Director of Defense Growth & Strategy

ARA; Warrendale (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 165,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

Neya/ARA seeks a Director of Defense Growth & Strategy to drive long-term opportunity development across key DoD stakeholders, shaping autonomy and robotics programs to align with the company’s capabilities. Operating at the T12 level, this role represents Neya/ARA as a senior technical and strategic partner to government leadership.

The position requires strong DoD expertise, senior-level relationship skills, and the ability to work independently on complex, high-impact efforts.

Qualifications

• Typically 12-15+ years of relevant experience with a bachelor’s degree, or 10-12+ years with a master’s degree.
• Proven track record shaping requirements and acquisition approaches for major defense initiatives, ideally involving autonomous systems, robotics, or advanced technologies.
• Established, trusted relationships with senior leaders across key DoD commands.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain credible, senior-level engagements with DoD organizations, including PEOs, PMs, requirements officers, S&T leaders, and technical authorities, with a focus on autonomy and robotics mission areas.
• Drive early opportunity shaping by informing requirements, budget trajectories, and acquisition pathways for autonomy and robotics programs long before formal release.
• Drive strategic engagement efforts to identify autonomy- and robotics-related mission requirements, emerging capability needs, and future program trajectories.
• Lead the development of win strategies and competitive discriminators for major autonomy and robotics pursuits, exercising sound judgment in pursue/no-pursue determinations.
• Collaborate with Capture Managers to maintain alignment between pre‑RFP shaping work and subsequent capture execution for autonomy and robotics programs.
• Prepare well‑substantiated white papers and technical briefs that present Neya/ARA capabilities in autonomy, robotics, modeling and simulation, and AI/ML, and support government program development.
• Lead senior-level briefings that communicate autonomy and robotics technical capabilities to government decision-makers, industry partners, and organizational leadership.
• Engage with engineering leadership to shape internal R&D and product investments based on DoD autonomy and robotics demand signals.

Skills

DoD program leadership

Strategic growth

Engagement with senior DoD leaders

Acquisition strategy

Senior stakeholder management

Education

BS in Engineering

MS in related field

Job description

Position Summary

The Director of Defense Growth & Strategy drives long‑term opportunity development across key DoD stakeholders, with emphasis on identifying and shaping autonomy and robotics programs that align with Neya/ARA's capabilities. Operating at the T12 Principal Professional 2 level, this role represents Neya/ARA as a senior technical and strategic partner to government leadership, shaping requirements and acquisition approaches to position the company for sustained growth in autonomy and robotics. This position requires strong DoD expertise, senior-level relationship skills, and the ability to work independently on complex, high-impact efforts.

Position Summary

The Director of Defense Growth & Strategy drives long‑term opportunity development across key DoD stakeholders, with emphasis on identifying and shaping autonomy and robotics programs that align with Neya/ARA's capabilities. Operating at the T12 Principal Professional 2 level, this role represents Neya/ARA as a senior technical and strategic partner to government leadership, shaping requirements and acquisition approaches to position the company for sustained growth in autonomy and robotics. This position requires strong DoD expertise, senior-level relationship skills, and the ability to work independently on complex, high-impact efforts.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain credible, senior-level engagements with DoD organizations, including PEOs, PMs, requirements officers, S&T leaders, and technical authorities, with a focus on autonomy and robotics mission areas.
• Drive early opportunity shaping by informing requirements, budget trajectories, and acquisition pathways for autonomy and robotics programs long before formal release.
• Drive strategic engagement efforts to identify autonomy- and robotics-related mission requirements, emerging capability needs, and future program trajectories.
• Lead the development of win strategies and competitive discriminators for major autonomy and robotics pursuits, exercising sound judgment in pursue/no-pursue determinations.
• Collaborate with Capture Managers to maintain alignment between pre‐RFP shaping work and subsequent capture execution for autonomy and robotics programs.
• Prepare well‑substantiated white papers and technical briefs that present Neya/ARA capabilities in autonomy, robotics, modeling and simulation, and AI/ML, and support government program development.
• Lead senior-level briefings that communicate autonomy and robotics technical capabilities to government decision-makers, industry partners, and organizational leadership.
• Engage with engineering leadership to shape internal R&D and product investments based on DoD autonomy and robotics demand signals.

Expectations

Knowledge & Expertise

• Applies advanced technical principles and contributes to the development of new concepts at an organizational scale.
• Recognized authority within the industry, with the ability to influence direction across multiple technical areas.

Direction Received

• Operates with minimal oversight; determines objectives, strategies, and approaches for complex assignments.
• Decisions at this level have major impact on programs, customers, and organizational long‑range goals.

Problem Complexity

• Solves highly complex problems requiring creativity, innovation, and strategic insight.
• Ensures solutions support long‑term organizational objectives.

Internal & External Impact

• Acts as a prime internal and external representative for technical, business, and strategic matters related to assigned domains.
• Regularly conducts senior-level briefings for government and executive leaders.

Education & Experience

• Typically 12-15+ years of relevant experience with a bachelor’s degree, or 10-12+ years with a master’s degree.

Required Qualifications

• BS or MS in Engineering, Political Science, National Security, or a related field.
• 15-25 years of senior-level experience within the DoD ecosystem, including military, government, or industry leadership roles.
• High-level proficiency in PPBE, POM, and defense acquisition structures, enabling effective engagement with senior stakeholders.
• Proven track record of shaping program requirements and acquisition approaches for major defense initiatives, ideally involving autonomous systems, robotics, or advanced technologies.
• Established, trusted relationships with senior leaders across key DoD commands (e.g., AFC, NAVSEA, AFMC).
• Proven track record of independently driving work forward in agile, high‑tempo settings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in program leadership roles at DARPA, DIU, or other service-level R&D organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to interface with Congressional stakeholders overseeing defense authorization and appropriations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of autonomy-related technologies, including modeling and simulation, AI/ML, and vehicle operating system architectures.
• Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

Compensation

• Salary Range: $165,000-$235,000, based on qualifications and experience.