A Director of Business Development is a highly specialized Business Development Manager. Plans and directs sale of products or services to customers. Coordinates sales distribution. Establishes sales territories, quotas and/or goals for staff, and provides training for sales representatives. Analyzes sales data to monitor customer preferences and develops strategies for increasing sales.
Business Development Lead - Defense Industry U.S.A. Citizenship is required for this position Kenai Defense is a defense tech company serving the U.S. military and its allies. We are a small, technically deep team that moves at the speed of the mission rather than the speed of the traditional acquisition cycle. This role exists to turn that work into funded programs and new revenue.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Business development at Kenai means identifying, shaping, capturing, and growing new opportunities across our portfolio. You will own that work for our R&D and applied technology programs.
You will sit between the customer and the lab. That means understanding the operator's problem well enough to explain it to a research scientist, and understanding the technology well enough to explain it to a program office. You will be the first Kenai employee many customers meet, and the person our technical team relies on to tell them what the customer actually needs.
WHAT YOU'LL
DOGenerate and capture business opportunities. Y ou are ultimately responsible for growing revenue. That comes from a deep understanding of the existing and prospective customer base, current and planned programmatic and technical roadmaps, and the competitive landscape. That expertise will shape capture strategy, revenue forecasts, and technology development plans. Tactically, you will manage continuous engagement with current and future customers, build growth strategies, and track buying cycles and funding lines for opportunities. Own the pipeline end to end. From opportunity identification through solicitation response and award. This includes shaping requirements early, positioning Kenai ahead of full-and-open competition where possible, running proposal efforts, and applying clear gates and kill criteria so the company spends its time on winnable pursuits. Cultivate and foster partner relationships. As Kenai expands, we are investing in the partnerships and teaming arrangements that support growth. You will proactively manage B2B relationships, negotiate teaming and partnership agreements alongside company leadership, and drive capture in conjunction with partners — including primes, government labs, universities, and manufacturing partners. Grow existing business. You will partner with our technical and executive teams to expand work with current customers. That means more than growing the current scope: it means using established relationships to open new areas of work and new mission applications. Communicate our value to customers. You are the company's voice in front of customers, partners, and industry. You will brief program offices, represent us at industry days and conferences, and write the language that carries into white papers and proposals. The job is to make a technical differentiator land as a mission outcome, in words a program manager can repeat to their boss without you in the room. Inform product development. Because you will often be the first Kenai employee to engage a customer, you are charged with translating their problem set back to our engineering and research organization. The team must trust your judgment and your assessment of the required mission outcome as you interpret and convey customer needs. Internally, you will provide the clarity that informs priorities, keep stakeholders informed, define key milestones, and communicate proactively across the company. Your assessment of customer needs will inform new product decisions, and your ongoing engagement will yield the input that keeps our portfolio best-in-class.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS U.S.
citizenship required. Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. Substantial business development, capture, or program management experience in the defense or government sector, with a demonstrated record of winning and growing government contracts. Title and scope will be set to match the experience of the right candidate. Working knowledge of U.S. government contract structures and acquisition pathways, including SBIR/STTR, OTAs, IDIQs, and BAAs. Established relationships within DoD, national labs, and/or the broader defense industrial base. Ability to travel 10-25%.
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Experience with complex systems involving hardware, materials, and software. Experience with government business development, government contract structures, and government proposal processes a plus. Experience managing complex technical government projects a plus. Prior military service or time in a government program office a plus. Comfortable setting and achieving goals in a complex, ambiguous environment. Bachelor degree required. Graduate degree a plus. STEM degree a plus.
Job Type:
Full-time Pay:
$100,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year
Benefits:
401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance Application Question(s): Are you a citizen of the United States of America (U.S.A. citizenship is required for this position)? Do you have a criminal record? Do you have a bachelor's degree in engineering, materials science, or a related field? Do you have experience working with the Department of Defense?
Education:
Bachelor's (Required)
Experience:
Business Development:
2 years (Required)
Language:
English (Required) Ability to
Relocate:
Woods Cross, UT 84087: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)
