Director of Business Development

InnoForge; California (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity-Based Compensation

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

InnoForge, a fast-scaling space technology company, is seeking a Director of Business Development – Space & National Security to expand its government customers and capture opportunities from initial contact to contract award.

You will build relationships with DoD, Space Force, Air Force and Intelligence Community, shape requirements, and lead capture plans and proposals while coordinating with leadership and external partners.

Qualifications

• Experience with DoD/Space Force/Intelligence Community programs.
• Ability to shape customer requirements, funded programs and contract awards.
• Ability to translate customer needs into inputs for engineering and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Develop relationships across the DoD, Space Force, Air Force and Intelligence Community.
• Identify and qualify new government opportunities aligned with growth strategy.
• Shape opportunities by understanding customer requirements, mission gaps and priorities.
• Build account strategies, engagement plans and capture plans.
• Own opportunities from initial engagement through proposal and contract award.
• Maintain and manage the government BD pipeline with forecasting and prioritisation.
• Coordinate responses to RFIs, RFPs, BAAs, white papers and other solicitations.
• Translate customer feedback into inputs for engineering and leadership.
• Build relationships with primes and industry partners to strengthen capture.
• Represent the company in customer meetings and industry events.

Skills

BD experience

Relationship building

Technical communication

Capture strategies

Proposal support

Understanding government acquisition

Job description

We’re supporting an early‑stage space technology company looking for a Director of Business Development – Space & National Security. They are developing a new approach to how spacecraft and payloads can be deployed and operated in orbit.

The business is working on first‑of‑its‑kind technology designed to give future space architectures greater flexibility, scalability and operational responsiveness, with a particular focus on supporting U.S. national‑security missions.

Following recent government traction, they are looking to add a Director of Business Development to help expand their presence across the U.S. defense and intelligence community.

This is a hands‑on business development and capture role for someone who understands how emerging space technologies move from early customer conversations through requirements shaping, funded programs and ultimately contract award.

You’ll work closely with company leadership, engineering, programs and external partners to identify where the technology can solve priority government mission needs and build a pipeline around those opportunities.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Develop relationships across the Department of Defense, U.S. Space Force, U.S. Air Force and Intelligence Community
• Identify and qualify new government opportunities aligned with the company’s technology and growth strategy
• Shape opportunities early by understanding customer requirements, mission gaps and acquisition priorities
• Build account strategies, customer engagement plans and capture plans
• Own opportunities from initial engagement through proposal and contract award
• Maintain and manage the government BD pipeline, including forecasting and opportunity prioritisation
• Support and coordinate responses to RFIs, RFPs, BAAs, white papers and other government solicitations
• Translate customer requirements and market feedback into clear inputs for engineering and company leadership
• Build relationships with primes, industry partners and other organisations that can strengthen capture strategies
• Represent the company in customer meetings, industry events and strategic discussions

Ideally, you’ll bring:

• 7+ years of relevant experience across government business development, capture, defense programs, acquisition.
• Direct experience working with national‑security customers such as the DoD, Space Force, Air Force or Intelligence Community
• A strong understanding of how government opportunities are identified, shaped, funded and awarded
• Experience developing capture strategies and supporting proposals, white papers or customer presentations
• Knowledge of government acquisition, budgeting, procurement and contracting processes
• The ability to understand technically complex products and communicate their value to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Strong relationship‑building skills across government, industry and internal technical teams

Particularly Relevant Experience

Experience within space tech is essential, particularly if you’ve worked around spacecraft, complex hardware/software systems or emerging space capabilities.

Exposure to acquisition mechanisms such as OTAs, SBIR/STTR, BAAs, IDIQs or FAR-based contracts is key.

Why It’s Interesting

This is a chance to join a fast scaling, ambitious space company at a point where its technology is gaining meaningful government traction.

Rather than inheriting a mature territory, you’ll have the opportunity to help shape the company’s national‑security strategy, build customer relationships from an early stage and directly influence which programs and markets the business pursues.

Package:

• $180-220k
• Equity‑Based Compensation
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 3.5% company match
• Highly Competitive PTO
• Paid company holidays + winter break
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Unique Performance‑based bonus opportunities