Senior Director, Customer Programs - 174480 - 174836

Piper Companies; Tysons (VA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

PTO & Sick Leave

Flexible schedule

Growth opportunities

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions in Tysons Corner, VA, seeks a Senior Director - Customer Programs to lead three functional teams: Sales Engineering, Bid & Proposal Management, and Account Management. The role is hybrid and focuses on elevating commercial performance across federal and commercial segments.

You will recruit and develop high-performing teams, drive strategic initiatives, and ensure strong relationships with senior customers while guiding upsell and contract expansion.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in commercial or program management roles within defense tech or related sectors.
• Experience leading multi-functional commercial teams in presales, proposals, and account management.
• Deep familiarity with US federal contracting, FAR/DFARS, RFP processes and agencies preferred.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing teams across three functional disciplines.
• Foster a culture of commercial rigor, customer focus, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Establish clear career development paths within each team and connect work to commercial outcomes.
• Position the function as a strategic contributor to growth with internal visibility.
• Maintain senior-level relationships with federal and commercial customers and drive upsell.
• Coordinate with Sales Leadership and Business Development for proper pursuit stage and ownership.
• Define interfaces between capture and proposal execution and ensure smooth handoffs.
• Oversee proposal quality, compliance, and strategic positioning across federal and commercial contracts.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional teams

Capture management

Proposal management

Federal contracting

Program management

RFP processes

Job description

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking an Senior Director - Customer Programs to join a Federal Program located in Tyson's Corner, VA, on a hybrid basis. The Senior Director - Customer Programs will oversee three functional teams — Sales Engineering, Bid & Proposal Management, and Account Management.

Responsibilities of the Senior Director - Customer Programs:

• Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing teams across three distinct functional disciplines
• Foster a culture of commercial rigor, customer focus, and cross-functional collaboration
• Establish clear career development paths within each team, ensuring individual contributors understand how their work connects to Spire's commercial outcomes
• Position the function as a strategic contributor to Spire's growth — not a support function — by building internal visibility and credibility for the teams
• Ensure Strategic Account Managers maintain strong, senior-level relationships across Spire's existing federal and commercial customer base
• Drive upsell and contract expansion within existing accounts, working in close coordination with sales leadership to define territory boundaries and opportunity ownership
• Partner with Business Development to ensure Sales Engineering and Bid & Proposal teams are engaged at the right pursuit stage, with clear roles and accountabilities
• Define the organizational interface between BD-led capture and proposal execution, ensuring smooth handoffs and no gaps in competitive intelligence or solution development
• Oversee proposal quality, compliance, and strategic positioning across federal (U.S. FAR/DFARS) and commercial contract vehicles
• Operate Sales Engineering, Bid & Proposal Management, and Strategic Account Management as shared commercial resources supporting US Federal Sales, Rest of World Sales, and Commercial sales team

Qualifications of the Senior Director - Customer Programs:

• 12+ years in commercial, business development/capture management, or program management roles within the satellite, space, defense technology, or adjacent sectors
• Demonstrated experience leading multi-functional commercial teams spanning technical presales, proposals, and account management
• Deep familiarity with US federal government contracting, including FAR/DFARS, RFP processes, and federal program structures; experience with IC, DoW, NOAA, NGA, or similar agencies preferred
• Track record of building and scaling commercial operations or enablement functions in a growth-stage technology company
• Experience managing complex, multi-year customer relationships involving both technical and contractual complexity

Compensation for the Senior Director - Customer Programs:

• Salary Range: $200,000+ *flexible based on experience*
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO, and Sick Leave as required by law
• Flexible working schedule
• Unlimited opportunities for growth

Key Words: business development, capture management, management, manager, far, dfar, federal, government, cleared, ts/sci, dow, ic, noaa, nga, bid, proposal, sales, engineering, bd, capture, strategic account, account managers, revenue management