Vice President of Business Development

Empower AI•Reston, VA

About The Position

The Vice President, Business Development – Federal Civilian is a senior growth leader responsible for expanding Empower AI’s presence across the Federal Civilian market, particularly DHS and its components USCIS and CBP, the Department of State, and other strategic civilian agencies. The role develops customer relationships and market insight into early opportunity shaping, a sustainable qualified pipeline, and major competitive wins. The Vice President represents Empower AI with senior government customers, industry executives, technology partners, and strategic teammates, and works closely with capture, solution, proposal, delivery, pricing, finance, contracts, and operational teams. As a member of the senior Growth leadership team, the Vice President contributes to Federal Civilian strategy, strategic partnerships, market presence, and long-term growth, with personal accountability for measurable results. The position calls for executive-level account leadership, sound business judgment, collaboration across the enterprise, and the ability to translate customer priorities into differentiated solutions and growth strategies. A bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and at least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in Federal business development or a related growth function are required. The position includes regular verbal and written communication, intermittent physical activity, prolonged sitting, and minimal travel by car or plane. Travel may require handling luggage and work materials weighing up to 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made for individuals with disabilities.

Requirements

Demonstrated success in senior-level business development, sales, capture, account management, or client relationship leadership in the Federal Government market.
Extensive Federal Civilian market knowledge and experience supporting DHS, USCIS, CBP, the Department of State, or other large Federal Civilian organizations.
Strong, current professional relationships across the Federal Civilian community, including government executives, mission and technology leaders, acquisition professionals, industry executives, and strategic partners.
Ability to establish credibility with senior customers and build trusted relationships that lead to customer insight and long-term business opportunities.
Proven ability to develop new business from early market identification through qualification, shaping, capture, proposal, and award.
Demonstrated ability to identify and shape large, complex Federal opportunities before solicitation release.
Experience developing and executing strategic account plans and turning customer priorities into actionable growth strategies.
Experience managing a substantial Federal opportunity pipeline and meeting bookings, revenue, or sales objectives.
Experience leading or materially contributing to the pursuit and award of large Federal contracts, including opportunities valued at $50 million or greater.
Strong understanding of the Federal acquisition lifecycle, competitive procurement, IDIQ and BPA contracting models, task-order competitions, and governmentwide and agency-specific contract vehicles.
Experience working across business development, capture, proposals, solutions, pricing, contracts, finance, and operations on integrated pursuit strategies.
Ability to understand complex technology and mission challenges and communicate the company’s value proposition to technical and executive audiences.
Strong business judgment and ability to distinguish meaningful progress toward a competitive win from activity.
Ability to develop differentiated approaches to customer engagement, opportunity shaping, competitive positioning, and strategic teaming.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including communication with senior government officials, executives, partners, and internal leadership.
Executive presence and ability to represent Empower AI professionally in high-level customer, partner, and industry engagements.
Ability to work collaboratively while maintaining personal accountability for results.
Ability to manage multiple strategic priorities and opportunities in a fast-paced growth environment.
High initiative, intellectual curiosity, competitive drive, integrity, and commitment to customer mission success.
Experience using CRM, pipeline management, and forecasting platforms.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Information Technology, Engineering, Public Administration, or a related discipline; relevant professional experience may be considered in accordance with company policy.
At least 15 years of progressively responsible experience in Federal business development, sales, capture, client relationship management, account leadership, or a related growth function.
Significant experience supporting the Federal Civilian market, with demonstrated knowledge of DHS and its components, the Department of State, or other major Federal Civilian agencies.
Demonstrated history of building senior customer relationships and converting them into sustainable account growth.
Demonstrated record of developing, shaping, pursuing, and winning complex Federal technology and professional services opportunities.
Experience in a senior leadership role with responsibility for major accounts, market segments, revenue or bookings objectives, or strategic Federal pursuits.
Ability to communicate verbally and respond to verbal communications in person and by phone, and to communicate clearly in writing, primarily using a keyboard.
Ability to engage in intermittent physical activity, including bending, reaching, lifting, filing, and prolonged sitting.
Ability to travel minimally by car or plane and manage luggage, a laptop, and briefing materials weighing up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ServiceNow or comparable growth management tools.
Active participation and leadership in Federal technology, government-industry, or professional associations.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute growth and account strategies for assigned Federal Civilian markets, especially DHS and its components, the Department of State, and other priority agencies.
Lead business development and account engagement with government executives, mission leaders, program offices, acquisition organizations, and other stakeholders.
Build trusted customer relationships and use them to understand mission priorities, technology challenges, acquisition strategies, funding priorities, and emerging requirements.
Build, manage, and mature a qualified pipeline supporting annual and long-range bookings and revenue objectives.
Identify, qualify, shape, and advance strategic opportunities, including pursuits valued at $50 million or more.
Engage customers before formal solicitations to understand desired mission outcomes and position differentiated solutions.
Develop and maintain executive-level account plans covering customer priorities, relationships, competition, incumbents, acquisition pathways, contract vehicles, partners, and growth actions.
Support qualified opportunities through formal capture, maintaining customer and competitive intelligence throughout the pursuit lifecycle.
Partner with capture, solution, proposal, pricing, finance, contracts, and operations teams to develop integrated win strategies and customer-focused solutions.
Participate in strategic captures, solution development, competitive assessments, teaming decisions, pricing discussions, reviews, and oral presentation preparation.
Develop strategic relationships with large and mid-tier businesses, small businesses, technology companies, OEMs, and other industry partners.
Create teaming and go-to-market strategies that expand access to customers, contract vehicles, capabilities, and markets.
Monitor incumbents, competitors, customer perceptions, contract vehicles, acquisition trends, and competitor strengths and vulnerabilities.
Represent Empower AI at customer meetings, conferences, government forums, association events, and partner engagements.
Maintain a professional network across Federal Civilian and government technology communities.
Provide executive leadership with accurate assessments of account strategy, relationships, opportunities, competition, pipeline, forecasts, probability of win, and risks.
Maintain accurate opportunity information in CRM and growth management systems and comply with company growth processes.
Assess pipeline quality and recommend where Empower AI should invest, compete, partner, or disengage.
Collaborate with delivery executives and program leaders to identify customer expansion opportunities and use successful performance to support growth.
Connect customer needs with Empower AI capabilities, talent, past performance, intellectual property, partnerships, and emerging technologies.
Contribute customer intelligence, market observations, lessons learned, and investment recommendations to corporate growth strategy and market planning.
Mentor and support other Growth organization members by sharing customer knowledge, relationships, market intelligence, and business development practices.
Demonstrate the executive presence, integrity, judgment, collaboration, accountability, and commitment to winning expected of a senior leader.