Business Development Leader – Defense Agencies

IBM

Boston (MA)

Hybrid

USD 151,000 - 281,000

Full time

13 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Training resources

Diversity and inclusion programs

Job summary

IBM Consulting seeks a Business Development Leader focused on Defense Agencies to drive mission-focused value propositions and lead strategic engagements with senior government leaders. You will collaborate across IBM units and trusted partners to shape differentiated defense solutions aligned to priorities and outcomes.

Responsibilities include developing innovative solutions across analytics, AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and logistics, while expanding relationships within the defense community

Qualifications

Ability to develop mission-aligned solutions for Defense Agencies and Combatant Commands.
Experience engaging senior military and civilian leaders to identify opportunities for high-value solutions.
Proven collaboration across IBM units and partners to shape differentiated value propositions.
Strong understanding of defense mission priorities and acquisition pathways.
Ability to build and sustain long-term relationships for growth and partnership.

Responsibilities

Drive Mission-Focused Value Propositions across Defense Agencies and Combatant Commands.
Engage senior Defense leadership to understand mission needs and opportunities for impact.
Collaborate across IBM Consulting, IBM Technology, IBM Research and industry partners.
Shape mission solutions incorporating analytics, AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and logistics.
Advance client relationships to identify new mission areas and long-term growth.

Skills

Mission-focused value propositions

Senior defense engagement

Cross-unit collaboration

Strategic solution design

Relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

A career in IBM Consulting is built on long-term client relationships and close collaboration worldwide. You’ll work with leading companies across industries, helping them shape their hybrid cloud and AI journeys. With support from our strategic partners, robust IBM technology, and Red Hat, you’ll have the tools to drive meaningful change and accelerate client impact. At IBM Consulting, curiosity fuels success. You’ll be encouraged to challenge the norm, explore new ideas, and create innovative solutions that deliver real results. Our culture of growth and empathy focuses on your long-term career development while valuing your unique skills and experiences.

Your role and responsibilities

As a Business Development Leader supporting Defense Agencies and Combatant Commands within IBM Federal Defense and Intelligence, you will drive a growth mindset and lead the origination and advancement of mission-focused, transformational value propositions for our national security customers. You will engage senior government stakeholders, including Flag/General Officers and SES-level leaders, while collaborating across IBM Consulting, IBM Technology, and trusted alliance partners to shape differentiated solutions aligned to defense priorities and mission outcomes.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

Drive Mission-Focused Value Propositions: Develop and advance innovative, integrated solutions that leverage IBM’s full defense portfolio to address critical challenges across Defense Agencies and Combatant Commands.
Engage Senior Defense Leadership: Build trusted relationships with senior civilian and military leaders, gaining deep understanding of their mission needs and identifying opportunities where IBM can deliver measurable mission impact.
Collaborate Across IBM and Partners: Work closely with IBM Consulting, IBM Technology, IBM Research, and key industry partners to architect and deliver differentiated, end‑to‑end solutions tailored to defense missions.
Shape Mission Solutions: Design and refine client-specific solutions that support strategic defense priorities, incorporating advanced analytics, AI, cybersecurity, cloud, logistics, and other relevant capabilities.
Advance Client Relationships: Expand and deepen relationships within Defense Agencies and Combatant Commands, identifying new mission areas where IBM can support emerging requirements and long‑term growth.

Required education

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred education

Master's Degree

Required technical and professional expertise

Deep Expertise in Transformational Value Propositions: Proven ability to develop and advance innovative, mission‑aligned solutions for Defense Agencies and Combatant Commands, driving significant operational and organizational impact.
Experience with Senior‑Level Defense Engagement: Established track record of fostering strong relationships with senior military and civilian leaders, understanding strategic and mission requirements, and identifying opportunities to deliver high‑value solutions.
Cross‑Unit and Cross‑Partner Collaboration: Demonstrated experience working collaboratively within complex organizations and alongside key industry partners to shape and deliver differentiated value propositions that address defense mission needs.
Strategic Solution Design and Development: Deep understanding of how to design and develop tailored solutions that meet the unique operational, technical, and mission challenges of Defense Agencies and Combatant Commands.
Strategic Relationship Management: Proven ability to build, strengthen, and sustain long‑term relationships within the defense community, driving growth and identifying new opportunities for partnership and mission support.

Preferred technical and professional experience

Partnership Ecosystem Knowledge: Experience working with key defense‑focused industry partners and integrators to shape and deliver differentiated solutions that combine complementary capabilities in support of mission requirements.
Defense Industry and Mission Insights: Deep understanding of defense sector trends, mission priorities, acquisition pathways, and organizational dynamics, enabling the development of innovative solutions that deliver measurable mission impact.
Digital Transformation and Modernization Acumen: Experience driving digital modernization initiatives for defense clients, leveraging emerging technologies to address complex mission challenges and deliver high‑value, mission‑aligned outcomes.
Federal Security Clearance

ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT

IBM Consulting is IBM’s consulting and global professional services business, with market leading capabilities in business and technology transformation. With deep expertise in many industries, we offer strategy, experience, technology, and operations services to many of the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. Our people are focused on accelerating our clients’ businesses through the power of collaboration. We believe in the power of technology responsibly used to help people, partners and the planet.

YOUR LIFE @ IBM

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on‑going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can‑do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

ABOUT IBM

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM is proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to:

Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well being
Financial programs such as 401(k), cash balance pension plan, the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long‑term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance based salary incentive programs
Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law
Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry‑recognized certifications to achieve their career goals
Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 21 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full‑time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job‑related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro‑rated for those who start working during the calendar year.

This position is eligible for participation in an IBM Sales Incentive plan. Actual incentive opportunity will be based on performance and the eligible Target Incentive, as addressed in the applicable plan, all of which is subject to change. The compensation range listed for this position is the IBM Reference Salary that is used when you are not actively participating in a sales plan. Your actual base pay plus incentive opportunity will be determined by the Incentive Plan assigned to you.

Job Title

Business Development Leader – Defense Agencies

Date posted

24-Aug-2026

Job ID

115549

City / Township / Village

Annapolis Junction, Chantilly, WASHINGTON, Reston, McLean, Herndon, Bethesda

State / Province

Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia

Country

United States