Director, Business Development - Air Force Programs

Why Castelion, Why Now

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus and technical excellence are decisive advantages - and we are building a team that can deliver real capability, not just concepts.

This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where your work will directly shape critical systems, influence major technical decisions, and have immediate, real-world impact.

The Business Development (BD) Director
- Air Force programs is responsible for all aspects of growth, capture, and relationship management associated with Air Force programs. This individual serves as the primary interface between the company and Air Force stakeholders, with full ownership of the capture lifecycle, requirements definition, and customer engagement strategy. The BD Director will operate with a high degree of autonomy and is expected to function as both a strategic leader and a hands-on contributor.

• Serve as the single accountable owner for all Business Development & Capture activities related to Air Force Programs, from initial opportunity identification to contract award.
• Develop, maintain, and execute a comprehensive capture plan aligned with customer priorities, competitive intelligence, and company capabilities.
• Define and drive win strategy, price-to-win analysis, teaming decisions, and solution shaping in coordination with technical and program teams.
• Accountable for the outcome of all capture efforts on Air Force programs - success metrics include pursuit qualification, proposal quality, and ultimate contract award.
• Maintain a long-range view of Air Force programs procurement roadmap and proactively position the company for future opportunities including options, follow-ons, and modifications.

• Build, cultivate, and sustain trusted relationships with key Air Force stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary company representative for BD & capture-related customer engagements related to Air Force programs, ensuring consistent, professional, and mission-aligned communication.
• Facilitate regular touchpoints with government counterparts to maintain situational awareness, build rapport, and reinforce the company's value proposition.
• Navigate Air Force organizational landscape to identify and engage decision-makers, influencers, and end-users relevant to Air Force programs.
• Represent the company at relevant Air Force conferences, industry days, site visits, and program reviews.
• Champion the customer's mission internally - translate government priorities and friction points into actionable intelligence for internal stakeholders.

• Own and manage all requirements shaping activities associated with Air Force programs throughout the business development lifecycle.
• Engage early with Air Force requirements officials to understand, shape, and track evolving operational and technical requirements.
• Ensure requirements are accurately captured, communicated internally, and appropriately reflected in capture strategy and solution development.
• Proactively monitor requirements documentation (e.g., RFIs, draft RFPs, SOOs, ORDs) and brief internal leadership on implications and competitive positioning.
• Coordinate with engineering, program management, and contracts teams to validate that proposed solutions are aligned with documented and anticipated Air Force program requirements.
• Flag requirements gaps, shifts, or risks early and develop mitigation strategies to protect capture posture.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in defense Business Development, Capture Management, or Program Management with demonstrated success in the U.S. Air Force market.
• Direct experience supporting or engaging with programs at Air Force strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of USAF acquisition processes and the Department of War POM processes.
• Proven ability to own and drive a full capture lifecycle from opportunity identification through proposal submission.
• Active DoW Secret security clearance required;
  Top Secret/SCI preferred.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust-based relationships with senior government personnel.

• Prior military…