Mission Director - SOCOM

Applied Intuition•Arlington, VA

6d•$200,000 - $300,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Mission Director for SOCOM serves as the senior relationship and strategic shaping lead for Applied Intuition’s special operations portfolio. Reporting to the Head of Growth, you will be responsible for identifying and shaping strategic opportunities within special operations mission areas, building deep credibility with senior SOCOM stakeholders, and positioning Applied Intuition as the technology partner of choice for special operations forces. You will operate as an executive-level expert who understands the unique operational problems, capability gaps, and decision makers across USSOCOM and its service component commands.

Requirements

15–25 years of experience in or around SOCOM and special operations (Military O-5/O-6 with SOF operational background, GS-15/SES in SOCOM acquisition or requirements, or senior Industry BD/strategic growth leadership supporting SOF)
Executive-level expertise in and knowledge of the PPBE cycle, SOCOM’s unique acquisition authorities (Section 1202, Section 1208, etc.), and how to navigate Congressional authorization/appropriation dynamics
Proven track record of shaping requirements for multi-million dollar defense programs 12-18+ months before RFP release, ideally in autonomy, mission planning, simulation, or C4ISR domains
Specific, warm relationships within USSOCOM, USASOC, AFSOC, MARSOC, NAVSPECWARCOM, or key SOCOM program offices—you can get meetings with O-6+ decision makers and operators
Deep understanding of SOF capability gaps and the operational challenges of fighting in denied environments
Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance (TS/SCI preferred)

Nice To Haves

Prior experience as a Program Manager or innovation lead at SOFWERX, SOCOM J5, SOCOM J9, or a service-level SOF innovation cell
Direct operational experience in special operations forces (Green Beret, SEAL, PJ/CRO, Ranger, Marine Raider, 160th SOAR, or other SOF unit)
Experience in a similar strategic growth or mission director role at a defense technology startup serving the SOF community
Deep familiarity with autonomy programs, mission planning and rehearsal systems, synthetic training environments, or advanced C4ISR capabilities relevant to SOF

Responsibilities

Cultivate senior-level trust-based relationships with USSOCOM leadership, Program Managers (O-6+), requirements officers, and innovation leads within SOCOM, USASOC, AFSOC, MARSOC, NAVSPECWARCOM, and key program offices
Shape opportunities 12-18 months in advance by influencing requirements, acquisition strategies, and program structures well before they reach the public domain
Lead strategic customer discovery to understand long-term capability roadmaps, budget trajectories across PPBE cycles, and political dynamics within the special operations community
Open doors and build deep credibility as Applied Intuition’s senior voice on special operations technology, translating operator problems into technology requirements that drive program shaping
Maintain backchannel sources of information across the special operations community and establish senior-level escalation paths when strategic deals encounter political or programmatic obstacles
Make critical ‘pursue vs. walk away’ decisions and partner with Account Executives, Capture Managers, and Engineers to convert strategic shaping into a winning pipeline.