Director of Business Development

Description Compensation Structure: The posted compensation ranges reflect total target annual compensation for the applicable work location and consist of a blend of base salary and potential performance-based bonuses. Bonus eligibility may be based on the employee’s direct and documented contribution to opportunity identification, capture activities, proposal development or support, and resulting government contract awards. Eligibility, performance measures, allocation of credit, award amounts, payment timing, and all other conditions will be governed by a separate company-approved incentive compensation plan and approved by company management. Because bonuses are performance-based and discretionary, actual total compensation may vary, and participation in business development or proposal activities does not guarantee a bonus payment. Position Summary The Director of Business Development serves as a senior member of the growth organization responsible for identifying, qualifying, shaping, capturing, and supporting the pursuit of federal government opportunities. This position leads business development activities across the federal market with a primary emphasis on the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of the Navy, and related federal agencies. The successful candidate will drive growth through strategic customer engagement, capture management, pipeline development, teaming and partner relationships, market intelligence, competitive positioning, and proposal support. As part of a small and rapidly growing company, the Director of Business Development is expected to be hands-on and actively participate in all phases of the business development lifecycle, from market research and opportunity identification through contract award and customer relationship management. This role requires a self-starter who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment and is comfortable wearing multiple hats while helping scale the organization's growth infrastructure and market presence. Key Responsibilities Business Development Strategy & Pipeline Management · Develop and execute business development strategies aligned with corporate growth objectives. · Build and maintain a qualified federal opportunity pipeline across DoD, Navy, Federal Civilian, and Intelligence Community markets. · Identify and qualify new business opportunities through market research, agency engagement, partner networking, procurement forecasting, and industry intelligence. · Monitor GovWin, SAM.gov, eBuy, agency forecasts, and other procurement sources for opportunities. · Conduct bid/no-bid assessments and provide recommendations to executive leadership. · Oversee the Business Development Analyst to maintain accurate opportunity tracking and forecasting within customer relationship management (CRM) and pipeline management tools. · Support development of annual growth, revenue, and pipeline targets. Capture Management · Lead capture activities from qualification through proposal submission and award. · Develop and execute capture plans, account plans, call plans, and win strategies. · Conduct competitive intelligence and competitor assessments. · Identify customer pain points, mission requirements, acquisition strategies, and procurement timelines. · Develop win themes, discriminators, and value propositions. · Coordinate internal capture teams and facilitate milestone reviews throughout the pursuit lifecycle. · Lead transition activities between capture and proposal phases. · Increase Probability of Win (PWin) through active shaping and customer engagement. Customer Engagement & Account Management · Establish and maintain trusted relationships with government decision-makers and executives, program managers, contracting officers, small business specialists, and acquisition personnel. · Plan and execute customer meetings, capability briefings, and strategic engagements. · Gather and validate customer intelligence supporting pursuit decisions. · Analyze agency priorities, budgets, acquisition trends, and procurement forecasts. · Develop and manage account plans for key strategic customers. · Position company capabilities to align with agency missions and strategic priorities. · Conduct market analysis for potential company expansion and investments. · Represent the company at industry days, conferences, trade shows, and professional associations. · Provide executive leadership with growth intelligence and strategic recommendations. Partner & Teaming Development · Identify, evaluate, and establish strategic partnerships to enhance competitive positioning. · Lead teaming discussions, Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Teaming Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), and subcontracting relationships. · Foster relationships with large and small business partners. · Support mentor-protégé initiatives and strategic alliance development. · Expand industry partner networks to enable pursuit of larger and more complex opportunities. Proposal Development Support · Collaborate with proposal managers and technical teams during proposal development. · Support development of executive summaries, win themes, management approaches, and solution strategies. · Participate in color team reviews and proposal strategy sessions. · Ensure proposal solutions align with customer requirements and capture strategies. · Review Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Information (RFIs), Sources Sought notices, and market research notices. · Contribute to compliance reviews and proposal readiness activities. Internal Leadership & Growth Operations · Develop scalable business development, capture, and account management processes. · Mentor junior business development staff and growth team members. · Assist in development of strategic planning, annual operating plans, and growth reviews. · Serve as a growth ambassador for the company across the federal marketplace. Requirements Required Qualifications · Bachelor's degree in business, Marketing, Communications, Public Administration, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field. · Minimum seven years of federal government business development, capture management, or growth experience supporting federal contracting organizations. · Demonstrated success identifying, qualifying, and advancing new business opportunities through the federal acquisition lifecycle. · Experience supporting or leading capture efforts on opportunities ranging from task orders to large Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts. · Strong understanding of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), federal procurement processes, Department of Defense acquisition lifecycle, contract vehicles and Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs), and competitive federal marketplace dynamics. · Experience developing customer relationships within federal agencies. · Experience supporting proposal development and capture-to-proposal transitions. · Shipley Associates Business Development and Capture training. · Working knowledge of CRM and pipeline management systems such as Salesforce, GovWin, NextStage, or equivalent. · Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills. · Ability to travel up to 25%. Preferred Qualifications · Department of the Navy experience strongly preferred. · Existing relationships within Navy, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Fleet organizations, Program Executive Offices (PEOs), Program Management Warfare Offices (PMWs), Systems Commands (SYSCOMs), or supporting acquisition commands. · Prior military service, particularly Navy service. · Experience supporting small business federal contractors. · Experience working in a Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB), Small Business, Historically Underutilized Business Zone