Director, SLED & Adjacent Markets

Agile Six Applications

7d•Remote

About The Position

Agile Six is a federal digital services company, primarily serving the VA and HHS. We build and ship working software with small, empowered teams, under fixed-price terms, with AI embedded in how we work. Our leadership came out of government. We have sat on the other side of the table as contracting officers, program managers, and policy advisors. We have watched how procurement decisions actually get made, what incentives drive behavior on both sides, and where the system consistently produces outcomes nobody wants. That experience is the foundation of how we operate. We approach every engagement through an economics-first lens: what does it return, to whom, and does the structure reward the right behavior? That question led us to build differently. Smaller teams. Tighter accountability. An ownership model, through an equal-share ESOP, where the people delivering the work share in what they create. We operate from a simple belief: we build better by putting people first. Our values of Purpose, Wholeness, Trust, Self-Management, and Inclusion are not aspirational. They are how we evaluate every decision, from which contracts to pursue to how we structure compensation. We believe the government deserves honest brokers: partners willing to help define what success actually looks like, not just execute against metrics that may not measure anything meaningful. We help our government partners think about contracts as investments and outcomes as the only measure that matters. We are not a staffing company, a consulting firm, or a movement. We are a company that has placed real bets on a different model and can point to the results. We are not driven by growth for growth's sake. We focus on building meaningful, value-driven relationships and we are willing to walk away from work that does not fit. This role is a market-opener. SLED is a real opportunity for Agile Six, but it requires dedicated focus to unlock. The procurement landscape is different from federal, the SDVOSB designation does not travel, and the relationships have to be built from scratch. We are looking for someone who knows that terrain and is energized by the prospect of building a new practice within a company that already knows how to deliver. You will be the first dedicated SLED-focused BD presence at Agile Six, which means you will have real influence over how we enter these markets, which opportunities we pursue, and how we position our capabilities against a different competitive set. This is a builder role, and we expect it to reshape itself as we learn together what actually works in this market. The growth path is real, but it runs through the intelligence you bring back from the field, not a playbook we hand you on day one. If you have built a practice from scratch before and know the difference between a target list and a real market entry strategy, we want to talk. We care about what you bring in, but we care as much about what you walk away from. Bringing us revenue we cannot deliver well, or that does not align with how we operate, is worse than bringing us nothing. The judgment about which opportunities fit is part of the job, not an afterthought. This is not a standard Director position at Agile Six. We are asking you to build a new book of business in a market where we have limited or no presence. You will operate with more autonomy than a typical hire and more accountability than a typical role. You will have direct access to company ownership, a seat in the strategic conversation, and an equity stake tied to what you build. In return, we expect real traction within the first year. If it is not working, we will say so. If it is working, the upside is real. This is not a quota-driven, individual commission role. We are building a market development team that develops markets together, shares intelligence, and wins work we can actually deliver well. You will own your pipeline, but you will operate as part of a team. Senior leadership is active in relationship development and closing. Your job includes building presence, cultivating relationships, developing pipelines, and bringing the right people into the right conversations at the right time. Some days you will close deals yourself. Some days you will set the table for someone else. The measure is what the team produces together, not just what any individual brings in. Delivery-informed BD is core to how we operate across every market we serve. You are not working in parallel to delivery. You are working from it. Our active teams are the source of truth for where the real opportunities are, what is actually working, and what we should avoid. If you are used to selling ahead of delivery, this will feel different. If you are used to working alongside delivery to shape better outcomes, this will feel like leverage.

Requirements

5+ years in business development, sales, or growth within state, local, or education technology markets.
Understanding of SLED procurement mechanics including cooperative purchasing, RFP processes, state IT governance structures, and how buying decisions actually get made.
Track record of building pipelines from scratch in a new market or geography, not just inheriting an existing book of business.
Ability to translate technical and delivery capability into compelling narratives for non-federal government buyers.
Comfort in a small company environment where you will be setting direction, not following a playbook.
Collaborative working style across delivery, strategy, and executive leadership in a small distributed team.
Demonstrated ability to use AI-enabled tools in your own BD practice with sound judgment about where human context still matters.

Nice To Haves

Experience in SLED health and human services IT, grants management systems, or digital services modernization.
Familiarity with federal to state technology transfer opportunities, particularly in health IT where HHS-funded programs create state-level demand.
Strong written communication including SOQs, capability statements, and executive briefings.
Prior experience at a GovTech firm, digital services company, or consulting firm with a dedicated SLED practice.
Understanding of how applied AI is being adopted in state and local government contexts.
Authentic, values-driven approach with the ability to represent Agile Six's core values in a range of stakeholder settings.

Responsibilities

Shape the Practice: As the first dedicated SLED BD presence at Agile Six, you will have real influence over how we enter these markets, including positioning, capture approach, and teaming strategy for a market where our federal playbook won't translate directly.
Market Entry Strategy: Develop and execute a market entry strategy for SLED, identifying the highest-probability entry points given Agile Six's existing capabilities and past performance in digital services and applied AI.
Customer and Partner Development: Build relationships with state and local program offices, procurement officials, and channel partners that lead to real opportunity shaping. Identify teaming partners, resellers, and cooperative purchasing relationships that can accelerate market entry.
Delivery-Informed BD: Work directly with delivery leadership to ensure BD strategy is grounded in what we can actually execute. In a market where we are building presence from scratch, overpromising is the fastest way to undermine the practice before it starts.
Opportunity Vetting: Build and qualify a pipeline of SLED opportunities focused on digital modernization, health and human services technology, and grants management. Not every open door is worth walking through.
Market and Competitive Intelligence: Stay ahead of SLED procurement vehicles, cooperative purchasing agreements, state-specific IT contract structures, and competitive positioning. Bring intelligence that shapes how we enter and where we prioritize.
Proposal and Solution Support: Develop Agile Six's positioning and capability narrative for SLED audiences, translating federal past performance into language that resonates with state and local buyers. Support SOQs, capability statements, and executive briefings.
Pipeline Management: Own and manage the SLED BD pipeline with discipline and transparency using Groundwork, our internal CRM.
AI-Informed Market Positioning: Represent Agile Six's applied AI capabilities credibly in conversations with state and local government stakeholders. Use AI tools actively in your own BD practice including research, pipeline analysis, and competitive intelligence.

Benefits

Self-managed work/life balance and flexibility
Competitive and equitable salary
Employee Stock Ownership (ESOP) for all employees!
Annual performance bonuses tied to team and individual objectives (details shared during the hiring process)
401(k) matching
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Employer paid short and long term disability insurance
Employer paid life insurance
Self-managed and generous paid time off
Paid federal holidays and two floating holidays
Paid parental leave
Self-managed professional development spending
Self-managed wellness days