Defense Business Development & Capture Manager

Lifeport•Woodland, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

LifePort, located in Woodland, Washington, manufactures medical transportation and interior products and ballistic armor protection systems for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. The Defense Business Development & Capture Manager develops LifePort’s defense business across U.S. Department of Defense and other federal customers, allied governments, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) channels, and aerospace and defense OEMs and primes. The role represents LifePort’s defense portfolio, including ballistic protection and survivability, aeromedical/MEDEVAC/CASEVAC systems, patient handling, special-mission interiors, mission seating and flooring, and related mission-equipment integration. This customer-facing business development and capture position builds stakeholder relationships, identifies opportunities early, maps requirements and funding and acquisition pathways, and turns validated customer needs into qualified pursuits and revenue opportunities. The manager owns assigned accounts and campaigns through qualification, capture, proposal, award and follow-on growth, coordinating closely with LifePort leadership and functional teams to ensure proposed solutions are feasible, supportable, certifiable and producible. The role supports domestic and international business, including FMS and appropriately structured direct-commercial or allied opportunities, while coordinating export-control, contracting and legal requirements. Travel of up to 50% domestically and internationally may be required. The position is based in a manufacturing/machine shop/office environment and involves frequent travel to customer, partner, military and industry locations. Employees must follow company safety policies and wear required personal protective equipment in applicable work areas. The position requires a U.S. Person under applicable U.S. export-control regulations. The job description notes that duties may change and that reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Requirements

Typically 8 or more years of relevant defense, military, government, aerospace, acquisition, capture or business-development experience.
Demonstrated record of developing defense customer relationships and converting customer needs into funded pursuits, contracts, partnerships or measurable pipeline growth.
Strong ability to build credibility and long-term relationships with defense customers; an established DoD network is strongly preferred, though exceptional candidates who demonstrate an ability to create senior-level relationships may be considered.
Strong understanding of the U.S. defense acquisition environment and ability to connect operational requirements, funding, acquisition organizations, contracting pathways and industry partners.
Working knowledge of DoD budgeting and funding concepts, including PPBE/POM, congressional appropriations and authorization context, budget exhibits, RDT&E, Procurement and O&M funding, and their effects on business-development timing.
Ability to sell complex mission solutions and connect customer mission problems to LifePort engineering, integration, certification, production and sustainment capabilities.
Ability to communicate credibly with operational military personnel, acquisition professionals, engineers, executives and international customers.
Strong capture judgment, including the ability to distinguish qualified opportunities from general interest, prioritize resources and recommend GO/HOLD/NO-GO decisions with clear evidence.
Ability to work independently in an externally focused role while coordinating with internal account owners and functional teams.
Excellent written, verbal, briefing and executive-presentation skills.
Strong business acumen, including opportunity valuation, pricing awareness, competitive positioning, partner economics and risk assessment.
High initiative, professional judgment, integrity and discretion when handling sensitive customer, program and competitive information.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and CRM tools, and ability to use data, market intelligence and structured account/capture tools to manage a portfolio.
Ability to travel up to 50% domestically and internationally as business needs require.
Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, national security, military studies or a related field is preferred; equivalent military leadership, acquisition, industry or business-development experience may substitute.
Must meet Export Control compliance requirements as a U.S. Person under applicable U.S. export-control regulations.
Ability to meet customer or program security requirements may be required.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of federal acquisition approaches such as FAR/DFARS contracting, IDIQ/task orders, OTAs, SBIR/STTR transition, CSOs and other rapid-acquisition mechanisms.
Knowledge of FMS/security-cooperation pathways and international defense business development.
Experience in Army or joint aviation; MEDEVAC/CASEVAC/aeromedical operations; tactical wheeled vehicles; survivability/ballistic protection; special-mission aircraft; medical systems; defense OEM/prime programs; or FMS/security cooperation.
Prior military service is valued but not required.
Experience in DoD acquisition, requirements, program management, operational planning, security cooperation or the defense industry.
Active U.S. security clearance, where relevant to assigned programs.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain relationships with U.S. DoD operational, requirements, acquisition, program management, contracting, medical, aviation, sustainment and security-cooperation stakeholders.
Develop relationships with defense OEMs and primes, integrators, channel partners, allied defense organizations and other sources of qualified opportunities.
Own assigned defense accounts and campaigns from early identification through qualification, capture, proposal, award and follow-on growth; maintain clear ownership, next-action, decision-gate and forecast discipline.
Identify emerging customer problems and programs by monitoring requirements development, acquisition activity, budget signals, industry engagement, exercises, platform modernization and partner activity.
Map customer requirements to funding and acquisition pathways, including requirements, PPBE/POM activity, appropriations, budget exhibits, program elements, colors of money, acquisition organizations and contracting vehicles.
Determine how enacted or programmed funding may translate into executable acquisition opportunities and identify the government owner, acquisition authority, contracting path and next steps.
Develop account and campaign strategies for LifePort defense solutions, including survivability, medical and patient-handling systems, mission equipment, special-mission interiors, seating, flooring and integration capabilities.
Conduct customer discovery and requirements analysis and translate mission needs into internal opportunity statements for Engineering, Programs, Operations, Finance and Contracts.
Deliver executive-level capability presentations and lead discussions with operators, maintainers, program managers, PEOs, senior military leaders, OEM executives and allied-government stakeholders.
Support domestic and international sales, including FMS and appropriately structured direct-commercial and allied opportunities, coordinating export-control, ITAR/EAR, contracting and legal requirements with responsible LifePort functions.
Develop working knowledge of DSCA/FMS processes, Security Cooperation Organizations, service international program offices, OEM international channels and allied procurement approaches.
Coordinate with LifePort leadership and registered government-affairs/lobbying resources on approved congressional or budget-shaping efforts; do not duplicate registered lobbying activity.
Evaluate RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, sources sought, BAAs, CSOs, OTAs and other acquisition vehicles; lead or support bid/no-bid recommendations and proposal/capture strategy.
Work with Finance and Contracts on pricing, commercial structure, terms, risk and profitability; support proposal development and customer negotiations within delegated authority.
Develop strategic teaming relationships to address platform-access, certification, integration, technology, manufacturing, international-market or customer-access gaps.
Plan and execute high-value customer visits, demonstrations, trade shows and industry engagements tied to defined account and capture objectives.
Maintain accurate CRM and forecast data and provide concise executive updates on opportunity value, probability, funding, customer sponsorship, next decision, risk and required resources.
Partner with Engineering, Programs, Operations and executive leadership to ensure proposed solutions are technically feasible, supportable, certifiable, producible and aligned with LifePort strategy.
Build a qualified, balanced defense pipeline and increase LifePort access to priority DoD, OEM/prime and allied/FMS stakeholders.
Advance pursuits through measurable milestones, including validated requirements, customer sponsorship, funded pathways, capture strategy, proposal, award and follow-on growth.
Develop repeatable account and campaign plans across LifePort’s defense portfolio and use travel, proposal, engineering and partner resources efficiently.

Benefits

Paid time off (PTO)
Personal leave
Annual performance bonus program
Wellness program
Onsite gym with free personal training
Paid company holidays
Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits
HSA and FSA options
401(k) with employer contribution
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Employee life assistance program
Additional voluntary benefits may include legal, long-term disability, pet, accident, hospital indemnity and critical illness coverage.