Director – Capture Research Development & Customer Experience

Noblis•Reston, VA

22h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Customer Experience, Capture & Research Development is a leadership role within the Federal Civilian Solutions (FCS) Mission Area, reporting directly to the FCS Vice President. This position serves as a cross-divisional strategic asset—functioning simultaneously as a floating capture manager, federal market analyst, research pipeline architect, and customer experience authority. Noblis' Vision 2030 calls us to be a leading S&T powerhouse—delivering exceptional services, transformational solutions, and breakthrough innovations with enduring mission impact. This role is purpose-built to accelerate that vision within Federal Civilian Solutions by elevating capture discipline, expanding our market footprint, bridging the gap between science and growth, and differentiating through experience. This leader will partner closely with Federal BD executives and Division Directors to drive pipeline development, capture execution, market expansion into new and emerging federal accounts, and the application of rigorous customer experience and human factors methodologies to differentiate Noblis in the marketplace. This is not a staff role—it is a strategic operator position that combines intellectual rigor with business acumen to drive measurable growth outcomes for the best of reasons. This role directly advances all four strategic pillars of Noblis Vision 2030, positioning the Federal Civilian Solutions Mission Area as a growth engine, S&T powerhouse, and standard-bearer for exceptional client experience.

Requirements

Master's degree in a STEM field (engineering, computer science, or related)
20+ years of progressive experience in federal government contracting, with demonstrated expertise in capture management, business development, and program performance
10+ years in leadership roles (Director, Vice President, or equivalent) with P&L accountability and direct responsibility for revenue growth
Proven track record leading captures of $50M–$200M+ in total contract value across Federal Civilian agencies (HHS, DOT, Treasury or similar)
Demonstrated experience conducting federal market analysis, account development, and competitive intelligence
Experience with government-funded research programs, IRAD/NSR processes, BAAs, OTAs, or ARPA-funded initiatives
Direct experience applying customer experience and/or human factors methodologies in a federal contracting or consulting environment
Capture management training (e.g., Shipley, Lohfeld, or equivalent corporate capture academy) — Required
CX Certification (CX Foundations, CX Champ, or equivalent) — Required

Nice To Haves

PHD. in Human Factors, Applied/Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Science, or related discipline — Preferred as a complementary credential
Program Management Professional certification
Executive leadership development (e.g., Harvard, MIT Sloan, Center for Creative Leadership, or equivalent)
Familiarity with AI-assisted workflow tools for capture acceleration
Published research in peer-reviewed journals or presented at national/international conferences

Responsibilities

Serves as a floating Capture Manager across FCS Divisions, providing hands-on leadership for priority pursuits. Contributes to capture excellence through training, mentorship, and application repeatable capture playbooks.
Drives growth across FCS by identifying emerging federal civilian accounts and executing disciplined capture strategies. Conducts market intelligence on addressable opportunities aligned to critical national missions.
Develops and executes a rigorous framework for government-funded research within FCS. Bridges the gap between Noblis Research Centers and business development to accelerate translation of research into competitive discriminators.
Applies certified CX methodologies to assess, score, and enhance client experience across FCS programs. Partners with the CXO team to conduct CX Assessments and identify new services that exceed expectations and build brand loyalty.
Deliver capture excellence across FCS Divisions, leading or supporting priority captures from qualification through award
Develop and execute win strategies and competitive assessments for opportunities ranging from $25M–$200M+
Chair and participate in color reviews (Pink, Red, Gold) across the Mission Area
Coach and mentor Division-level capture managers and proposal teams to elevate organizational capture maturity
Manage opportunity-specific B&P funds and ensure alignment with BNB gate review processes
Partner with BD executives and Division Directors on pipeline qualification, runway-to-RFP planning, and execution
Conduct market intelligence and competitive landscape analysis to identify new and emerging federal civilian accounts for FCS expansion
Develop account entry strategies for priority targets, including stakeholder mapping, relationship development, and teaming strategies
Monitor federal procurement trends, budget cycles, and policy shifts to inform pursuit timing and competitive positioning
Produce market briefs and strategic recommendations for FCS leadership on addressable market opportunities
Identify and qualify "big bet" targets aligned to Noblis capabilities and Vision 2030 growth priorities
Develop and execute a disciplined framework for identifying, proposing, and managing government-funded research opportunities within FCS
Partner with the CTO and Innovation Vector leadership and Noblis Sponsored Principal Investigators to align research investments to FCS client missions and emerging technology priorities
Champion FCS participation in the annual NSR Call to Ideation, ensuring Division staff generate ideas aligned to structured challenge areas
Identify and pursue ARPA-funded opportunities, Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), and Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) relevant to FCS client missions
Track research outcomes and facilitate the transition of knowledge, expertise, and intellectual capital into competitive discriminators for capture and proposal efforts
Author white papers and abstracts that demonstrate Noblis thought leadership and applicability of capabilities to client problem sets
Leverage CX and human factors expertise to design and execute FCS customer experience strategies that differentiate Noblis
Partner with the CXO team to conduct CX Assessments across FCS programs, gathering structured client feedback and developing actionable improvement plans
Apply human factors research methodologies—observational studies, root cause analysis, stakeholder analysis—to identify friction points and optimize service delivery
Develop new experiences, services, and solutions for federal clients based on CX Assessment findings and human-centered design principles
Contribute to CX Index scoring and enterprise-level reporting on the state of customer experience within FCS
Partner with FCS BD and Division staff on pipeline, teaming decisions, and competitive positioning
Collaborate with Division Directors on account-level growth strategies, program performance enhancement, and client retention
Engage with the Noblis VP of Business Development & Capture on BNB gate reviews, B&P funding decisions, and enterprise growth priorities
Represent Noblis at industry conferences, client events, and professional forums to build brand visibility and thought leadership