Defense Sales Director — Uncapped Commission & Equity

Sitreps2steercos; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental benefits

401(k) plan

Commuting benefits

Office in Washington, DC / Northern VA

Job summary

Early-Stage Defense Tech Software is seeking a Director of Defense Sales to own the direct sales motion in a founding, customer-facing capacity. You will engage operators and staffs, run demos, shape requirements, and close deals with units, commands, and program offices.

Join a fast-moving, early-stage defense tech company building AI software for warfighters. This in-person role in the Rosslyn/DC area offers base compensation from $150,000 to $165,000 plus uncapped commission and equity, with

Qualifications

• Prior military service inside a DoW organization.
• A track record of originating and closing government business, with specific deals you can point to and describe.
• A live network across DoW operational units, staffs, or program offices that you can activate in your first 30 days.
• Working fluency in defense contracting pathways (OTAs, CSOs, IDIQs, consortium structures) and the ability to pick the right one under time pressure.
• Comfort demoing software yourself, without an engineer in the room.
• High tolerance for ambiguity and a bias toward action in an early-stage environment.
• Willingness to travel up to 40% to be in front of customers.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Direct Sales. Own new business from first contact through award. Prospect, qualify, demo, and close across services, combatant commands, and operational units.
• Field Engagement. Get in the room. Work exercises, industry days, wargames, and conferences to generate qualified demand and build durable operator relationships.
• Deal Execution. Drive opportunities through the fastest available contracting pathway, including O&M sales, CSOs, OTAs, consortium vehicles, and simplified acquisitions.
• Pipeline Discipline. Maintain an accurate, current pipeline. Forecast honestly, kill dead deals early, and communicate what engineering needs to know and when.
• Voice of the Customer. Translate operator problems into clear product feedback, and translate capabilities into language a staff officer or contracting officer can act on.

Skills

Defense sales

Customer engagement

Executive communication

Job description

Early-Stage Defense Tech Software is seeking a Director of Defense Sales to own the direct sales motion in a founding, customer-facing capacity. You will engage operators and staffs, run demos, shape requirements, and close deals with units, commands, and program offices.

Join a fast-moving, early-stage defense tech company building AI software for warfighters. This in-person role in the Rosslyn/DC area offers base compensation from $150,000 to $165,000 plus uncapped commission and equity, with