Senior Business Development Director, DoD

OpenKrill; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium medical, dental, and vision

401(k) company match

Equity grants

Unlimited PTO

11 paid holidays

Competitive compensation

Job summary

NODA, a veteran-owned tech innovator, seeks a Senior Business Development Director to drive growth across the DoD. This remote role requires building trusted relationships with operators, program offices, primes, and industry partners to position NODA for contract opportunities.

Ideal candidates have 8+ years in DoD, a strategic mindset, and the ability to translate autonomy and AI concepts into mission value. ~30% travel and US citizenship for clearance are required.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of DoD, defense, or related government BD experience.
• Proven success winning new business from customer engagement through award.
• Strong understanding of the DoD enterprise, budget cycles, and procurement processes.
• Experience with FAR-based contracting and OTA/CSO/SBIR/IDIQs/rapid acquisitions.
• Technically fluent in autonomous systems, unmanned platforms, and AI-enabled software.
• Established relationships across DoD components and defense innovation orgs.
• Ability to discuss autonomy, AI, robotics, and interoperability in technical conversations.
• Willingness and ability to travel ~30% and hold US citizenship for clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute NODA's BD strategy across DoD components and SAE partners.
• Build trusted relationships with operators, acquisition professionals, labs, primes, and government stakeholders.
• Identify, qualify, shape, and capture strategic opportunities from engagement through contract award.
• Develop and maintain a multi-quarter pipeline with accurate forecasting and CRM discipline.
• Lead capture planning: customer engagement strategy, competitive assessments, pricing support, win themes, and bid/no-bid reviews.
• Engage with operators, mission planners, and program offices to influence requirements and roadmap alignment.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Product, Mission Operations, Contracts, and Leadership to align priorities.
• Navigate FAR-based contracts, OTAs, CSOs, SBIR/STTR, IDIQs, and other rapid acquisition mechanisms.
• Represent NODA at demonstrations, exercises, and industry events.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Relationship building

Executive presence

Communication

Forecasting

Pipeline management

Opportunity capture

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

SENIOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, DOD

Location: Remote, US. Preference for East Coast / Washington, D.C. area (approximately 30% travel supporting customer engagements, demonstrations, and industry events)

Clearance Requirement: U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

ABOUT NODA

NODA is a Veteran-owned, venture-backed technology company transforming how unmanned systems collaborate in complex, mission-critical environments. We are developing next-generation solutions that enable the autonomous orchestration of heterogeneous unmanned systems across air, sea, land, and space, with vital applications in the defense, intelligence, and commercial sectors.

Our Business Development team plays a critical role in shaping how autonomous systems are adopted across the defense enterprise, influencing requirements before they are written, shaping acquisition strategies before they are released, and accelerating the transition of next-generation autonomy capabilities from concept to operational deployment.

Joining NODA means working on meaningful technology that pushes the boundaries of autonomy alongside a team that thrives on innovation, rapid iteration, and collaboration.

THE ROLE

We are seeking a Senior Business Development Director to lead growth across the U.S. Department of Defense. This is not an account management role. This is a builder's role.

You will identify emerging mission needs, establish trusted relationships across the defense enterprise, influence acquisition strategies, and lead opportunities from initial engagement through contract award. You will work directly with operators, acquisition professionals, Program Executive Offices, prime contractors, and industry partners to position NODA where our technology creates operational advantage.

Success in this role requires initiative, sound judgment, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to operate independently in a fast-moving startup environment where priorities evolve quickly and opportunities are often created rather than assigned. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable discussing operational challenges with end users, technical integration with engineers, and acquisition strategy with senior government leaders.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute NODA's business development strategy across DoD components, Program Executive Offices, and adjacent mission organizations
• Build trusted relationships with operators, mission planners, acquisition professionals, contracting officers, laboratories, innovation organizations, prime contractors, and senior government stakeholders
• Identify, qualify, shape, and capture strategic opportunities from early customer engagement through proposal, negotiation, award, and transition to execution
• Develop and maintain a healthy multi-quarter pipeline while delivering accurate forecasting, opportunity qualification, and disciplined CRM management
• Lead capture planning including customer engagement strategy, competitive assessments, solution shaping, teaming strategies, pricing support, win themes, proposal development, bid/no-bid recommendations, and executive gate reviews
• Influence future customer requirements through regular engagement with operators, mission planners, acquisition professionals, and program offices
• Partner closely with Engineering, Product, Mission Operations, Contracts, and Executive Leadership to align customer priorities with NODA's product roadmap and growth strategy
• Navigate FAR-based contracts, OTAs, CSOs, SBIR/STTR, IDIQs, DIU, AFWERX, DARPA, and other rapid acquisition mechanisms
• Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with prime contractors, systems integrators, emerging technology companies, academia, and mission partners
• Represent NODA at demonstrations, operational exercises, and industry events including NDIA, AUSA, AFA, Sea-Air-Space, and Modern Day Marine
• Monitor mission priorities, acquisition strategies, funding, competitive activity, and capability gaps to inform executive decision-making
• Develop executive briefings, capability presentations, white papers, and strategic communications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+ years of business development, capture management, military, government, or related DoD experience
• Demonstrated success winning new business from customer engagement through contract award
• Strong understanding of the DoD enterprise, acquisition organizations, budget cycles, and procurement processes
• Experience with FAR-based contracting and non-traditional acquisition pathways including OTAs, CSOs, SBIR/STTR, IDIQs, and rapid acquisition efforts
• Technically fluent in autonomous systems, unmanned platforms, and AI-enabled software, with the ability to bridge operational requirements and engineering capabilities in customer conversations
• Established relationships across DoD components, program offices, and defense innovation organizations
• Ability to engage credibly in technical discussions involving autonomy, AI-enabled software, robotics, interoperability, and unmanned systems
• Experience developing account strategies, capture plans, competitive positioning, and win strategies
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of military, government, and industry experience
• Ability to travel approximately 30%
• U.S. citizenship required due to ITAR regulations, with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior military service or extensive experience supporting DoD organizations across one or more services or combatant commands
• Existing relationships across OSD, service acquisition executives, combatant commands, DARPA, DIU, AFWERX, NavalX, or other defense innovation organizations
• Experience supporting autonomous systems, AI-enabled software, unmanned systems, ISR, C5ISR, robotics, mission autonomy, or adjacent defense technologies
• Experience working within a venture-backed or high-growth defense technology company
• Experience supporting demonstrations, experimentation campaigns, or technology transition efforts
• Active Top Secret or TS/SCI security clearance
• Mission-first mindset with a passion for delivering operational advantage to the warfighter
• Builder mentality with the initiative to create opportunities and shape markets rather than wait for them
• Technically curious, with the ability to translate complex autonomy and AI concepts into mission value
• Comfortable operating independently in ambiguous startup environments where priorities evolve quickly

SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

• Strategic thinker who connects customer challenges with business growth and product strategy
• Exceptional relationship builder with strong executive presence across government, industry, and the operator community
• Outstanding communication, presentation, negotiation, and influencing skills
• Highly organized with disciplined forecasting, pipeline management, and opportunity tracking
• Collaborative partner across Engineering, Product, Operations, Contracts, and Leadership Resilient, adaptable, accountable, and results-oriented

BENEFITS & PERKS

Our culture fosters collaboration, respect, and trust, empowering passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth. In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:

• We offer premium medical, dental, and vision coverage with zero paycheck premiums for you and your family
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals + Company match
• Equity grants for new hires
• Unlimited PTO
• 11 Paid holidays
• Extremely generous comp