This position is a functional Director reporting to the Vice President, Program Development and University Engagement (VP, PD&UE). The VP of PD&UE is responsible for leading and integrating USRA’s strategy, business development, and university relations functions. USRA uses the terms “program development” and “business development” interchangeably. The Director of Strategic Growth is a new position focusing on innovative approaches to diversify and grow USRA’s revenue portfolio.

The Director of Strategic Growth works with the Program Development Team, Program/Institute/Functional Directors, and Executive Leadership Team to identify, shape, pursue, and win a pipeline of opportunities aligned with growth areas complementary to USRA’s core competencies. Activities will include identifying and executing strategies to grow and diversify USRA’s projects and programs with a broad customer set, including FAA, DoD, DoE, NOAA, EPA, NSF, NASA, and Commercial entities. General responsibilities will include assisting with strategic plans, business development, capture management, building customer relationships, and authoring proposal materials as needed to result in the award of new projects and programs for USRA. The position will have direct responsibility and accountability for significantly contributing to growing revenue for USRA. Duties are grounded in widely recognized and accepted industry practices for phases within the new business development life cycle. However, the position will also identify organic areas of growth that align with the USRA core values.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

The Director of Strategic Growth will assist the VP of PD&UE in creating and executing an annual strategic plan for USRA that integrates core competencies and capitalizes on synergies. This plan will include a five-year business pipeline and capture plan that aligns with USRA’s strategic objectives. This will include partnering with the university community, government, and other stakeholders to define a holistic business development strategy geared toward leading USRA’s advances in space-related research and transformative technology breakthroughs in space-related science and engineering.

In cooperation with other members of the USRA Leadership Team and university partners, he/she will lead and manage efforts to identify new business opportunities consistent with USRA’s mission and purpose; position USRA and its partners to compete successfully for these opportunities; develop and maintain business relationships with senior leaders in sponsor organizations, universities, and other entities; advance initiatives through formal capture and proposal cycles; work with a small, highly functioning team dedicated to and accountable for successfully executing winning capture strategies in a matrix organization; and win new work that promotes university collaborations.

He/she will gather market intelligence to support development of the annual strategic plan; and identify new business opportunities within applicable market segments, and strategic customers, and prospects. Critical to this position is the ability to shape government acquisition strategies for targeted opportunities in consideration of customer needs and USRA core competencies and bid criteria.

The Director of Strategic Growth will assess, establish, and strengthen relationships between USRA and targeted government sponsors and design approaches to meeting USRA’s target prospects

and customers’ goals, missions, and objectives. He/she will execute actionable steps and call plans to position USRA with customer stakeholders and coordinate and attend customer meetings,

industry events, conferences, and symposiums.

He/she will identify, select, and initiate relationships with potential teaming partners leading to mutually beneficial teaming agreements that provide exceptional value to meeting customers’ needs.

He/she will coordinate with the VP, PD&UE, VP, Science and Technology, and relevant functional Directors to secure subject matter expert (SME) resources from Contracts, Finance, HR, IT departments, and consultants to form the Integrated Project Team (IPT) to develop discriminating win themes and proposal strategies for winning technical and management proposal offerings.

He/she will develop and document the Capture/Win Plan, and brief the executive team on the proposal’s status and create and lead Gate Review presentations to internal stakeholders, to arrive at Bid/No Bid decisions.

He/she will work with senior management to ensure proper resources are allocated for the proposal and delivery effort. As required by customer RFP instructions, he/she will contribute to the development and rehearsal of the oral presentation.

He/she will oversee post-proposal activities, including working closely with the Program and Transition Manager to phase in the new contract, and provides written and oral reports to senior management on capture status, identifying improvements in the capture process, and lessons learned.

He/she will become familiar with USRA’s Programs and Institutes through proactive engagement with Program/Institute Directors and staff.

Required Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline, engineering, and/or business. Master’s degree preferred.

Experience:

• 15 years of related work experience serving in strategy, business development/capture management or technical program management roles within the federal government contracting arena.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

Attributes:

• Self-starter, with ability to proactively work autonomously to complete tasks.
• Proven success with more than one of the following government agencies NOAA, EPA, NSF, DOE, FAA, DoD and NASA.
• A willingness to “roll up sleeves” and get things done.
• Able to analyze and anticipate relevant trends and their implications and craft innovative approaches to further USRA’s nonprofit mission and purpose.
• Demonstrated experience in scientific and technical areas related to USRA’s core competencies preferred.
• Ability to use cross-organizational knowledge and network to develop new opportunities.
• Excellent team building and networking skills.
• Ability to multi-task and manage multiple efforts simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with others.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to speak in public forums.
• Excellent organizational skills, meticulousness, and proven ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Knowledge of business development/capture management and technology that supports innovative technical solutions identifying and responding to written formal procurement opportunities.
• Ability to develop opportunity pursuit strategies, win themes, technical discriminators, and ability to communicate effectively with technical leaders, procurement/legal principals, architects, and business leaders.
• Able to engage customers both internally and externally.
• Able to positively influence and lead others to achieve results that are in the best interest of the organization.
• Able to filter and distill relevant information for the right audience.
• Outward leaning with sponsors, partners, and other external stakeholders.
• Able to represent USRA to external stakeholders effectively, exercising unquestioned professionalism and integrity when engaging elected officials, legislative staff, government sponsors, universities, and other partners.
• Able to collaborate effectively with senior leaders in a matrixed organization and participate in effective multi-disciplinary teams.
• Able to build effective working relationships with USRA peers and subordinates alike based on transparency, trust, and collegiality. Be, and be seen to be, the consummate team player.
• Support USRA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Exemplify USRA’s Core Values:
• Passion—for science, technology, and education.
• Partnerships—with universities, governments, and the private sector.
• Professionalism—through excellence, accountability, and respect for others.

Technology:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and its applications.
• Experience working with Proposal Management Systems; e.g. Teams and SharePoint
• Strong technical acumen

Working Conditions:

This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, etc. Extensive online usage. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, and use hands. Keyboarding for large time spans each day will be a significant part of this position.

Telecommute: Washington, DC or close proximity to current/potential customers preferred; remote possible

Travel: Up to 25%

Applicants should apply to the posting at  USRA Careers  and include a letter of interest, resume, or curriculum vitae.

Additional information on USRA can be found at  http://www.usra.edu  

USRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Minorities / Females / Protected Veterans / Disabled / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity.