Director, U.S. Defense Sales

Accountabilities: The Director will own U.S. defense revenue performance, lead strategic customer acquisition, and develop the sales organization while ensuring that commercial opportunities align with customer missions and business priorities. Own the U.S. defense revenue target, building a qualified pipeline and closing strategic opportunities involving hardware, data, and software solutions. Manage, coach, and develop the existing defense sales team, helping team members strengthen customer relationships and achieve or exceed individual sales targets. Personally identify and develop new customer opportunities, leading hands-on sales execution from initial engagement through proposals, negotiations, and deal closure. Build and maintain relationships with operational users, program offices, contracting organizations, prime contractors, and technology partners. Connect customer mission requirements with appropriate funding opportunities and establish practical paths toward contract awards. Develop growth opportunities and new use cases, particularly in maritime domain awareness, undersea warfare, and related defense missions. Provide leadership with clear assessments of pipeline health, capture progress, risks, resource requirements, and recommended actions. Represent the organization at customer meetings, industry events, partner discussions, military exercises, and product demonstrations. Develop teaming and partnership strategies to strengthen priority opportunities and improve competitive positioning. Collaborate with Sales, Product, Engineering, Legal, Finance, Marketing, Operations, and executive leadership to ensure strategic pursuits are compelling, coordinated, and executable. Align acquisition strategies, funding considerations, capture activities, government affairs, and partnerships to support successful program awards. Requirements : The ideal candidate will bring extensive U.S. defense technology sales experience, a strong network across the national security ecosystem, and a proven ability to combine personal sales performance with team leadership. At least 10 years of experience in U.S. defense technology sales, with a demonstrated record of winning complex federal opportunities involving multiple stakeholders. Proven experience leading a sales team while personally originating and closing strategic deals. Direct responsibility for a team revenue target, with a track record of coaching sales professionals to achieve their objectives. Experience selling products and emerging technologies, including hardware-enabled solutions, data-as-a-service, software, and integrated technical capabilities. An established professional network across the U.S. defense, intelligence, and security communities, including military branches, acquisition organizations, program offices, systems integrators, prime contractors, government agencies, and industry partners. Ability to align operational users, program managers, contracting officials, funding stakeholders, policymakers, and partners around a clear path to contract award. Working knowledge of federal budgeting, authorization, and appropriations processes and their impact on sales pipeline development. Technical fluency and the ability to understand sophisticated hardware, software, and data products and communicate their value to defense customers. Strong written and verbal communication skills, sound judgment, attention to detail, and consistent follow-through. Willingness to take a hands-on approach to partner strategies, customer presentations, proposals, and stakeholder follow-up. U.S. citizenship is required. Previously held or current Secret or higher U.S. government security clearance is required. Preferred qualifications include: Active Secret or Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. Experience with maritime, ocean, weather, environmental, autonomy, sensing, data, or decision-support programs. Experience working in a fast-paced defense technology company. Background supporting the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Intelligence Community, or other agencies with maritime or national security missions. Experience preparing federal proposals for hardware-enabled solutions, data-as-a-service, software, or integrated technical capabilities. Benefits : Competitive base salary plus commission and equity. Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage. Professional learning and development stipend. One-time home office stipend for remote employees. Relocation bonus for employees moving to the San Francisco Bay Area. Flexible paid time off (PTO). 10 company-wide office closure days, including the final week of December off for all employees. 12 weeks of paid parental leave, with an additional 4 weeks for birthing parents. Military leave and job protection for reservists and National Guard members under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Annual company-wide onsite week and team events throughout the year. Remote working arrangement across the United States, including Washington, DC and the Bay Area. Full-time position with travel of up to 25%.