Director of Business Development & Capture - Advanced Concepts

The role

You will own the strategy and execution for adapting Varda's commercial capabilities to emerging and non-traditional government missions. You will manage a portfolio of advanced-concept pursuits from first customer conversation through award.

What you will do

• Own Varda's advanced-concepts government pipeline
• Lead identification and qualification of emerging opportunities across various government agencies
• Develop a multi-year view of capability adoption into new government mission areas
• Manage high-priority pursuits from engagement through proposal, negotiation, and closure
• Lead competitive capture activities including win strategy and pricing
• Develop proposals, white papers, and unsolicited concepts
• Negotiate contract terms and structures
• Translate classified customer requirements into feasible mission parameters
• Serve as the primary interface between special-access customers and technical teams
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships across government program offices and stakeholders

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, business, or a related field
• Active TS/SCI clearance
• 12+ years of progressive experience in the national security space, hypersonics, or defense aerospace
• At least 5 years in business development, capture, or program leadership roles
• Demonstrated track record of owning and winning competitive government pursuits
• Deep working knowledge of the DoW PPBE process, acquisition pathways, and non-traditional contracting vehicles
• Established, senior-level relationships within the U.S. Space Force, Air Force, Army, Navy, SOCOM, Combatant Commands, and/or Intelligence Community
• Experience shaping requirements and mission concepts in the classified environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills
• Willingness to travel up to 50% of the time, domestic and occasional international
• S. Citizen

Nice to have

• Current SAP access, or SAP access within the past 24 months
• Engineering background with the ability to engage credibly on mission decomposition
• Experience taking a commercial capability into a government mission for the first time
• Startup or high-growth company experience

Benefits

• Long-term incentives including stock options and cash awards
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Before you apply

• Candidates must currently hold an active TS/SCI to be considered
• Must be a S. Citizen to conform with U.S. Government space technology export regulations under ITAR and clearance requirements

About the company

Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure, from in-orbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules. The company is headquartered in El Segundo, California, with offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL.