Vice President of Business Development

Empower AI Inc.•Reston, VA

2d•$200,180 - $330,100

About The Position

The Vice President, Business Development – Federal Civilian is a senior growth leader responsible for developing and executing strategies to expand Empower AI’s presence across the Federal Civilian market, particularly DHS and its components (including USCIS and CBP), the Department of State, and other strategic civilian agencies. The role represents Empower AI with senior government customers, industry executives, technology partners, and strategic teammates, using customer relationships, market insight, business development expertise, and capture experience to identify and shape opportunities, build a qualified pipeline, and drive competitive wins. As a member of the senior Growth leadership team, the Vice President contributes to Empower AI’s Federal Civilian strategy, market presence, strategic partnerships, and long-term growth. The position requires executive-level account leadership and collaboration with capture, solution, proposal, delivery, pricing, finance, contracts, and operations teams to create differentiated customer-focused approaches and achieve measurable growth.

Requirements

Demonstrated success in senior-level business development, sales, capture, account management, or client relationship leadership within the Federal Government market.
Extensive knowledge of the Federal Civilian market 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 authentic, trusted relationships that support customer understanding and long-term business opportunities.
Experience developing new business from early market identification through qualification, shaping, capture, proposal, and award.
Ability to identify and shape large, complex Federal opportunities before formal solicitation.
Experience developing and executing strategic account plans and translating 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 models, task-order competitions, and governmentwide and agency-specific contract vehicles.
Experience working across business development, capture, proposals, solutions, pricing, contracts, finance, and operations to develop integrated pursuit strategies.
Ability to understand complex technology and mission challenges and communicate Empower AI’s value proposition to technical and executive audiences.
Strong business judgment and ability to distinguish activity from meaningful progress toward a competitive win.
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, corporate executives, partners, and internal leadership.
Strong executive presence and ability to represent Empower AI professionally in high-level customer, partner, and industry engagements.
Ability to collaborate effectively 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 required; relevant professional experience may be considered in accordance with company policy.
Minimum of 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 developing 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 capacity with responsibility for major accounts, market segments, revenue or bookings objectives, or strategic Federal pursuits.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ServiceNow or comparable growth management tools.
Active participation and leadership within 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 civilian agencies.
Lead business development and account activity for assigned customers, engaging government executives, mission leaders, program offices, acquisition organizations, and other stakeholders.
Build trusted customer relationships and develop insight into mission priorities, technology challenges, acquisition strategies, funding priorities, and emerging requirements.
Build, manage, and mature a qualified pipeline in support of annual and long-range bookings and revenue objectives.
Identify, qualify, shape, and advance strategic opportunities, including pursuits valued at $50 million or more and opportunities aligned with Empower AI’s capabilities.
Engage customers before formal solicitations to understand mission outcomes and position differentiated solutions.
Develop executive-level account plans covering customer priorities, relationships, competition, acquisition pathways, contract vehicles, partners, and growth actions.
Lead the transition of qualified opportunities into formal capture and remain involved throughout the pursuit lifecycle.
Partner with capture, solution, proposal, pricing, finance, contracts, and operational teams to develop integrated win strategies and customer-focused solutions.
Participate in strategic captures, solution development, competitive assessments, teaming decisions, pricing discussions, gate reviews, color-team reviews, and oral presentation preparation.
Develop and maintain 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 customer access, contract vehicle access, capabilities, and market reach.
Track competitors, incumbents, customer perceptions, contract vehicles, acquisition trends, and competitor strengths and vulnerabilities.
Use market intelligence, customer engagement, industry relationships, and competitive analysis to identify emerging opportunities.
Represent Empower AI at customer meetings, conferences, government forums, association events, partner engagements, and other strategic activities.
Maintain a professional network across Federal Civilian and government technology communities and use it to improve market and customer understanding.
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.
Ensure opportunities follow Empower AI growth processes, including qualification, gate reviews, capture planning, competitive assessments, solution development, investment decisions, and pricing strategy.
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 build on successful performance.
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 Growth organization colleagues 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.