Strategic Business Development Leader - Aerospace Research

GE Aerospace•Elgin Township, IL

6d•$150,000 - $275,000•Remote

About The Position

The Strategic Business Development Leader at GE Aerospace Research builds customer relationships and develops U.S. government-funded research and development opportunities aligned with GE Aerospace technology road maps. The role leads customer and partner engagement, pre-solicitation opportunity qualification, and campaign strategy across GE Aerospace Research and the wider GE Aerospace organization to address technology challenges and accelerate advanced technology development. The position develops and manages a business development pipeline, identifies and shapes opportunities, supports proposal and response processes, and tracks performance using metrics and a CRM system. It builds relationships with government science, technology, and R&D organizations, develops strategic industry and academic partnerships, and collaborates with technical leaders to match GE Aerospace capabilities to government customer needs. The role also monitors government funding trends, technology priorities, and policy developments, represents GE Aerospace Research externally, and partners with Government Affairs on funding and policy initiatives. This is a remote position requiring 25–50% travel. The role requires access to export-controlled information and eligibility to prove U.S. Person status; the posting also specifies U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a security clearance. The position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. Relocation assistance is not provided.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 10 years of experience related to defense or government business development, capture, programs, or operational work.
Strong technical background and experience working with or in science and technology or R&D organizations.
In-depth knowledge of the GE Aerospace application portfolio.
Highly organized, with the ability to lead and manage multiple efforts and priorities effectively.
Track record of cross-functional and organizational engagement with customers, upper-level management, and project teams.
Ability to build a network across internal and external organizations.
Knowledge of Department of Defense acquisition, requirements, and budget policies and processes.
Proven win record with government S&T or R&D programs.
Deep experience working directly with or within defense R&D organizations.
Ability to travel 25–50%.
U.S. citizenship is required by the qualifications section; the role also requires ability to obtain a security clearance and meet the posting’s U.S. Person/export-control requirements.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate degree in science or engineering and 12 years of experience in a relevant field.
Self-starter who can represent GE Aerospace, own government customer relationships, build a pipeline of new opportunities, and be accountable for business development goals and KPIs.
Knowledge of industry best practices for government business development.
Experience working in a matrixed environment.
Awareness of industry trends and activity in aerospace and defense, particularly government funding.
Existing network within DARPA, DIU, DOE, OUSW (R&E), MDA, U.S. military service R&D organizations, NASA, or similar organizations.
Effective written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills and ability to work on interdisciplinary teams delivering multimillion-dollar project portfolios.
Knowledge of CRM tools and best practices, such as Salesforce or similar.
Collaborative work style and ability to work with scientists and engineers and match technical ideas to government customer needs and opportunities.

Responsibilities

Grow the early-stage business development funnel to meet annual targets and align with GE Aerospace Research priorities.
Lead pre-solicitation business development activities, including customer engagement, program shaping, and support for successful bids.
Lead and manage responses to relevant Requests for Information.
Qualify pre-solicitation leads for alignment with GE Aerospace R&D strategy and priorities.
Identify shaping campaigns with GE Aerospace Research technology leaders and other stakeholders; support processes to qualify, score, and prioritize campaigns.
Develop, lead, and own action plans for shaping campaigns.
Support proposal development as needed, including writing, reviews, customer and market knowledge, and competitive assessment.
Use and assess metrics and KPIs for shaping, customer and partner engagement, and pipeline development; share lessons learned.
Build and manage business development relationships with U.S. government science, technology, and R&D organizations to generate and shape opportunities aligned with GE Aerospace Research.
Develop strategic partnerships with industry, universities, associations, and consortia, and leverage them to build proposal teams.
Use a CRM system to track opportunities and KPIs and move qualified opportunities through the business development pipeline.
Create, maintain, and implement a customer engagement strategy with government R&D organizations for GE Aerospace Research-initiated Internal Research and Development projects.
Track government funding trends, technology priorities, and policy developments relevant to GE Aerospace Research.
Coordinate with other GE Aerospace divisions and business development teams to share best practices, prioritize pursuits, and collaborate on opportunities.
Work with technical leaders to translate technical capabilities into shaping campaigns that lead to successful bids.
Represent GE Aerospace Research at industry events, government meetings, and conferences.
Continuously improve knowledge of government business development practices.
Represent GE Aerospace Research as a technical expert in government customer engagements and partner with Government Affairs on funding and policy initiatives.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
Access to a Health Coach and the Employee Assistance Program.
GE Aerospace Retirement Savings Plan, including a 401(k) savings plan with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions.
Fidelity resources and planning consultants.
Tuition assistance.
Adoption assistance.
Paid parental leave.
Disability insurance.
Life insurance.
Paid time off for vacation or illness.
Annual discretionary bonus based on a percentage of base salary or commission, according to the plan.
Professional development and competitive compensation.