Director of Strategic Growth - Defense
About The Position
The Director of Strategic Growth serves as the senior relationship and shaping layer of our DoD business development operation. Reporting to the Head of Growth, you will be responsible for opening doors, building deep credibility with government stakeholders, and shaping programs well before they reach the public domain. You will operate as a high-level "player" on a specific portfolio of accounts, partnering with a BD Capture Manager to convert strategic opportunities into a winning pipeline. At Applied Intuition, you will: 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 BD 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 Haves
- 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.
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 BD 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.
Benefits
- equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units
- comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage
- 401k retirement benefits with employer match
- learning and wellness stipends
- paid time off
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Number of Employees
501-1,000 employees
