Government Ops Lead

Pilgrim

• $110K — $130K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Proven experience in defense business development and government contracting.
  • Background in operational roles like combat casualty care or tactical medicine.
  • Understanding of DoD and intelligence community acquisition processes and funding.
  • Skilled in researching and presenting complex topics clearly and persuasively.
  • Experience in engaging military and government officials effectively.
  • Must be a U.S. Person.

Responsibilities

  • Map government agencies to identify key decision-makers and funding sources.
  • Develop strategies for engaging priority government accounts.
  • Lead business development from outreach to contract execution.
  • Create visual materials such as briefing decks and diagrams using design tools.
  • Monitor budgets, policy priorities, and competitive landscapes.
  • Translate customer needs into actionable product and engineering insights.
  • Represent the company in various government and military settings.

Benefits

  • Engage directly with military and government leaders.
  • Opportunity to work on sensitive government programs.
  • Support cutting-edge technology for defense and healthcare sectors.
  • Travel to military installations and participate in field activities.
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams on impactful projects.
Full Job Description
About the Role:

We are looking for a Government Ops Lead at Pilgrim to own our engagement across the federal government and ensure our solutions reach the warfighter. You'll identify urgent mission needs, understand how agencies evaluate, fund, and adopt new technology, and turn opportunities into pilots, contracts, and long-term government partnerships. You'll carry the work in writing and in person: producing clear briefs, proposals, and customer materials, and meeting directly with operators, acquisition officials, and program leaders. The right person is a self-starter who finds the path to an outcome and walks it.
Responsibilities:
  • Map defense, intelligence, and federal health agencies to understand the offices, units, programs, decision-makers, funding sources, contracting vehicles, and acquisition pathways relevant to Pilgrim.
  • Build account and capture strategies for priority government customers, including who to engage, what problem to lead with, what funding path to pursue, and what steps are needed to advance the opportunity.
  • Drive business development from initial research and outreach through meetings, proposals, pilots, funded programs, and contracts.
  • Create briefing decks, diagrams, stakeholder maps, and other visual materials using Figma, PowerPoint, or similar tools.
  • Track relevant programs, solicitations, budget activity, policy priorities, agency initiatives, and competitive dynamics.
  • Turn customer conversations, mission requirements, and market research into clear recommendations for Pilgrim's product, engineering, and leadership teams.
  • Represent Pilgrim in government meetings, field visits, conferences, exercises, demonstrations, and partner engagements, traveling frequently to military installations, government sites, and operational units.
  • Support sensitive or classified government programs where discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment are required.
Qualifications:
  • Track record in defense business development, acquisition, or government contracting, including independently advancing opportunities into funded pilots, programs, or contracts for emerging technologies.
  • Operational experience in combat casualty care, tactical medicine, CBRN response, or force protection.
  • Working knowledge of DoD or intelligence community acquisition pathways, funding sources, and contracting vehicles.
  • Ability to research complex technical and operational topics and turn findings into clear, persuasive briefs, proposals, and presentations.
  • Experience briefing and engaging military operators, acquisition officials, program leaders, or agency decision-makers, adapting the message to their priorities and securing concrete next steps.
  • Must be a U.S. Person.

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