrated success capturing and growing $100M+ portfolios , including large IDIQs and enterprise programs .
Proven ability to operate effectively in complex, matrixed organizations with senior government and industry leaders.
Deep familiarity with Army Signal, C4ISR, cyber, enterprise IT, and modernization ecosystems .
Background demonstrating operational leadership , mission execution, or senior advisory roles within DoD or equivalent environments.
Ability to translate operational requirements into acquisition-ready solutions .
Recognized as a trusted advisor by government stakeholders.
Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Engineering, IT, or related field).
Expertise with the Shipley Business Development Lifecycle .
Proficiency with Salesforce, Microsoft Office, Teams , and executive briefing tools.
Strong financial acumen, including capture economics, pricing strategy, and risk assessment .
U.S. Citizenship required.
Active or prior Top Secret clearance strongly preferred.
Ability to travel up to 50% , including OCONUS as required.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with or within tribal, 8(a), or small-business contracting environments highly desired.
Advanced degree or professional military education strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Strategic Business Development & Growth Leadership
Establish, implement, and execute account-centric growth strategies aligned with Army and Defense priorities.
Shape opportunities pre-RFP through mission understanding, requirements influence, and solution differentiation.
Lead pipeline development, qualification, and prioritization across competitive, direct award, and small-business pathways.
Drive growth across enterprise IT, cyber, cloud, data, analytics, automation, C4ISR, and modernization programs .
Customer Engagement & Mission Alignment
Build and sustain trusted relationships with senior government decision-makers, including: Army CIO/G-6, NETCOM, PEO EIS, DISA, Army Futures Command, TRADOC, and Combatant Commands.
Engage customers as a mission partner , not a transactional seller, demonstrating operational fluency and credibility.
Represent Cherokee Federal in executive-level briefings, strategic sessions, and capability discussions .
Capture & Proposal Execution
Lead or support large, complex captures (IDIQs, task orders, GWACs, 8(a), and full & open).
Develop win strategies, teaming approaches, and solution architectures aligned to customer priorities.
Partner with capture managers and proposal teams across Shipley BD lifecycle phases through orals.
Ensure captures are financially sound , executable, and aligned with corporate risk posture.
Contracting Strategy & Vehicles
Leverage deep understanding of FAR/DFARS , Army contracting norms, and acquisition pathways.
Utilize tribal, 8(a), and small-business strategies appropriately to accelerate awards.
Shape pursuits across IDIQs, GWACs, BPAs, and task-order driven vehicles .
Internal Leadership & Governance
Serve as a senior integrator across: Operations Capture Finance Contracts Solution Architecture
Brief executive leadership on pipeline health, capture posture, risks, and forecast accuracy .
Document all BD activities, customer engagements, and pipeline data in Salesforce .