Director, Strategic Defense Programs

Seekr • Reston, VA

22h • Hybrid

About The Position

Seekr is hiring a Program Director to lead strategic defense partnerships and align program efforts into a unified portfolio strategy that generates demand for Seekr’s AI capabilities. The role spans airborne ISR, C2, tactical and strategic communications, and mission integration across multiple agencies and classification levels. It combines executive relationship management with technical oversight of mission-system integration and program delivery, guiding efforts from rapid prototype through testing and transition to program of record.

The Director serves as the primary interface with strategic defense partners across business development, program execution, and technical solutioning. The role develops partnership governance, leads joint capture activities, represents Seekr with government customers, identifies opportunities to insert AI capabilities across partner portfolios, and reports portfolio health and progress to Seekr leadership. It also coordinates internal teams and partner engineers, translates AI capabilities into mission-level value propositions, and identifies and resolves technical, schedule, and contractual risks.

The position requires frequent travel, up to 30%, to partner sites, government customer locations, and demonstrations. The posting describes a flexible hybrid work environment, with offices in Reston, Virginia, and Austin, Texas, as well as remote options and flexible working hours. Applicants must meet the stated U.S. government trade-regulation eligibility criteria.

Requirements

• Active U.S. Secret clearance.
• 15 or more years of experience in defense programs, with direct involvement in DoD mission systems integration across ISR platforms, C2 architectures, or tactical or strategic communications systems.
• Demonstrated experience leading the build of mission systems, including sensor integration, communications payload installation, and government airworthiness or fielding processes.
• Hands-on experience across the program lifecycle, from concept and rapid prototype through live demonstration, formal testing, and transition to program of record.
• Proven ability to manage and align multiple concurrent programs under a cohesive portfolio strategy.
• Strong customer-facing program leadership skills and prior experience managing a complex, multi-stakeholder defense partnership or channel relationship at the prime or sub-prime level.
• Experience developing strategic demand-generation plans, identifying capability gaps, building business cases, and influencing partner and customer acquisition decisions.
• Understanding of DoD acquisition frameworks, including FAR/DFARS, OT authorities, and competitive proposal processes.
• Willingness to travel frequently, up to 30%, to partner sites, government customer locations, and demonstration events.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, aerospace, systems engineering, computer science, or a related technical field.
• U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residence, protected-individual status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligibility to obtain the required U.S. Department of State or Department of Commerce authorizations.

Nice To Haves

• Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility.
• Experience at a prime defense integrator in a mission systems, C2, or special mission aircraft role.
• Prior military service in an ISR, C2, communications, or intelligence career field, particularly with operational exposure to airborne collection, battle management, or tactical networking systems.
• Track record of growing a technology partnership by proactively creating new program opportunities.
• Familiarity with AI/ML applied to signal processing, image exploitation, sensor fusion, C2 decision support, or communications network optimization.
• Familiarity with JADC2 concepts, ABMS, or related DoD multi-domain connectivity and interoperability initiatives.
• Experience with rapid prototyping programs, including bridging prototype efforts to production transition.
• Active engagement in relevant government program offices and familiarity with their investment priorities.
• Ability to operate in a fast-moving AI company while maintaining the rigor and credibility expected by a large defense prime.
• Knowledge of AI infrastructure, trusted AI, LLM ecosystems, or mission AI workloads.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end executive relationship with strategic defense partners and serve as the primary interface across business development, program execution, and technical solutioning.
• Develop and manage joint partnership governance, including program review cadences, escalation paths, IP and NDA structures, and shared investment planning.
• Lead joint capture activities, including opportunity identification, teaming structure, and proposal development.
• Represent Seekr in government customer engagements, industry events, and classified program briefings across priority mission domains.
• Develop and maintain a unified strategic plan mapping Seekr AI capabilities across partner portfolios, identifying insertion points and aligning opportunities with customer mission priorities.
• Align individual program efforts under a coherent portfolio strategy and ensure programs contribute to enterprise-level AI adoption.
• Identify capability gaps and generate demand for new AI insertions by building business cases for opportunities across the partner’s program base.
• Maintain awareness of customer requirements, adjacent programs, and competitive positioning across airborne ISR, ground and airborne C2, JADC2-aligned communications, and multi-domain mission integration.
• Track and report portfolio metrics, including pipeline health, program milestones, and partnership maturity, to Seekr executive leadership.
• Guide programs from rapid prototyping and live demonstration through formal T&E, OT&A, and transition to program of record.
• Translate Seekr AI capabilities into mission-level value propositions and work with partner mission systems engineers on integration approaches, interface requirements, and technical feasibility.
• Coordinate Seekr engineering, product, contracts, legal, and finance teams to support partner deliverables and meet schedule and budget commitments.
• Identify and manage portfolio risks, surface technical, schedule, and contractual issues early, and drive resolution.

Benefits

• RSUs/equity ownership.
• Unlimited PTO.
• 14 paid company holidays.
• Flexible hybrid work environment, remote options, and flexible working hours.
• Role-appropriate compensation that may include base salary, bonuses, or commission plans, depending on role.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage starting day one.
• Paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement.
• The role may be eligible for annual bonus, equity, and other incentive compensation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director