Head of Bid & Proposal
hace 2 días
San Antonio
Job DescriptionDescription: About Darkhive Established in 2021, Darkhive builds hardware and software solutions designed to seamlessly integrate into the military defense system. We offer tactical uncrewed systems, human-machine interfaces, and software continuous delivery platforms. Darkhive is a company of U.S. Special Operations veterans, engineers, robotics perception experts, DevSecOps, defense technology executives, and superb support staff—above all, we are a mission-first team. We believe that the U.S. and our allies around the world deserve high-quality, affordable tools that keep them safe when each second counts. If you are a free-thinking problem solver who is looking for a highly collaborative and innovative environment, apply with Darkhive today! Head of Bid & Proposal Division: Strategy & Business Development About the Role Senior growth leader responsible for driving the full pursuit lifecycle — from early market shaping through proposal submission and award. Sitting within the Strategy & Business Development division, this role goes well beyond proposal execution: you will help define which opportunities to pursue, shape requirements before solicitations release, develop winning capture strategies, and lead high-quality proposal responses that convert pipeline into revenue. This is a critical hire for a high-growth defense tech startup where you will build and scale the proposals function from the ground up, operating as both a strategic partner to BD leadership and a hands-on operator who gets proposals out the door. This is a full-time position. This role is remote with the requirement to be located in the Washington D.C. area. Up to 25% travel expected. Key Responsibilities Capture Strategy & Pipeline Development • Contribute to the company's long-range BD strategy, helping prioritize markets, customers, and contract vehicles to pursue, • Own and manage the opportunity pipeline (e.g., Salesforce, GovWin IQ), tracking pursuit status from early identification through award, • Lead or co-lead capture planning efforts, developing win strategies, customer engagement plans, and competitive positioning well ahead of RFP release, • Lead and facilitate bid/no-bid and gate reviews as a voting stakeholder, bringing data-driven recommendations to leadership, • Develop and maintain competitor gap analyses and price-to-win inputs in coordination with pricing and finance teams, • Support annual revenue forecasting by aligning proposal activity with BD targets and bookings goals Market & Competitive Intelligence • Monitor defense budget priorities (FYDP, NDAA), procurement trends, and agency spending patterns to inform pursuit decisions, • Conduct and synthesize competitive analysis on incumbent contractors, peer companies, and emerging players, • Identify white space opportunities where the company's capabilities align with unmet or emerging government needs, • Track and advise on non-traditional acquisition pathways including OTAs, SBIRs, and consortium vehicles Customer Engagement & Shaping • Participate in customer call plans alongside BD leads, helping shape requirements before solicitation release, • Attend industry days, conferences (AUSA, AFCEA, DSEI), and pre-solicitation meetings to gather intelligence and build relationships, • Support capability briefings and positioning materials for government customer meetings, • Develop and maintain relationships with key program offices and contracting officers relevant to the company's target markets Proposal Leadership & Execution • Lead the full proposal lifecycle from solicitation release through submission, including RFIs, RFPs, RFQs, Sources Sought, and white papers, • Develop compliant, compelling, and winning proposals for DoD and federal agency opportunities across contract types (FFP, CPFF, T&M, IDIQ, OTA, SBIR/STTR), • Manage cross-functional proposal teams spanning technical, pricing, contracts, and executive contributors, • Establish and enforce proposal schedules, outlines, compliance matrices, and color team reviews (Pink, Red, Gold), • Write and edit executive summaries, management approaches, past performance volumes, and key narrative sections, • Ensure full compliance with FAR/DFARS requirements and all solicitation instructions Teaming & Partner Strategy • Identify, vet, and help negotiate with potential prime and subcontractor partners to strengthen pursuit positioning, • Develop and maintain a network of teaming partners aligned to the company's target programs and capability gaps, • Contribute to OTA consortium participation and other non-traditional acquisition strategies Process, Tools & Operations • Build and scale a repeatable, high-quality proposal development process, content library, and reusable asset repository, • Implement and enforce tools, templates, and methodologies (e.g., Shipley) to improve proposal quality and efficiency, • Track and report on proposal pipeline metrics, win rates, submission volume, and lessons learned, • Collaborate with product, engineering, and program teams to identify new capability offerings that can be positioned for future bids Team Leadership • Recruit, mentor, and manage proposal writers, coordinators, and volume leads as the team scales, • Build a high-performing capture and proposals function that can support increasing bid volume and complexity, • Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration within the BD division Qualifications Required • 10+ years of capture and proposal management experience in defense or federal government contracting, • Proven track record winning DoD contracts across a range of vehicles (SBIR/STTR, IDIQs, OTAs, FFP, CPFF), • Experience operating in a BD or strategy function, not just a standalone proposals role, • Deep familiarity with FAR/DFARS, defense acquisition processes, and solicitation types, • Proficiency with Shipley or a comparable proposal development methodology, • Strong writing, editing, and strategic communication skills, • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent pursuits under tight deadlines, • Experience with pipeline management tools (GovWin IQ, Salesforce, or equivalent), • Comfortable influencing without authority across technical, executive, and BD stakeholders Preferred • A PMP certification (Practitioner or Professional level), • Experience with SOCOM, Army, Navy, Air Force, OSD, or IC programs, • Familiarity with cost/price volume development and coordination with finance, • Experience building or scaling a capture/proposals function at a startup or growth-stage company, • Existing relationships with DoD program offices or contracting communities, • Active security clearance or clearance eligibility (Secret or above), • Direct experience in the Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) or robotics industry What Success Looks Like 30–60 Days • Proposal process, templates, and compliance checklists documented and in use, • Pipeline reviewed and pursuit priorities aligned with BD leadership, • Color team review cadence established and consistently executed, • Content library seeded with reusable past performance, capabilities, and management narratives, • Win rate at or above industry benchmark (~45–55%), • Capture process integrated with BD pipeline reviews and gate decisions, • Teaming network established for key target programs, • Proposals function scaled to support growing bid volume Physical and/or Mental Requirements • Ability to sit and/or stand for periods of time., • Ability to use a keyboard, mouse, and other equipment with or without accommodations., • Ability to maintain awareness during business hours., • Ability to lift up to 15 pounds., • Excellent written and verbal communication and good command of the English language., • Learns and memorizes routine tasks., • Reasonable accommodations will be provided to any person with a disability to be able to perform the essential job functions of this position., • Darkhive retains the right to change or assign other duties as required for this position. Selection Process: • Hiring team reviews applications, • 15-minute pre-screen with Darkhive recruiter, • 30-minute phone screen with the hiring manager, • Take home project, • In-person or video interview with hiring team Benefits Darkhive offers: • Comprehensive medical plans, • 100% employer paid dental and vision insurance premiums, • Automatic 401k employer contribution with vesting, • Paid vacation and personal time off, • 11 Paid holidays, • 5 days of sick leave, • Stock options, • Welcoming and friendly work environment