Defense Business Development & Capture Manager

Located in Woodland, WA, LifePort is the leading manufacturer of medical transportation and interior products as well as ballistic armor protection systems for fixed and rotary wing aircraft.  From large multi-aircraft projects to small custom projects, LifePort supplies the industry’s largest aerospace OEMs and end users with the finest aviation solutions today.

Position Summary:

Develop and grow LifePort's defense business portfolio across the U.S. Department of Defense, other federal customers, allied governments, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) channels, and major aerospace and defense OEMs/primes. This is a customer-facing business development and capture role responsible for building trusted relationships, identifying opportunities early, mapping requirements, stakeholders, funding and acquisition pathways, and converting validated customer needs into qualified pursuits and revenue opportunities.

The position represents LifePort's defense portfolio, including ballistic protection and survivability, aeromedical/MEDEVAC/CASEVAC systems, patient handling, special-mission interiors, mission seating and flooring, and related mission-equipment integration. The successful candidate must be credible with senior military, acquisition, OEM and international stakeholders; able to translate operational problems into business opportunities; and disciplined enough to manage capture from initial customer problem through funded requirement, acquisition pathway, award and follow-on growth.

Essential Functions:

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with U.S. DoD operational, requirements, acquisition, program management, contracting, medical, aviation, sustainment and security-cooperation stakeholders.
• Develop targeted relationships with major defense OEMs/primes, integrators, channel partners, allied defense organizations and other organizations that can create or accelerate qualified LifePort opportunities.
• Own assigned defense accounts and campaigns from early identification through qualification, capture, proposal, award and follow-on growth; maintain clear customer, owner, next action, decision gate and forecast discipline.
• Identify emerging customer problems and programs before formal solicitation by monitoring requirements development, acquisition activity, budget signals, industry engagement, exercises, platform modernization and partner activity.
• Map customer requirements to the appropriate funding and acquisition pathway, including understanding the relationship among requirements, PPBE/POM activity, appropriations, budget exhibits, program elements, colors of money, acquisition organizations and contracting vehicles.
• Understand and communicate how enacted or programmed funding can translate into an executable acquisition opportunity; identify the government owner, acquisition authority, contracting path and next action required for LifePort to compete appropriately.
• Develop account and campaign strategies for LifePort defense solutions, including ballistic/survivability systems, MEDEVAC/CASEVAC and patient-handling systems, rapid-role-change mission equipment, special-mission interiors, seating, flooring and related integration capabilities.
• Conduct customer discovery and requirements analysis; translate mission needs into clear internal opportunity statements for Engineering, Programs, Operations, Finance and Contracts.
• Make executive-level capability presentations and lead customer discussions with personnel ranging from operators and maintainers through program managers, PEOs, senior military leaders, OEM executives and allied-government stakeholders.
• Support domestic and international sales, including FMS and appropriately structured direct-commercial/allied opportunities, while coordinating export-control, ITAR/EAR, contracting and legal requirements with responsible LifePort functions.
• Develop and maintain working knowledge of DSCA/FMS processes, Security Cooperation Organizations, relevant service international program offices, OEM international channels and allied procurement approaches.
• Coordinate with LifePort leadership and registered government-affairs/lobbying resources on approved congressional or budget-shaping efforts. This position is a business development/capture role and is not intended to duplicate registered lobbying activity.
• Evaluate RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, sources sought, BAAs, CSOs, OTAs and other acquisition vehicles; lead or support bid/no-bid recommendations and proposal/capture strategy.
• Work with Finance and Contracts on pricing, commercial structure, terms, risk and profitability; support proposal development and customer negotiations within delegated authority.
• Develop strategic teaming relationships where partners can close platform-access, certification, integration, technology, manufacturing, international-market or customer-access gaps.
• Plan and execute high-value customer visits, demonstrations, trade shows and industry engagements tied to defined account/capture objectives rather than general networking.
• Maintain accurate CRM and forecast data and provide concise executive updates on opportunity value, probability, funding, customer sponsorship, next decision, risk and required resources.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Programs, Operations and executive leadership to ensure proposed solutions are technically feasible, supportable, certifiable, producible and aligned with LifePort strategy.

Job Specifications (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities):

• Demonstrated ability to build credibility and long-term relationships with defense customers; an established DoD network is strongly preferred, but exceptional candidates who have clearly demonstrated the ability to create senior-level relationships may be considered.
• Strong understanding of the U.S. defense acquisition environment and the ability to connect operational requirements, funding, acquisition organizations, contracting pathways and industry partners.
• Working knowledge of DoD budgeting and funding concepts, including PPBE/POM, congressional appropriations/authorization context, budget exhibits, RDT&E, Procurement and O&M funding, and how those mechanisms affect business development timing.
• Working knowledge of federal acquisition approaches such as FAR/DFARS contracting, IDIQ/task orders, OTAs, SBIR/STTR transition, CSOs and other rapid-acquisition mechanisms is preferred.
• Knowledge of FMS/security-cooperation pathways and international defense business development is strongly preferred.
• Ability to sell complex mission solutions rather than individual products; must be able to connect customer mission problems to LifePort engineering, integration, certification, production and sustainment capabilities.
• Ability to communicate credibly with operational military personnel, acquisition professionals, engineers, executives and international customers.
• Strong capture judgment: able to distinguish a qualified opportunity from general interest, prioritize limited resources, and recommend GO/HOLD/NO-GO decisions with clear evidence.
• Comfort working independently in an externally focused role while maintaining disciplined coordination with internal account owners and functional teams.
• Excellent written, verbal, briefing and executive-presentation skills.
• Strong business acumen, including opportunity valuation, pricing awareness, competitive positioning, partner economics and risk assessment.
• High degree of initiative, professional judgment, integrity and discretion when working with sensitive customer, program and competitive information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and CRM tools; ability to use data, market intelligence and structured account/capture tools to manage a portfolio.
• Ability to travel up to 50% domestically and internationally as business needs require.

Education, Certifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, national security, military studies or a related field preferred; equivalent military leadership, acquisition, industry or business-development experience may substitute.
• Typically 8+ years of relevant defense, military, government, aerospace, acquisition, capture or business-development experience.
• Demonstrated record of developing defense customer relationships and converting customer needs into funded pursuits, contracts, partnerships or measurable pipeline growth.
• Experience in one or more of the following is highly desirable: Army or joint aviation; MEDEVAC/CASEVAC/aeromedical operations; tactical wheeled vehicles; survivability/ballistic protection; special-mission aircraft; medical systems; defense OEM/prime programs; FMS/security cooperation.
• Prior military service is valued but not required. Experience in DoD acquisition, requirements, program management, operational planning, security cooperation or defense industry is highly relevant.
• Active U.S. security clearance is a plus where relevant to assigned programs; ability to meet customer/program security requirements may be required.

Performance Expectations / Measures of Success:

• Build a qualified, balanced defense pipeline with clear customer problems, funding/acquisition pathways, owners, next actions and realistic forecasts.
• Increase LifePort access to priority DoD, OEM/prime and allied/FMS stakeholders while reducing dependence on any single executive for customer relationships.
• Identify credible opportunities early enough to influence requirements, teaming, budget and acquisition strategy before formal solicitation where appropriate.
• Advance assigned pursuits through measurable milestones: validated requirement, customer sponsorship, funded pathway, capture strategy, proposal, award and follow-on growth.
• Develop repeatable account and campaign plans across LifePort's defense portfolio, with particular emphasis on ballistic/survivability and medical/MEDEVAC/CASEVAC mission solutions.
• Maintain disciplined CRM, forecast and executive reporting and demonstrate efficient use of travel, proposal, engineering and partner resources.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

Working conditions are normal for a manufacturing/machine shop/office environment and include frequent travel to customer, partner, military and industry locations.

All employees are expected to adhere to Company safety policies and wear personal protective equipment when exposed to work areas or performing tasks where it is required.

This position must meet Export Control compliance requirements; therefore, a "U.S. Person" as defined by applicable U.S. export-control regulations is required.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Our Competitive Benefits Include:

• PTO - Paid Time Off
• Personal leave
• Annual performance bonus program
• Wellness program and onsite gym with free personal training
• Paid company holidays
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits with HSA and FSA options
• 401(k) with employer contribution
• Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
• Employee life assistance program
• Additional voluntary benefits may include legal, long-term disability, pet, accident, hospital indemnity and critical illness coverage.

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