Sr. Principal, Business Development & Head of Air Force Strategy

Divergent•Torrance, CA

22h•$179,610 - $285,200•Hybrid

About The Position

Divergent is seeking a Sr. Principal, Business Development and Head of Air Force Strategy to support business development with key industry partners and lead the strategic engagement with the Department of the Air Force. This is a mid-level role designed for individuals with experience in working with and/or for defense companies and selling to those companies and the US Air Force. This role requires extensive knowledge of the U.S. Air Force mission, organization and funding. This role also requires the development of relationships, development of partnership opportunities and the ability to close on contracts with industry partners. This position will report to the VP of Corporate and Strategic Partnerships and work closely with the other principles, the Capture team and the Program Management team.

Requirements

Ability to lawfully access information and technology that is subject to US export controls
Senior leadership experience in or with the U.S. Air Force, with deep understanding of domain-relevant strategy, acquisition pathways, and operational needs.
Proven ability to drive business development and strategic partnerships in the national security or defense sector.
Familiarity with advanced manufacturing, defense innovation ecosystems, and sustainment or modernization programs.
Strong communication and translation skills—able to bridge conversations between engineering, operations, and policy communities.
Demonstrated success working across teams and guiding programs from concept to execution in complex environments.
Ability to lawfully access information and technology that is subject to US export controls
Minimum of 15 years of experience within the A&D industry
Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify issues and develop effective solutions
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence both internal and external stakeholders
Experience working in cross-functional teams on A&D programs
Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of additive manufacturing applications and/or munition weapon systems
Active DoD Security Clearance

Responsibilities

Own and manage key accounts and relationships within those accounts. Execute account growth strategies aligned to commercial priorities and drive opportunity progression and program insertion
Develop and drive the execution of a tailored U.S. Air Force strategy that identifies near/long term opportunities, key personnel, organizational touch points, and funding to deliver DAPS capability to AF missions either directly or through the Primes.
Forms partnerships, identifies new opportunities and markets to expand and deliver value.
Collaborate across the integrated capture team and work closely with the program managers and other key account programs.
Support customer meetings, prepare status reports, and ensure timely response and professional products to support the engagement to include prep materials for senior leadership.
Identify risks or challenges in building relationships and address with leadership early to keep momentum on partnerships and opportunities.
Maintain accurate records in the CRM, action item trackers, and program documentation; ensure compliance with ITAR, DFARS, and aerospace quality standards.
Prepare dashboards, KPIs, and performance metrics for internal leadership.
Support proposal and business capture.
Participate in process improvement efforts to streamline program execution and enhance efficiency