Business Development Director
Hood River, OR - USA
Department:
Job Summary
Business Development Director
Department of War CBP Intel Community & Defense Primes
About Overwatch:
Overwatch Imaging is an imagery intelligence technology company working to bring sensor autonomy to time-critical airborne search detection tracking and monitoring missions. Our Automated Sensor Operator (ASO) software native to our own line of purpose-built Smart Sensors and as an upgrade for airborne video gimbal platforms brings Superhuman Vision and Workload Reduction to users of real-time imagery intelligence systems. We fundamentally believe that modern edge processing and AI-enabled autonomy can perform an important set of time-critical imagery intelligence missions better faster and more safely than humans can alone.
Founded in 2016 in Hood River Oregon we support private sector companies as well as federal state and local agencies around the world with missions ranging from wildfire mapping and disaster response to law enforcement border security maritime domain awareness and tactical intelligence.
About the Role:
Overwatch Imaging is seeking a Business Development Director to scout qualify and close new business opportunities across the U.S. Department of War (DoW) and the broader federal defense and intelligence ecosystem. Primary customers include the U.S. Army U.S. Air Force (USAF) U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and its component commands U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) and the major Defense Contractors that integrate Overwatch capabilities into fielded airborne ISR systems including tier-1 defense primes and platform OEMs.
This role is built for someone who knows how to win business inside the Department of War. You have strong active relationships across DoW program offices enduser squadrons and units and prime contractor capture organizations. You have personally walked opportunities from a cold lead through qualification capture proposal and award and you can point to closed business as proof. You bring deep usercommunity credibility and you can speak the language of both the warfighter and the program manager.
You will own the full sales lifecycle for this portfolio: scouting new opportunities qualifying them against the Overwatch product line shaping requirements through early customer engagement building winning teaming arrangements with primes and integrators and personally driving each pursuit to a closed contract. This is a senior individual contributor role with significant internal influence reporting directly to company leadership. You will collaborate crossfunctionally with Sales Product Engineering and Marketing to define how Overwatch engages this market.
This role is complementary to existing Overwatch coverage of Navy Marine Corps Coast Guard and civil/public safety accounts. The successful candidate will coordinate closely with peer BD Directors to avoid overlap identify jointforce and crossagency opportunities and present a coherent face to customers operating in joint command and interagency environments.
What Youll Do:
Opportunity Scouting & Qualification
- Scout identify and qualify new business opportunities across the U.S. Army USAF USSOCOM and its component commands (including AFSOC and ARSOF) CBP Air and Marine Operations (AMO) the Intelligence Community and partnered Defense Contractors integrating airborne ISR and sensor autonomy capabilities
- Track and analyze the Program Objective Memorandum (POM) cycle RDTEN/PTEN budget lines and Congressional appropriations to identify fundinginformed pursuit targets across DoW and IC accounts
- Monitor relevant procurement signals including RFIs Sources Sought BAAs OTA solicitations IDIQ task orders and SBIR/STTR opportunities aligned to airborne ISR UAS sensor payloads MUMT and AIenabled autonomy
- Apply rigorous qualification discipline early distinguishing real funded requirements from wishlist activity and protect the teams capture investment by walking away fast from lowprobability pursuits
- Network research and leverage existing relationships to build and maintain a current database of contacts and opportunities across target program offices units primes and partner organizations
Capture Leadership & Drive to Close
- Personally own opportunities from initial scouting through qualification capture proposal award and postaward transition to program management
- Build and execute win strategies pricetowin analysis capture plans and teaming agreements that convert qualified opportunities into awarded contracts
- Develop proposals white papers technical solutions plans of action business plans and marketing collateral tailored to DoW CBP IC and prime contractor customers
- Shape and influence requirements and acquisition strategies through early customer engagement industry days RFI responses and presolicitation outreach at the unit program office and prime integrator level
- Negotiate and close teaming arrangements subcontracts and direct contracts with tier-1 defense primes
- Maintain a multiyear opportunity pipeline using CRM and pipeline reporting tools; present Opportunity Gate Reviews and participate in regular Pipeline Review discussions
Customer & Partner Engagement
- Develop and maintain trusted longrunning relationships with program managers contracting officers requirements officers and operational end users across the DoW CBP and IC including AFLCMC PEO Aviation PEO Soldier AFSOC/ARSOF acquisition Army Futures Command CBP AMO and relevant IC program offices
- Engage credibly with prime contractor capture business development and program leadership positioning Overwatch as a preferred sensor and autonomy partner on their pursuits and on programs of record
- Speak the operators language: translate Overwatchs ASO software and Smart Sensor capabilities into missionrelevant value for airborne ISR crews SOF ground forces CBP agents and IC analysts grounded in firsthand understanding of how these users actually employ sensors in the mission
- Represent Overwatch Imaging at relevant defense intelligence and homeland security industry conferences and government forums
CrossFunctional Collaboration
- Coordinate with peer BD Directors covering Navy Marine Corps Coast Guard and civil/public safety accounts to identify jointforce and interagency opportunities and ensure consistent positioning across combatant command and interagency engagements
- Partner with the Marketing team on verticalspecific messaging materials and campaign strategy for DoW CBP IC and defense prime audiences
- Collaborate with Product and Engineering to ensure customer mission requirements are clearly communicated and reflected in roadmap priorities
- Provide structured market and customer feedback competitive intelligence requirements shifts and platform integration opportunities to inform product strategy
- Assist with preparation of management reports and support executivelevel briefings as needed
What Youll Bring:
Experience & Education
- Bachelors degree in a technical engineering or businessrelated field; advanced degree (MBA MS Engineering or equivalent) or relevant military service a strong plus
- 10 years of business development capture management or growth operations experience inside the Department of War with a verifiable record of personally winning awarded business not just managing pipeline
- Demonstrable current relationships across DoW program offices enduser units and acquisition organizations (e.g. AFLCMC AFRL PEO Aviation Army Futures Command AFSOC/ARSOF acquisition USSOCOM components) and ideally CBP AMO and/or IC program offices
- Established working relationships inside tier-1 defense primes and integrators with a track record of teaming into and winning primeled pursuits
- Deep usercommunity experience: prior service or direct operational support in airborne ISR UAS special operations aviation Army aviation CBP air operations or IC airborne collection; firsthand familiarity with platforms such as MC130 U28 RC12 MQ9 MQ1C Gray Eagle RQ7 Shadow ScanEagle or equivalent multimission ISR aircraft is a significant asset
- Proven track record of identifying qualifying and closing opportunities across DoW contract vehicles including OTAs IDIQs BAAs and SBIR Phase II/III transitions
- Experience leading captures from BD initiation through award including proposal development oral presentations and competitive pricetowin analysis
- Active DoD/DoW Secret clearance required; TS/SCI strongly preferred
Technical Competence
- Deep understanding of DoW CBP and IC airborne ISR mission sets including widearea persistent surveillance FMV exploitation small UAS detection and tracking combat search and rescue (CSAR) special reconnaissance (SR) border surveillance and intelligence collection in contested and communicationsdegraded environments
- Familiarity with airborne EO/IR sensor systems multispectral and hyperspectral imaging payloads and AI/MLenabled FMV analytics as employed on fixedwing ISR aircraft rotarywing platforms and Group 35 UAS
- Working knowledge of how to win business inside the Department of War: ACAT program structures the Defense Acquisition System (DAS) OTA authorities (10 USC 4022) SBIR/STTR Phase transitions Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA) rapid fielding pathways and primesub teaming dynamics
- Familiarity with key contract vehicles relevant to this market
- Comfort with AI/ML autonomy computer vision and geospatial data workflows; able to engage credibly in highlevel technical discussions with both operators and program managers on edge processing and automated detection
- Proficiency with CRM platforms (Salesforce HubSpot or equivalent) and multiyear opportunity pipeline management
Character Attributes
- A closer wired to drive opportunities to a signed contract not just a qualified lead
- Thrives in a dynamic fastpaced venturebacked startup environment where speed adaptability and initiative are rewarded
- Motivates and inspires teammates through demonstrated work ethic collaborative spirit and missiondriven intensity
- Collaborates effectively in a small team environment as comfortable working independently as alongside engineering product and marketing peers
- Enjoys handson work learning new capabilities and taking informed risks in pursuit of market opportunities
- Takes pride in seeing technology reach operational use and in building longterm customer and partner relationships grounded in trust and performance
What We Offer:
- Growth Opportunities: As a team member of a true startup you will learn by doing and shape our future. The opportunities are limitless for those who want to grow their career.
- Impact Opportunity: We work on missions that matter to keep people safe and make the world better and we do it without bureaucracy at the speed of a startup.
- Team Collaboration: Work in a fast-paced collaborative environment with amazing teammates. The Overwatch Imaging leadership team believes in an open-door policy meaning everyone has a voice and access to guidance advice feedback and the ability to pitch crazy new products or ideas.
- Late Start Wednesday: A weekly block to have focus time away from meetings and calls. An opportunity to work from home flex your schedule or self-directed time to focus on training and development.
- Time Off: Generous PTO to empower employees to make decisions about work life balance based on work and home needs.
- Holidays: Overwatch Imaging recognizes 10 company holidays.
- Ownership: Equity/Stock Options in our rapidly growing company.
- Health Benefits: Medical/Dental premiums 100% covered by Overwatch Imaging for employees and their families plus available pre-tax health savings account.
- 401K: Employer matching contributions up to 4% of pay.
All applicants must be authorized to work on a permanent basis in the United Imaging is an equal opportunity workplace and makes employment decisions based on merit and business needs regardless of race color ancestry religion sex national origin sexual orientation age marital status disability gender identity Veteran status or any other protected personal characteristic.
Export Control Compliance Notice
This position may involve access to data technology or software that is subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). As such employment is contingent upon the applicants status as a U.S. person--a US citizen permanent resident or green card holder.
Required Experience:
Director
About Company
Overwatch Imaging is a USA based, AI-driven wide-earea search and ISR solutions for variety of time-cricial missions, from fire, flood, and emergency response to maritime search, counter narcotics, border security, tactical intelligence, and tactical ISR. Solutions include purpose-bui ... View more