Director, Business Development, DZMG - Fuzing and Precision Products

Day & Zimmermann; United States; On-site; USD 132,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

Day & Zimmermann DZMG seeks a Director of Business Development to lead growth in Fuzing and Precision Products, including EFI, LEIFI, and related electronic components. Build strategic relationships with US defense and government customers, shape opportunities, and guide capture from identification through award and transition to execution.

You will lead cross-functional teams with Engineering, Operations, Finance, Contracts, and must maintain a profitable opportunity pipeline while traveling to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in related field (business, marketing, engineering, defense, munitions, or equivalent).
• 10+ years progressive BD/capture experience in defense or government contractor environments.
• Experience leading cross-functional pursuit teams and executing complex opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Develop market and customer relationships across DZMG lines of effort.
• Source, shape, qualify, and manage opportunities through disclosure, capture, and proposal.
• Lead cross-functional pursuit teams through win strategy, pricing, proposal, and award.

Skills

Defense market knowledge

BD lifecycle

Strategic analysis

Written and verbal communication

Business acumen

Leadership and influence

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

About Day And Zimmermann

At our Day & Zimmermann Munitions Plants, we know the stakes and We do what we say! ® We’re the team working behind the scenes to make sure our nation’s front lines have safe, high-quality ammunition. As a trusted premier manufacturer of ammunition to the U.S. Military, some of our capabilities range from production of direct and indirect fire, components, to special projects and beyond. With more than 120 years of experience behind us, it’s no surprise that our teams consistently exceed expectations! Come join in on our purpose – We put people to work, we protect American freedoms, and we help our customers power and improve the world! https://dayzim.com

Job Summary

The Director, Business Development, DZMG leads growth across assigned Day & Zimmermann Munitions markets, with primary responsibility for Fuzing and Precision Products, including Exploding Foil Initiator (EFI), Low Energy Exploding Foil Initiator (LEEFI), Electronic Safe and Arm Devices, and associated electronic components. The Director develops strategic customer and industry relationships, identifies and shapes opportunities, leads capture and proposal activities, and transitions awarded work to execution. The role owns the business development lifecycle for significant and complex opportunities from market and opportunity identification through qualification, capture, proposal, award, and transition to execution. The Director develops strategic relationships across U.S. defense and government markets, commercial prime Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and other defense industry partners to understand customer missions, emerging requirements, acquisition and funding priorities, technology needs, and competitive dynamics. The role identifies and develops opportunities to position and integrate DZMG technologies into new and existing defense platforms, unmanned and autonomous systems, precision applications, and other emerging and adjacent markets aligned with DZMG capabilities. The role strengthens disciplined pursuit practices by aligning customer needs, market intelligence, product and program capabilities, technical requirements, competitive positioning, and cross-functional execution teams. The Director is accountable for building and maintaining a qualified opportunity pipeline, achieving profitable bookings and sustainable revenue growth objectives, improving competitive position and probability of win, increasing opportunity conversion, expanding customer and market relationships, and identifying new product and platform applications. The Director is also accountable for developing opportunities that are financially attractive, strategically aligned, appropriately risk-adjusted, and executable, maintaining accurate and timely opportunity forecasts, and successfully transitioning awarded business to program and execution teams. The Director leads cross-functional pursuit teams and works extensively with existing programs and program teams, including Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Contracts, Estimating, Supply Chain, Quality, and executive leadership, to develop differentiated, competitive, financially sound, and executable customer solutions. This collaboration requires a strong understanding of product capabilities, production requirements, technical considerations, costs, risks, pricing, customer commitments, and execution requirements to ensure that DZMG pursues opportunities that support both growth and profitability. This position requires frequent travel to Day & Zimmermann Munitions plants and operating locations, customer and partner locations, and industry events and other business-development activities. Success requires a strong external customer orientation combined with hands-on internal engagement and the ability to translate customer and market requirements into qualified pipeline, profitable bookings, sustainable revenue growth, appropriate financial returns, and executable programs.

Responsibilities

• Develop market and customer relationships across assigned DZMG lines of effort, including core munitions, Counter-UAS/UAS, loitering munitions, warheads, fuzing and precision products, payload components, and associated electronic components. Build trusted relationships with PM Combat Ammunition Systems, PM Maneuver Ammunition Systems, PM Close Combat Systems, Joint Munitions Command, PEO Missiles & Space, Department of War Fuze Integrated Product Team, DEVCOM Armaments Center Army Fuze Management Office, DoW Portfolio Manager for Unmanned & Autonomous Systems, Joint Interagency Task Force 401, Defense Innovation Unit/Drone Dominance Program, Army CPE Aviation – PM UAS, commercial prime OEMs, and other stakeholders to identify mission needs, funding priorities, acquisition strategies, market trends, and competitive dynamics.
• Source, shape, and qualify new business, account expansion, recompete, and adjacent-market opportunities through early customer engagement and disciplined pipeline management. Assess strategic fit, customer need, competitive position, differentiation, financial attractiveness, resource requirements, and probability of win to support pursue/no-pursue decisions.
• Develop and coordinate market-facing responses, including white papers, capability statements, RFIs, Sources Sought responses, industry-day materials, presentations, and other pre-solicitation content. Ensure customer-facing materials accurately position DZMG capabilities and inform customer requirements while supporting competitive differentiation.
• Lead capture, proposal, and award activities for qualified pursuits, including win strategy, solution development, teaming, pricing coordination, proposal development, presentations, negotiations, and final award. Direct cross-functional pursuit teams and maintain opportunity ownership through award to support compliant, competitive, and executable submissions.
• Transition awarded work to program and execution teams by communicating commitments, assumptions, risks, pricing and capture context, and customer expectations. Manage the Manager, Business Development and partner with program teams to strengthen BD practices, pursuit discipline, and organizational growth capability.
• Travel: 50%

KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities)

• Defense munitions market and customer knowledge sufficient to understand Department of War munitions missions, acquisition processes, funding drivers, industry trends, competitive dynamics, and the customer organizations relevant to assigned DZMG lines of effort.
• Business development and capture lifecycle capability sufficient to source, shape, qualify, capture, propose, negotiate, win, and transition complex opportunities ranging from $10M-$500M.
• Strategic and competitive analysis capability sufficient to evaluate market opportunities, assess competitors, identify discriminators, develop value propositions, and recommend disciplined pursuit/no-pursuit decisions.
• Persuasive written and verbal communication capability sufficient to develop white papers, RFIs, Sources Sought responses, proposals, presentations, executive briefings, and other customer-facing business development materials.
• Business and commercial acumen sufficient to consider pricing, contracting approach, financial drivers, risk, profitability, investment tradeoffs, and executable customer commitments when shaping and pursuing opportunities.
• Leadership and influence capability sufficient to manage business development employees, lead cross-functional pursuit teams, engage senior customers and executives, drive accountability, and maintain ownership from opportunity development through execution handoff.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; Business, marketing, engineering, defense, munitions, or related field; equivalent related business development, capture, government customer, or defense industry experience may be considered.
• 10+ years Progressive business development, capture, account management, sales, or related growth experience, including experience in defense, munitions, government agency, or government contractor environments; complex opportunity pursuit/capture from sourcing and qualification through proposal, award, and execution handoff; development of white papers, RFI/Sources Sought responses, proposals, presentations, or other customer-facing BD content; and experience leading cross-functional pursuit teams or business development employees.

Essential Functions

• Visual acuity (e.g., needed to prepare and analyze data, to transcribe documents, to view a computer, to read, to inspect objects, to operate machinery)
• Walking
• Hearing
• Talking
• Capacity to think, concentrate and focus over long periods of time
• Ability to write complex documents in the [English] language
• Ability to read complex documents in [English] language
• Capacity to express thoughts orally (e.g., accurately, quick and loudly convey spoken instructions to workers)
• Capacity to reason and make sound decisions
• Ability to regularly perform all job functions at Company’s office or work site
• Travel: 50%

Compensation And Benefits

In compliance with this state’s pay transparency laws, the wage range for this role is $131,600 - $197,400. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. (The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements). Candidates may be required to satisfy additional job-related requirements, including those established and controlled by third parties, as part of the selection process.

We care about our employees and it shows.

Our staff receive a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical/Rx, dental and vision coverage; life, AD&D and disability insurance; flexible spending accounts; 100% paid maternity leave for up to 12 weeks, parental leave, family leave, other paid time off; voluntary benefits and discount programs to meet our employees’ individual needs including pet insurance for our furry family members!

Diversity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity

Day & Zimmermann is committed to maintaining an inclusive workforce, where employees are hired, retained, compensated and promoted based on their contributions to our Company. Our collective strength is rooted in over a century of diverse employees and businesses, commitment to success, and delivery on promises made. Federal and state Equal Employment Opportunity laws prohibit employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship status, veteran status and disability status. Day & Zimmermann is committed to providing an equal opportunity work environment in full compliance with these laws. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation in the application process, please email [e-mail], and please specify which position you are interested in, including job title and location.