Director of Business Development, United States Air Force (USAF)

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Director of Business Development, United States Air Force (USAF), will report directly to the Vice President of Sales. This role is ideal for a dynamic, self-motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and values flexibility. At Silvus Technologies, we pride ourselves on empowering our employees and fostering a culture of innovation, allowing talented professionals to see the direct impact of their work. This position offers the potential for 100% remote work, depending on location.

The following is a list of at least some of the current essential job functions of the position. Management may assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time within its discretion.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Objectives: Define long-term strategic objectives for the USAF market. Develop actionable plans to achieve these objectives, and execute the strategy effectively.
• Strategic Partnerships: Identify and cultivate strategic alliances, teammates, and partners for key pursuit opportunities, maintaining and strengthening these relationships through contract award.
• Opportunity Capture: Drive the capture of new government and military business opportunities that align with and expand Silvus’ diverse military product portfolio. This role is focused solely on program capture, not program execution.
• Customer Engagement: Conduct customer engagements and call planning to build trust and rapport with senior leaders in Program Offices and Prime contractors.
• Market Understanding: Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for the USAF, aligning short-term activities with long-term strategic objectives. Leverage a deep and current understanding of USAF programs, organizational structure, funding priorities, and communications modernization initiatives—particularly related to ABMS, JADC2, Agile Combat Employment (ACE), and FMS sales.
• Industry Presence: Represent Silvus at trade shows, industry days, and seminars to stay informed on customer strategies, goals, and objectives.
• Competitive Insight: Demonstrate a strong understanding of the MANET market landscape, including how Silvus’ capabilities compare to those of competitors.
• Reporting: Provide regular reporting to senior leadership on activities, progress, and achievements to ensure alignment with corporate goals.
• Travel: Travel up to 50% of the time, as needed, to maintain strong customer engagement and relationships.

 REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution plus 10 years of experience in wireless communications within a Business Development and/or Program Management role; OR High School Diploma/GED with 14+ years of relevant experience.
• DoD Experience: At least 5 years of recent experience capturing opportunities across multiple U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) services (e.g., Air Force, Army, SOCOM).
• Proven Track Record: Demonstrated success in securing contracts ranging from $1M to $20M+, including both product sales and engineering services aligned with Silvus’ product roadmap.
• Technical Expertise: Solid understanding of RF technology, IP networking, and/or tactical communications systems.
• CRM Proficiency: Experience using CRM tools to actively manage a diverse portfolio of accounts and associated opportunities.
• Market Analysis Skills: Ability to conduct and direct competitive product analysis using market research, combined with a strong technical understanding of service/agency needs and requirements.
• Security Clearance: Active U.S. Government SECRET clearance or the ability to obtain one within 12 months of hire.

 PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Advanced Education: Master’s degree in Electrical, Computer, or Communications Engineering, Computer Science, or a relevant engineering field.
• Air Force Expertise: Extensive experience with the U.S. Air Force, including technical knowledge of their tactical communications challenges and solutions.
• MANET Expertise: Proven business development experience in Mobile Ad-hoc Networking (MANET) and/or radio solutions, with a comprehensive understanding of alternative MANET technologies and their relative strengths.
• Leadership: Self-reliant, driven, motivated, and curious with the ability to effectively prioritize time and tasks. Strong leadership and management skills, including program capture expertise.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional communication skills, capable of engaging effectively at all organizational levels.

WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Office environment.
• Trade shows.
• Outdoor environment for demonstrations.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to do the following:
  • Lift equipment up to 20lbs. for the set-up of demonstration and testing.
  • Extended periods of sitting.