Senior Director Business Development and Capture - Training Solutions

Akima, LLC•Huntsville, AL

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director of Business Development and Capture for Training Solutions leads the identification, qualification, shaping, capture, and transition of new business across Akima’s training portfolio. The role combines market development, customer engagement, solution integration, product and technology growth, and disciplined capture execution. The leader manages a team supporting pursuits in training services, training systems, hardware- and software-based simulation, virtual and augmented reality, courseware development, simulator instruction, and simulator maintenance and sustainment. Working closely with the Training Solutions Capability Lead and operating company leadership, the Senior Director translates customer needs into differentiated, executable solutions. A central priority is expanding Akima’s presence at Redstone Arsenal and throughout the Huntsville defense and aerospace ecosystem while also pursuing qualified domestic and international opportunities. The position is based on-site in Huntsville, Alabama, is not designated as remote, and requires approximately 25% domestic and international travel, or travel as business requirements dictate. U.S. citizenship, a valid U.S. passport, and the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance are required.

Requirements

Ten or more years of progressive business development, capture, sales, program, or operational leadership experience supporting the Federal market, including substantial Department of Defense experience.
Demonstrated record of identifying, shaping, capturing, and winning complex Federal opportunities in training, readiness, simulation, aviation, maintenance, sustainment, digital learning, or a closely related market.
Strong knowledge of the Federal acquisition lifecycle, the FAR and applicable DoD acquisition practices, appropriations and budgeting processes, contract vehicles, source selection, and customer buying behavior.
Experience leading cross-functional pursuit teams through qualification, solution development, capture, teaming, pricing, proposal development, reviews, orals, award, and transition.
Established relationships within one or more defense, training, aviation, simulation, readiness, or Huntsville and Redstone Arsenal customer communities.
Ability to understand and clearly communicate technical and operational concepts involving training systems, simulation hardware and software, immersive technologies, courseware, instruction, and sustainment.
Demonstrated experience leading and developing teams, including direct reports, in a matrixed and geographically distributed organization.
Exceptional written and verbal communication, executive presentation, negotiation, relationship management, analytical thinking, and decision-making skills.
Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, aviation, training, technology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
U.S. citizenship and a valid U.S. passport are required.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance is required.
Ability to travel approximately 25 percent of the time, domestically and internationally, or as business requirements dictate.
Ability to attend customer meetings, demonstrations, conferences, and industry events at Redstone Arsenal and other domestic and international locations.

Nice To Haves

Recent experience supporting customers and mission partners at Redstone Arsenal or within the Huntsville defense, aviation, space, or aerospace ecosystem.
Experience with virtual maintenance training, immersive learning, virtual or augmented reality, synthetic training, distributed simulation, or digital courseware solutions.
Operational, maintenance, instructional, engineering, or program leadership experience in military aviation or another complex mission environment.
Experience developing international defense or training opportunities and working within export control requirements.
Advanced degree in a relevant field.
Active Secret or higher-level security clearance.

Responsibilities

Direct business development strategies designed to generate, pursue, and close business with prospect accounts.
Develop and execute a training solutions growth strategy aligned with Facilities Solutions Group priorities, operating company capabilities, bookings objectives, and long-range revenue goals.
Build, qualify, and maintain a pipeline of new and recompete opportunities across Federal, defense, civil, commercial, and selected international markets.
Lead customer and opportunity identification for virtual training products and services, including virtual maintenance training, immersive learning, virtual and augmented reality, digital courseware, and related training technologies.
Establish and sustain relationships with operational, program management, requirements, acquisition, contracting, budget, and technical stakeholders.
Use market intelligence, customer priorities, funding profiles, acquisition timelines, contract vehicles, and competitor analysis to recommend investment and pursuit priorities.
Represent Akima at customer meetings, industry events, conferences, demonstrations, and partner engagements.
Lead business development for expanding Akima’s training and simulation footprint across Redstone Arsenal and the greater Huntsville market.
Develop account plans and sustained engagement strategies for Redstone Arsenal and Huntsville organizations, mission partners, and tenants, including the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, PAE Maneuver Air, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the Prototype Integration Facility, Redstone Test Center, Army space and missile defense organizations, and U.S. Space Command.
Identify training, simulation, readiness, maintenance, sustainment, digital learning, and workforce development needs that can be addressed through Akima capabilities and partnerships.
Build relationships across local customer, small business, technology, academic, and industry communities.
Lead multiple concurrent pursuits from identification and qualification through proposal submission, award, and transition to operations.
Develop and manage capture plans, customer call plans, schedules, milestones, resource requirements, consultant support, and approved bid and proposal budgets.
Lead competitive assessments, Black Hat reviews, acquisition and requirements shaping, win and solution strategies, teaming, staffing, pricing, Price to Win activities, proposal readiness, executive and color team reviews, orals, clarifications, and post-submission activities.
Prepare and brief opportunity qualification, pursuit investment, and bid/no-bid recommendations to executive leadership using evidence, risk assessment, and win probability.
Coordinate with operations, technical leaders, pricing, contracts, legal, finance, recruiting, security, competitive intelligence, marketing, and proposal teams to deliver compliant, compelling, executable, competitively priced offers.
Identify prospective teammates and support negotiation of teaming arrangements, workshare, joint ventures, mentor-protégé relationships, and other pursuit-specific partnerships.
Integrate capabilities across live, virtual, and constructive training; modeling and simulation; aviation and maintenance training; simulator operations; instructor services; courseware; synthetic training environments; and training system sustainment.
Lead market development and pursuit strategy for virtual training opportunities, including customer discovery, use-case validation, demonstrations, solution positioning, business case development, accreditation pathways, and transition from product interest to funded requirements.
Maintain working knowledge of Akima’s virtual training products and value propositions, ensuring solutions align with mission outcomes, technical requirements, cybersecurity considerations, and customer acquisition strategies.
Partner with technical and operational leaders to turn customer problems into differentiated solutions, credible implementation approaches, sound bases of estimate, and measurable readiness outcomes.
For international opportunities, coordinate with export compliance, legal, contracts, and security personnel to obtain authorizations for marketing, demonstrations, technical data exchange, and sales.
Recommend investments in capabilities, technology, intellectual property, strategic hiring, partnerships, internal research and development, or acquisitions to strengthen long-term differentiation.
Lead, mentor, and develop direct reports responsible for business development, capture, customer engagement, market research, and opportunity execution within the training portfolio.
Set priorities, performance expectations, accountabilities, and development plans while fostering collaboration, initiative, ethical conduct, and disciplined follow-through.
Convene subject matter experts and leaders across Akima operating companies to integrate relevant technology, customer relationships, contract vehicles, geographic presence, and past performance into offerings.
Create an operating rhythm for pipeline reviews, account planning, capture reviews, customer engagement, investment decisions, and executive reporting.
Ensure accurate and timely opportunity data, forecasts, capture documentation, and leadership briefings in applicable business development systems.
Attend customer meetings, demonstrations, conferences, and industry events at Redstone Arsenal and other domestic and international locations.