Red Cell Partners - Head of Defense Growth

• A senior public sector growth leader with experience turning complex, technical capabilities into scaled programs. • A creative problem‑solver who enjoys working at the edge of structure and inventing new approaches. • Comfortable owning ambiguity, making hard calls, and being accountable for outcomes. • Mission‑driven, operator‑empathetic, and motivated by solving problems that matter. • Your background should include senior growth, capture, or federal sales leadership roles at high-growth defense technology companies, next-generation primes, or elite GovCon organizations, but what matters most is your ability to build something new. • We are looking for a proven public sector growth leader who has personally built, shaped, and closed complex deals, not someone who has only supported the process. • 12–20+ years of private sector experience selling to public sector, at least some of that time in an executive position in either business development, capture, or federal sales, and ideally with a focus on defense or national security. • Demonstrated ownership of the full lifecycle from early shaping (“left of bang”) through capture, award, and post‑award expansion. • At least $100M+ in cumulative contract value influenced, captured, or closed over the course of a career. • History of moving efforts from prototype / pilot / SBIR / OTA into enduring programs of record. • Contracting & Acquisition Depth • Strong working knowledge of DoW and federal acquisition pathways, including hands‑on experience with: • FAR / DFARS‑based contracts (FFP, CPFF, T&M, hybrids) • OTAs (both prototype and follow‑on production) • IDIQs / GWACs / BPAs (e.g., task order strategy, on‑ramping, teaming) • Innovation‑focused mechanisms such as SBIR/STTR, BAAs, CSOs, and rapid acquisition authorities • Ability to creatively navigate acquisition constraints and identify non‑obvious paths to award and scale. • Domain & Customer Credibility • Deep familiarity working with DoW stakeholders and mission owners, such as: • Program Executive Offices (PEOs) or Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs) • PMOs / Requiring Activities • Combatant Commands, services, or defense agencies • Track record of engaging credibly with operators, acquisition professionals, and senior government leadership. • Experience selling or scaling technically complex capabilities, such as software platforms, AI/data systems, cyber, EW, autonomy, advanced sensing, or mission‑critical infrastructure. • Leadership & Operating Model • Proven experience acting as a player‑coach - setting strategy while personally driving the most important deals. • Experience building or leading BD, capture, proposal, and contracting teams, either directly or in matrixed environments. • Demonstrated ability to establish discipline without bureaucracy: clear bid/no‑bid decisions, win themes, pipeline rigor, and accountability. • Current U.S. security clearance strongly preferred • Location & Travel • Strong preference for the Washington, DC metro area (or willingness to relocate). • Expect meaningful time in the field shaping, capturing, and closing. This role is a contact sport. • First 90 Days (High‑Level) • Develop a clear Red Cell public sector growth thesis and identify a small number of priority mission areas and pursuits. • Launch disciplined shaping and capture efforts on the highest‑leverage opportunities. • Stand up the initial BD → Capture → Close operating cadence across the portfolio. • Create visible momentum with early wins, clear pipeline ownership, and leadership alignment. • Final Thought • Many roles in defense innovation talk about impact. This is one of the rare ones where you can actually create it - by building the growth system that turns bold ideas into real capability for the American warfighter. If you want a role you’reunlikely to find anywhere else in the defense ecosystem, this is it. • Salary Range: $250,000-$280,000 - This represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience, skills, and other factors.