Director, National Security Programs & P&L

Advantage Technical; Virginia (MN); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Advantage Technical seeks an accomplished Director, National Security Programs & P&L to lead a high-visibility portfolio supporting critical U.S. Government missions.

This executive will own the portfolio's financial performance, program execution, customer relationships, and strategic growth, coordinating across functions to drive growth and develop talent while positioning the organization for expansion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Military Science, Technology, or a related discipline.
• Master's degree preferred for senior leadership.
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in defense, intelligence, homeland security, or related federal markets.

Responsibilities

• Own full profit and loss responsibility for a government technology and services portfolio.
• Manage revenue, profitability, budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance.
• Establish portfolio objectives aligned with organizational growth strategies.
• Lead and mentor program managers responsible for contracts and projects.
• Identify risks and develop mitigation strategies across cost, schedule, staffing, and technical performance.

Skills

P&L ownership

Executive leadership

Defense program leadership

Strategic growth

Customer relationships

Operational excellence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Business

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Director, National Security Programs & P&L

Position Overview

A growing defense and national security technology organization is seeking an accomplished Director, National Security Programs & P&L to lead a high-visibility portfolio supporting critical U.S. Government missions.

This executive will have full responsibility for the portfolio's financial performance, program execution, customer relationships, and strategic growth. The portfolio includes mature operational programs, advanced technology initiatives, and emerging mission solutions supporting defense, homeland security, and allied customers.

The successful candidate will combine strong operational leadership with an entrepreneurial mindset—effectively running the portfolio as a business within the business. This individual will be expected to drive growth, improve performance, develop talent, strengthen customer relationships, and position the organization for significant expansion.

Candidates should demonstrate strong executive presence while maintaining a leadership style characterized by humility, resilience, curiosity, accountability, and a bias toward action.

Key Responsibilities

P&L & Business Leadership

• Own full profit and loss responsibility for a significant government technology and services portfolio.
• Manage revenue, profitability, operating margin, forecasting, budgeting, resource allocation, and financial performance.
• Establish annual and long-term portfolio objectives aligned with organizational growth strategies.
• Review financial and operational performance and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Balance investments across established programs, technology-development initiatives, and new-growth opportunities.
• Operate the portfolio with an entrepreneurial mindset focused on scalability, customer value, and profitable growth.
• Provide executive oversight for multiple programs supporting national security and homeland-defense missions.
• Ensure programs meet contractual, financial, technical, schedule, quality, and customer-performance expectations.
• Lead and mentor program managers responsible for individual contracts and projects.
• Identify portfolio risks and develop mitigation strategies involving cost, schedule, staffing, technical performance, and customer requirements.
• Establish operational metrics and performance-management practices across the portfolio.
• Drive continuous improvement and operational excellence across geographically dispersed programs.

Mission Areas

The portfolio may include programs involving:

• Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems
• Counter-IED and threat-detection technologies
• Force Protection
• Border and Homeland Security
• Integrated Sensor Systems
• Autonomous Systems
• Electronic Warfare
• Robotics
• AI-enabled sensing and analytics
• Advanced defense technologies
• Build and maintain strong executive-level relationships with senior government and military customers.
• Serve as a trusted business and mission partner to customer leadership.
• Maintain regular engagement with organizations supporting the U.S. Army, Department of Homeland Security, Combatant Commands, and other defense and national-security organizations.
• Understand evolving customer requirements, mission priorities, acquisition strategies, and funding environments.
• Represent the organization during executive customer meetings, strategic reviews, conferences, industry events, and partner engagements.

Business Development & Growth

• Develop and execute a strategic growth plan for the assigned portfolio.
• Partner with Business Development, Capture, Contracts, Finance, Engineering, and Operations teams to identify and pursue new opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to expand existing contracts, programs, and customer relationships.
• Participate in capture strategy, competitive positioning, solution development, teaming strategy, and proposal reviews.
• Support major contract pursuits from opportunity identification through award and execution.
• Build opportunity pipelines capable of generating meaningful organic growth.
• Establish strategic relationships with industry partners, technology companies, subcontractors, and government stakeholders.
• Work with Engineering and technical leadership to translate emerging technologies into operational solutions.
• Support integration of technologies such as:
• AI and machine learning
• Advanced sensing
• Robotics
• Electronic warfare
• Data analytics
• Integrated communications
• Evaluate emerging technologies for potential application to customer mission requirements.
• Help transition research and prototype technologies into deployable operational capabilities.

Organizational Leadership

• Lead multidisciplinary organizations consisting of Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Contracts, Finance, Business Development, and technical personnel.
• Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain high-performing leaders and technical professionals.
• Establish succession plans and develop future portfolio and program leaders.
• Promote collaboration across functional organizations.
• Establish clear accountability for financial, customer, technical, and operational results.
• Build a culture focused on mission success, customer satisfaction, innovation, and execution excellence.

Government Contracting & Compliance

• Ensure portfolio operations comply with federal contracting requirements, organizational policies, security requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Partner closely with Contracts, Finance, Security, Legal, and Compliance teams.
• Maintain appropriate oversight of program risk, contract performance, security requirements, and customer commitments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Military Science, Technology, or a related discipline.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience supporting defense, intelligence, homeland security, or related federal markets.
• Demonstrated responsibility for a $50M+ government services, engineering, or technology portfolio.
• Proven P&L ownership, including revenue, profitability, budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance.
• Strong experience leading multiple government programs and program managers.
• Demonstrated success growing federal business through capture, proposal development, contract expansion, and new business awards.
• Experience supporting customers within the U.S. Army and Department of Homeland Security, with additional experience supporting Combatant Commands or related defense organizations highly valued.
• Strong understanding of one or more mission areas involving:
• Counter-UAS
• Counter-IED
• Force Protection
• ISR
• Border Security
• Integrated Sensor Systems
• Strong understanding of the federal acquisition and government-contracting environment.
• Experience leading geographically dispersed organizations.
• Excellent executive communication, negotiation, presentation, and customer-relationship skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI-level security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Established relationships across organizations such as:
• U.S. Army acquisition and modernization organizations
• Army Futures Command
• DEVCOM
• Army Research Laboratory
• Department of Homeland Security components
• Customs and Border Protection
• U.S. Coast Guard
• USSOCOM
• U.S. Air Force acquisition or security organizations
• Joint Staff organizations
• Experience supporting CENTCOM or other Combatant Commands.
• Experience leading programs involving emerging defense technologies.
• Experience transitioning research, prototypes, and developmental systems into operational programs.
• Successful record of leading organizations through rapid growth, transformation, acquisition integration, or portfolio expansion.
• Existing relationships with government customers, industry partners, and defense technology organizations.

Leadership Profile

• Strategic Vision
• Executive Presence
• Customer-Centric Leadership
• Operational Excellence
• Business Development Orientation
• Sound Judgment
• Accountability
• Talent Development
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Resilience and Adaptability
• High Ethical Standards

Location & Travel

Preference will be given to candidates located in the Washington, D.C. / Northern Virginia / Maryland region who can regularly support activities in Northern Virginia.

Exceptional candidates located outside the DMV area may be considered for a remote arrangement provided they are able to travel regularly to Northern Virginia and customer locations.

Approximately 25–30% travel should be expected for customer engagement, program reviews, business development activities, industry events, and portfolio oversight.