Growth Manager – Commercial, State, and Local Markets

Vatn Systems•Bristol, RI

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Growth Manager – Commercial, State, and Local Markets is responsible for building Vatn's business outside the federal defense customer base. This role focuses on identifying and closing new opportunities with commercial customers, port and harbor authorities, state and local government agencies, and maritime research institutions. Alongside this, it shapes the go-to-market strategy for Vatn's autonomous underwater vehicles, spanning ports and waterways security, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, offshore energy, and marine research applications. This role blends strategic market-building, such as identifying new verticals and use cases, with hands-on sales execution, including prospecting, demonstrations, proposals, and closing deals through commercial and state/local procurement processes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or equivalent experience.
2+ years of experience in business development, sales, or a related field, ideally with exposure to commercial or state/local government sales.
Experience with state or local government procurement is advantageous.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
Strong customer engagement and interpersonal abilities
Highly organized, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
Self-motivated with a high level of initiative

Nice To Haves

Experience selling to ports, marine authorities, or public safety/first responder agencies is a plus.
Experience in the maritime, offshore energy, or environmental sectors is a plus.

Responsibilities

Organize and conduct a deliberate prospecting effort to identify potential commercial customers, port and harbor authorities, and state and local government agencies, expanding the company's market reach beyond federal defense.
Generate, assess, and convert new leads across target verticals, including ports, offshore energy, environmental agencies, public safety and marine law enforcement, and research institutions.
Qualify leads and convert them into long-term clients or partnerships.
Build and maintain long-term relationships with key clients, prospects, and stakeholders across commercial and state/local markets.
Prepare proposals, quotes, and rough orders of magnitude (ROM) tailored to commercial and public-sector procurement processes.
Coordinate demonstrations and pilot deployments to support client understanding and requirements development.
Navigate state and local procurement pathways, including cooperative purchasing agreements, state contract vehicles, and competitive RFPs.
Support the contracting and program management teams during handoff to ensure smooth project execution kickoff.
Support the CGO in contract negotiation and deal closing.
Maintain customer engagement to support repeat and follow-on sales.
Develop and execute go-to-market plans to promote Vatn's products to new and existing commercial and public-sector customers.
Identify new markets and use cases and contribute to market expansion plans, including ports and waterway security, environmental and hydrographic monitoring, search and rescue, offshore energy inspection, and marine research.
Support solution development alongside Engineering and technical teammates to adapt Vatn's platform to commercial and civil requirements.
Attend industry events, conferences, and trade shows to stay current with market trends and support pipeline growth.
Attend demonstrations and pilot deployments with customers and partners.
Coordinate with Marketing and Strategic Communications team for specific and targeted communication campaigns.
Develop and implement growth strategies for commercial, state, and local markets that align with overall company goals.
Conduct market research to identify new business opportunities and trends outside the federal defense space.
Analyze competitors, customer needs, and market conditions to guide go-to-market decisions.
Prepare and deliver presentations to clients, stakeholders, and leadership.
Work closely with Engineering, Programs, and Operations to ensure customer needs are understood and met.
Partner with the Proposal/Capture function on pursuits that involve state or local government procurement.
Provide feedback on product and service offerings based on client interactions and market demand.
Ensure a smooth transition of clients to the program management team following deal closure.
Maintain accurate records of business development activity, including prospecting, meetings, and deal progress, in the company CRM.
Track sales metrics, report on progress to senior leadership and adjust strategy as necessary.
Prepare regular reports on pipeline, leads, conversions, and revenue growth in commercial and state/local markets.
Stay current on market trends, regulatory changes, and competitor activity across target commercial and public-sector verticals.
Proactively identify areas for process improvement in the growth and sales process.