Senior Vice President, Commercial Due Diligence, Aerospace & Defense

Capstone•Washington, DC

118d•$135,000 - $170,000

About The Position

Capstone is seeking a Senior Vice President to help lead its fast-growing Aerospace & Defense (A&D) transaction advisory and strategy consulting practice. The role provides intellectual leadership in the A&D sector, translating complex policy and regulatory developments into actionable investment strategies and leading commercial due diligence and transaction advisory engagements for private equity and other institutional investor clients evaluating aerospace, defense, space, and national security opportunities. This is a senior, client-facing position. The successful candidate will lead fast-paced commercial and policy due diligence engagements, apply rigorous analytical frameworks and deep A&D policy knowledge to assess investment opportunities, and contribute to value creation strategy development. The role also involves building and maintaining senior relationships with policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, and clients; helping guide research priorities; mentoring junior analysts; and collaborating across policy verticals to deliver integrated insights at the intersection of politics, regulation, and financial markets.

Requirements

At least 8 years of experience in aerospace/defense consulting, investment banking, private equity, corporate strategy, or a related transaction advisory environment, with direct exposure to commercial due diligence or M&A processes.
Substantive knowledge of the defense acquisition process, procurement and budget cycles, and the competitive landscape in key A&D segments, including defense primes, subsystem/component suppliers, and emerging space and dual-use technology companies.
A&D policy fluency, including the ability to apply budgeting, contracting, regulatory frameworks, and Department of War dynamics to client diligence and strategy work; similar comfort or ability to apply analytic frameworks in the Intelligence Community and federal civil agencies.
Direct involvement in buy-side or sell-side A&D transaction due diligence engagements.
Ability to translate policy and regulatory complexity into commercial implications for investors.
Excellent written and analytical output, including experience producing structured, decision-ready deliverables under deal timelines.
Ability to manage multiple concurrent engagements and lead junior staff in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Strong communication skills, including confidence in public speaking and client-facing engagements, and professionalism and respect for colleagues and clients.
Bachelor's degree required.
Excellent presentation and data visualization skills.
Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and eligible to work without sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

A master's degree or MBA.
Due diligence experience across multiple A&D subsectors.
Passion for the intersection of aerospace and defense, politics, and investing.

Responsibilities

Lead policy and regulatory analysis across the A&D sector and broader defense industrial base for public markets, private equity, and corporate clients.
Lead commercial due diligence engagements on aerospace, defense, space, and national security targets for private equity and institutional investor clients, from scoping through final deliverable.
Monitor programmatic, budgetary, and regulatory developments shaping the aerospace, defense, and space sectors, and proactively flag emerging risks and opportunities through written analysis and bespoke client engagement.
Build and maintain high-level relationships with policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, and clients.
Help guide research priorities, mentor junior analysts, and collaborate across policy verticals to deliver integrated insights.
Contribute to investment assessments and value creation strategy development.