Vice President - Business Development (Government & Maritime)

Vice President - Business Development (Government & Maritime)

Company Overview:

Gulf Copper LLC, a subsidiary of Davie Defense, is a leading Marine Repair and New Construction company based in Galveston, Texas, with more than 75 years of ship repair and fabrication experience on the Gulf Coast. Gulf Copper’s primary business is the repair and refurbishment of marine vessels, ship construction, and fabrication for transportation, government, and oil and gas markets.

Benefits:

• 401k Retirement Plan
• Section 125 Plan (Pre-Tax Health/Dental Insurance Premium Deduction)
• Group Health & Dental Plan
• Short & Long Term Disability Insurance
• Life & Voluntary Life Insurance
• Holiday & Vacation Pay
• Employee Assistance Program

Job Summary

The Vice President – Business Development (Government & Maritime) is responsible for leading front-end growth strategy focused on U.S. Government maritime opportunities. This role builds and manages a robust pipeline of qualified opportunities and converts them into major contract wins. The position plays a critical role in positioning the company competitively within federal maritime markets while aligning opportunities with operational capabilities.

• Develop and maintain a high-quality pipeline of government and strategic maritime opportunities, targeting 3-5x revenue coverage.
• Identify and qualify opportunities within federal agencies including the U.S. Navy, Military Sealift Command, and U.S. Coast Guard.
• Track and monitor upcoming RFPs, procurement timelines, and federal budget cycles.
• Engage early with stakeholders to shape requirements, acquisitions strategies, and specifications prior to formal solicitation.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with government stakeholders, prime contractors, program offices, and commercial partners.
• Lead capture strategy development including win themes, competitive positioning, and teaming strategies.
• Identify and secure strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and subcontracting opportunities.
• Provide market intelligence including competitor analysis, pricing trends, and customer priorities.
• Align business development activities with internal operational capabilities to ensure deliverable outcomes.
• Transition opportunities into formal capture and proposal phases while supporting bid teams to maximize win probability.
• Contribute to backlog growth and overall strategic positioning of the company.

Required Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred)
• Minimum 10+ years of senior-level business development or capture experience in one of more of the following industries:
  • Defense
  • Shipbuilding
  • Maritime services
  • Offshore/EPC
• Proven track record of developing pipelines and securing contracts valued at $100M or more.
• Strong understanding of U.S. federal procurement processes.
• Experience working directly with the U.S. Navy, Military Sealift Command, or U.S. Coast Guard preferred.
• Established network within the defense and maritime industry strongly preferred.

Special Skills:

• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Strategic thinking with long-term market positioning capability.
• Advanced opportunity assessment and bid/no-bid decision-making
• High level of commercial and financial acumen.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.
• Persistence and resilience in managing long sales cycles.

Necessary Equipment Operation:

• Standard office equipment including computers, phones, and video conferencing tools.
• CRM and pipeline management systems.
• Microsoft Office Suite or equivalent business tools.

* An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. Equal Employment Opportunity Posters. If you’d like to view a copy of the company’s affirmative action plan or policy statement, please email: [email protected].  If you have a disability and you believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to submit an online application, please e-mail: [email protected].