Mission Director – IC BD & PM

Mission Director Defense Unicorns – IC BD & PM Role — Remote

This is a high-ceiling, high-accountability role that blends business development, program management, and portfolio leadership — a rare combination in the defense tech space that commands premium compensation.

Compensation vs. market: The OTE range of $290,000–$370,000 is well above market for a traditional government BD or program manager role (typically $120,000–$180,000). It reflects the dual expectation of closing deals and owning execution. If you can hit quota consistently, this is elite-tier defense industry pay.

• Full-lifecycle federal business development — a skill set that transfers directly to VP/Chief Growth Officer tracks
• IC-specific relationship management and acquisition strategy
• Cloud-native and Dev Sec Ops  fluency (Kubernetes, Git Ops, CI/CD) — in extremely high demand across defense and commercial sectors
• P&L ownership at the portfolio level — a direct path to GM or executive leadership

Green flags: Flexible time off, 100% company-paid health premiums, stock options at a growth-stage defense startup, and a home office budget all signal a modern, employee-friendly culture. The role is designed to scale with you — moving from individual contributor to portfolio leader.

Red flags to consider: Quota-carrying roles in federal BD can have long sales cycles (12–24 months), meaning variable pay may be unpredictable early on. Ambiguity is explicitly mentioned — this is a "build it yourself" environment, not a structured enterprise with established playbooks. Best suited for self-starters with existing IC networks.

This position offers a base salary of $145,000 – $185,000. (Total on-target earnings of $290,000 to $370,000)

Role Description

The Mission Director is a quota-carrying, full-lifecycle business owner responsible for identifying, shaping, closing, and executing new business within the Intelligence Community.

You will build trusted relationships with Mission Heroes (our customers), identify meaningful problems, shape solutions using Defense Unicorns products, and lead opportunities from initial discovery through contract award. Once awarded, you will remain accountable for the contract throughout its lifecycle, including cost, schedule, performance, staffing, margin, and customer satisfaction.

This role is designed for someone who wants broad ownership. As the portfolio grows in size and complexity, Mission Directors will increasingly lead through program managers and delivery leaders while retaining accountability for portfolio outcomes.

Responsibilities

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

1. Build the Business

• Identify and develop net-new Intelligence Community opportunities and build trusted relationships with Mission Heroes and key stakeholders.
• Own a quota and grow a diversified portfolio of business.

2. Shape and Close Opportunities

• Define customer problems, scope, and desired outcomes to shape solutions using Defense Unicorns products and the right acquisition approach.
• Lead opportunities through proposal, negotiation, and contract award.

3. Own Contract Execution

• Serve as the program leader for new contracts you close, with direct responsibility for execution until the portfolio reaches the scale where additional program management support is warranted.
• Manage delivery risks, scope changes, and mission outcomes.

4. Build and Lead the Team

• Define and build the team required to execute each contract. Personally lead contract execution and, as the portfolio grows, lead program managers and other delivery leaders…