BAE Systems

Dir I- Programs

BAE Systems$135K — $160K *
Aerospace & Defense
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or a related field.
  • 12+ years of progressive experience in program management, business development, or related work in defense or aerospace.
  • Demonstrated success identifying customer opportunities prior to formal solicitation.
  • Experience executing market or campaign strategies that yield qualified opportunities.
  • Ability to assess complex products and technologies and connect them to customer missions.
  • Strong collaborative skills across various business functions and stakeholders.
  • Familiarity with U.S. defense acquisition and funding processes.

Responsibilities

  • Assess customer missions and market dynamics to identify growth opportunities.
  • Develop and execute multi-year campaign strategies and customer engagement plans.
  • Collaborate across teams to create differentiated solutions for customers.
  • Build and nurture relationships with operational users and acquisition organizations.
  • Coordinate customer engagements to establish mission value and interest.
  • Develop business cases and investment recommendations for campaign initiatives.
  • Lead multi-functional campaign teams to achieve agreed objectives.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health benefits package.
  • 401(k) plan with company match.
  • Professional development and training opportunities.
  • Flexible work arrangements.
  • Generous paid time off and holidays.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Job Description:
We are seeking a Director I Campaign Leader reporting into the Integrated Sensor Solutions Product Line in the CEMA Business Area within BAE Systems' Aerospace and Mission Systems (AMS) segment. This leader will identify and develop growth opportunities in U.S. HVAA defense market by applying our existing products and technologies to unmet or emerging customer mission needs. Responsibilities include developing go-to-market strategies, building customer relationships, identifying strategic partners, to influence and stimulate customer acquisition activity, especially the identification of opportunities that precede an established acquisition program or solicitation.
The principal output of a campaign is one or more qualified capture initiatives, each with its own capture leader, team, and pursuit plan. The Campaign Leader retains responsibility for the broader market strategy and development of additional opportunities.
The Campaign Leader will bring together capabilities across product lines, business areas, FAST Labs, and strategic partners to develop compelling customer solutions. This role requires independent initiative, collaborative leadership, and travel to customer and company locations. The candidate must demonstrate strong leadership in ethics, safety, and security.Key responsibilities of the role include:
  • Assess customer missions, capability gaps, market dynamics, competitive offerings, and funding priorities to identify opportunities for existing products and technologies, including new applications and adjacent markets in the HVAA market.
  • Develop and execute a multi-year campaign strategy and plan defining target customers, growth objectives, opportunity priorities, customer engagement activities, milestones, and required resources.
  • Collaborate across product lines, business areas, internal and external strategic partners to combine complementary capabilities, identify technology maturation needs, and develop differentiated, affordable solutions.
  • Build relationships with operational users, requirements sponsors, acquisition organizations, funding authorities, and industry partners to validate mission needs and stimulate customer interest in acquiring proposed capabilities.
  • Coordinate concept papers, technical exchanges, demonstrations, and other customer engagements that establish mission value and advance customer interest toward actionable acquisition initiatives.
  • Develop campaign business cases and investment recommendations, including resource needs, internal funding, identify risks, expected returns, and priorities for demonstrations or technology adaptation. Present recommendations to the appropriate business leaders.
  • Build and lead a multi-functional campaign team across organizational boundaries, establish shared objectives and responsibilities, and coordinate execution of proposals and awarded activity within approved plans and resources.
  • Qualify opportunities by assessing whether the need and acquisition path are real, whether we can win, and whether the opportunity is worth pursuing. Evaluate customer commitment, funding prospects, timing, and business value.
  • Transition qualified opportunities into separately led capture initiatives through the applicable business winning process. Transfer customer insights, solution concepts, competitive assessments, acquisition and funding paths, and recommended next steps.
  • Maintain strategic alignment across related captures and continue developing additional opportunities. Measure campaign progress through customer commitments, acquisition milestones, and the quality, value, and conversion of opportunities into approved captures.


Required Skills and Education

Required Security Clearance:
  • Must possess an active U.S. Department of War (DoW) Secret security clearance.
  • Must be eligible to obtain and maintain Top Secret clearance and any additional program access required by the assignment.
Minimum Education and Experience:
  • Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, or a related field.
  • 12+ years of progressive experience in Program management, business development, market strategy, capture leadership, technical leadership, or related work in the defense or aerospace industry.
  • Demonstrated success identifying and developing customer opportunities before a formal solicitation, including translating mission needs into credible solutions and acquisition interest.
  • Experience developing and executing market or campaign strategies that produce qualified opportunities and support sustained business growth.
  • Ability to understand complex products and technologies, assess their relevance to customer missions, and identify opportunities to reuse, adapt, or combine capabilities.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate across product lines, business areas, and internal and external partners to advance shared business objectives.
  • Experience navigating and collaborating with all business functions to include Business Development, Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Contracts, Finance, and Legal
  • Experience leading integrated teams and securing commitments across organizational boundaries, including influencing stakeholders outside direct reporting relationships.
  • Strong customer engagement skills, including leading technical and strategic discussions with operational, acquisition, and senior leadership stakeholders.
  • Working knowledge of U.S. defense acquisition and funding processes and the progression from mission need through opportunity qualification and capture.
  • Strong business judgment, including market and competitive analysis, business case development, investment prioritization, and assessment of risk and return.
  • Persuasive written and oral communication, with the ability to present actionable recommendations to executives and customers.
  • Ability to manage multiple opportunities, adapt to changing priorities, and travel as required to support campaign objectives.


Preferred Skills and Education

  • Master's degree in business, engineering, or a related discipline.
  • Experience leading campaigns that generated multiple capture initiatives across products, customers, or business organizations.
  • Experience connecting research and development investments, prototypes, and demonstrations to customer acquisition and transition opportunities.
  • Experience establishing strategic partnerships or teaming approaches that combine complementary capabilities and improve competitive position.
  • Knowledge of electronic warfare, mission systems, or related defense technologies, with experience translating technical capabilities into customer mission value.
  • Familiarity with business winning reviews, capture planning, and the information required to launch and support an effective capture effort.
  • Active Top Secret security clearance.


This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.

About BAE Systems

BAE Systems plc is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company. It is among the world's largest defense contractors, with over 85,000 employees and operations in over 40 countries. BAE Systems is involved in the design, development, and manufacture of a wide range of products and services, including military aircraft, naval ships, and land vehicles. The company also provides a range of cybersecurity and intelligence services. BAE Systems has a long history, dating back to the 19th century, and has been involved in many major defense projects. Visit baesystems.com for more information.
Learn more about BAE Systems
Size
90,500 employees
Industry
Founded
1997
NASDAQ

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