Senior Director, Growth – Kinetic Effects Business Area

Leidos•Huntsville, AL

About The Position

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is grounded in a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our communities. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business. Within the Leidos Defense Systems Sector , the Kinetic Effects Business Area delivers advanced engineering, integration, and manufacturing solutions across hypersonics, airborne effectors, civil and commercial space, and advanced manufacturing . The Defense Systems Sector Growth organization is seeking a Senior Director, Growth to provide executive leadership for all Business Development and Strategy efforts for the Kinetic Effects Business Area. This role supports a large, complex portfolio with a multi-billion-dollar pipeline (>$12B) and significant annual revenue and P&L responsibility. Primary customers include the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Department of Energy (DoE), NASA , and select commercial customers. In this role, you will be accountable for overall growth performance, including awards, pipeline development, customer engagement, strategy execution, and management of new business investments. You will lead a team of business development professionals and serve as a key member of the Business Area Leadership Team, partnering closely with sector and enterprise leadership to drive sustained growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a scientific or engineering discipline with 20+ years of relevant experience, including senior leadership roles
15+ years of progressive experience in business development, capture, and growth leadership
Established executive-level relationships with senior military leaders and government customers across the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, DoE, NASA , and the Huntsville defense community
Extensive knowledge of customer missions, acquisition organizations, and funding priorities
Demonstrated access to key government customers and industry partners
Proven record of leading and winning large, complex, and highly competitive captures and proposals
Demonstrated ability to develop and execute multi-year growth strategies at the portfolio or business area level
Experience building, leading, and sustaining high-performing teams
Active DoD Secret clearance , with the ability to obtain and maintain TS/SCI

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MBA or technical master’s degree)
Deep working knowledge of FAR-based competitive procurements
Experience with DoD budget formulation, investment planning, and acquisition processes
Prior responsibility for significant budgets and workforce planning
Strong executive communication and influencing skills
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and executive-level reporting tools

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership for all business development, capture, proposal, and growth strategy activities for the Kinetic Effects Business Area.
Partner with the VP of Program Integration Growth and senior leadership to define and execute near- and long-term growth strategies aligned with customer priorities, technical roadmaps, and enterprise objectives.
Serve as a core member of the Business Area Leadership Team, contributing directly to P&L ownership , financial performance, and strategic decision-making.
Lead senior-level customer relationship management and engagement strategies, ensuring strong alignment between customer needs, line management, and solution architects.
Collaborate with Business Area leadership and the CTO to develop and evolve growth strategies tied to technology investments, IR&D priorities, and new and adjacent market opportunities.
Drive disciplined pipeline development, opportunity prioritization, bid decisions, and investment alignment to maximize return and probability of win (PWin).
Oversee capture and proposal execution for large, strategic opportunities, ensuring delivery of compelling, compliant, and differentiated proposals from a customer-centric perspective.
Conduct executive-level opportunity and proposal reviews, emphasizing evaluation criteria, competitive positioning, and message quality.
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing business development organization, including talent development, performance management, and workforce planning.
Provide executive oversight of B&P, IR&D, and other discretionary investments and assess their impact on growth objectives.
Forecast, track, and report Business Area growth performance against annual and multi-year goals.
Serve as a trusted advisor to Business Area leadership on opportunity pursuits, gate reviews, investment decisions, and growth risks.
Support and evaluate mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships to expand market presence and capabilities.
Identify current and future staffing needs and support recruiting efforts to ensure the organization is positioned for sustained growth.