U.S. Special Operations Business Developer

Harmattan-AI; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Harmattan AI in Austin seeks an experienced U.S. Special Operations Business Developer to lead growth across USSOCOM and advance our autonomous defense systems.

You will leverage a deep SOF network, translate operator needs into funded programs, and coordinate with product, engineering, and leadership to shape opportunities from initial contact through award. The role demands a proven track record in DoD capture, strong communication with senior military leaders, and the ability to operate

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience supporting U.S. Special Operations Forces through leadership, acquisition, or program management.
• Proven success identifying, shaping, and capturing defense opportunities within USSOCOM.

Responsibilities

• Identify, qualify, and capture opportunities across USSOCOM, TSOCs, PEOs, PMs, labs, and rapid acquisition orgs.
• Develop and execute account and capture strategies that convert operational interest into funded programs.
• Build and maintain a healthy opportunity pipeline via customer engagement, budget analysis, and competitive intelligence.
• Identify emerging requirements before formal solicitations are released.
• Shape acquisition strategies supporting OTAs, SBIRs, BAAs, CRADAs, prototypes, and rapid fielding.

Skills

DoD/USSOCOM BD

SOF Network

Strategic comms

Capture strategy

Job description

About Us

Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces.

Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real-world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected.

About the Role

Harmattan Industries is seeking an experienced, highly connected U.S. Special Operations Business Developer to lead growth across the USSOCOM enterprise and expand our presence within the Special Operations community.

USSOCOM operates differently than the conventional force. Operational relevance, trusted relationships, and speed matter. This role is responsible for translating operator engagement into funded programs by identifying opportunities early, shaping requirements, and positioning Harmattan's autonomous systems to solve real-world operational challenges.

The successful candidate will possess deep credibility within the SOF community, maintain an extensive network across operators, acquisition professionals, laboratories, and industry partners, and be comfortable engaging senior military leaders while operating independently.

Responsibilities

Business Development

• Identify, qualify, and capture opportunities across USSOCOM, Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs), Component Commands, Program Executive Offices (PEOs), Program Managers (PMs), laboratories, and rapid acquisition organizations.
• Develop and execute account and capture strategies that convert operational interest into funded programs.
• Build and maintain a healthy opportunity pipeline through proactive customer engagement, budget analysis, operational awareness, and competitive intelligence.
• Identify emerging operational requirements before formal solicitations are released.
• Shape acquisition strategies supporting OTAs, SBIRs, BAAs, CRADAs, prototype efforts, and rapid fielding initiatives.

Sales & Engagement

• Own opportunities from initial customer engagement through contract award.
• Plan and execute product demonstrations, operational assessments, and customer evaluations.
• Translate operator feedback into actionable recommendations for engineering and product development.
• Maintain disciplined CRM pipeline management, ensuring customer engagements, opportunity status, capture strategies, probability of win, risks, forecasts, and next actions remain current and actionable.
• Provide accurate sales forecasts and executive-level pipeline reporting.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and sustain trusted relationships across USSOCOM headquarters, Component Commands, TSOCs, operational units, acquisition organizations, laboratories, and strategic partners.
• Represent Harmattan Industries at SOF Week, technical exchanges, industry days, experimentation events, and government meetings.
• Coordinate closely with Product Management, Engineering, Program Management, and Executive Leadership to align customer priorities with product development.
• Serve as the voice of the customer within the organization.

Candidate Requirements

Experience

• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience supporting U.S. Special Operations Forces through operational leadership, acquisition, business development, or program management.
• Demonstrated success identifying, shaping, and capturing defense opportunities within USSOCOM.

Network

• Extensive, active network across the Special Operations community.
• Existing relationships with operators, acquisition professionals, laboratories, and industry partners.
• Ability to generate customer access without relying solely on traditional marketing or cold outreach.

Technical Understanding

• Working knowledge of autonomous systems, UAS, C-UAS, robotics, AI, sensing technologies, electronic warfare, or related defense capabilities.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to both operators and senior decision-makers.

Business Development

• Proven experience navigating DoD acquisition pathways, including OTAs, SBIRs, BAAs, CRADAs, IDIQs, and rapid acquisition authorities.
• Experience developing capture strategies and managing complex, multi-stakeholder opportunities from identification through award.

Communication

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills with the ability to brief senior military leaders, government executives, and industry partners.

Mindset

• Entrepreneurial, highly proactive, mission-focused, and comfortable operating with minimal oversight.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where initiative, adaptability, and ownership are expected.

We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.