Senior Director, Business Development

SEAKR Engineering•Centennial, CO

About The Position

The Senior Director of Business Development is a multifaceted leadership role responsible for maintaining industry awareness, generating leads, managing customer relationships, obtaining requests for proposals, and leading the Business Development team. The role collaborates with executives to develop and execute SEAKR’s business development strategy, pursue high-win-probability opportunities, identify new business opportunities, and develop capture strategies that inform executive bid/no-bid decisions. The Director also provides input on future product offering needs during the IRAD planning and budgeting process. This full-time exempt position represents SEAKR within the industry and requires autonomy, sound judgment, alignment with executive leadership, and accountability for measurable business results. The Director leads and develops the Business Development team, maintains customer and industry relationships, coordinates with cross-functional teams, and oversees marketing execution. Business travel is expected approximately 30%–50% of the time, based on customer, program, and business needs.

Requirements

At least 15 years of technical business development experience.
Demonstrated experience developing and executing business development and growth strategies in a technical environment.
Proven experience developing and maintaining relationships with government, defense, aerospace, and/or commercial space customers.
Demonstrated leadership experience managing, coaching, developing, and holding team members accountable for performance and results.
Experience managing multiple business development opportunities, customer engagements, and capture activities simultaneously.
Strong analytical, negotiation, leadership, and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure.
Possess a TS/SCI clearance with polygraph or be capable of obtaining the required clearance.
U.S. citizenship.
A technical background and a bachelor’s degree in engineering, preferably electrical, mechanical, or aerospace engineering, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience in the aerospace and/or space markets.
A master’s degree in Engineering Management or Program Management, or an MBA.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute business development strategies, including short-, mid-, and long-term goals informed by industry, market, competitive, and customer analysis.
Drive sales initiatives and revenue growth by evaluating market opportunities, developing value propositions, and coordinating product positioning, pricing, branding, channel, and communications strategies.
Establish and maintain relationships with government agencies, defense contractors, and commercial aerospace and space customers; understand their current and future needs.
Lead, coach, and develop the Business Development team; set priorities and expectations, provide feedback, monitor performance and workload, and ensure the team has appropriate direction and resources.
Collaborate with executives, engineering, business capture, and product development teams to align business development efforts with company goals.
Coordinate with the capture team on technical, strategic, and business insight for RFI, ROM, whitepaper, and proposal responses.
Identify and analyze market trends, customer needs, and competitors to uncover business opportunities.
Supervise marketing execution, including website and marketing content, trade show presence, trade journal articles, white papers, press releases, presentations, and datasheets.
Represent the company at industry events, conferences, trade shows, and customer engagements.
Establish team ownership and accountability for business development activities; delegate customer engagements and opportunity development while maintaining visibility into team activities, pipeline, and key opportunities.
Comply with company policies, procedures, and internal controls, including travel and expense requirements; use Concur for business travel booking and expense reporting, and reinforce these expectations with the team.
Travel approximately 30%–50% of the time as business needs require, using sound judgment about when in-person travel is necessary.
Set team and individual goals, provide performance management and professional development, monitor execution, assess team capabilities and resource needs, and foster accountability, collaboration, communication, and compliance.