Head of Defense Growth

About Us

Red Cell Partners is an incubation firm building and investing in rapidly scalable technology-led companies that are bringing revolutionary advancements to market in three distinct practice areas: healthcare, cyber, and national security. United by a shared sense of duty and deep belief in the power of innovation, Red Cell is developing powerful tools and solutions to address our Nation's most pressing problems.

About Us


Red Cell Federal ("RC Federal") is the public sector growth company created by Red Cell Partners to build a new category of national security company - one that creates AI-powered, mission-ready capabilities for the U.S. government. Aligning technological innovation with real-world mission demand. RC Federal is designed to scale into an enduring platform, translating complex government needs into repeatable, high-impact solutions.


Head of Defense Growth


Federal / Department of War


Role Summary


Red Cell Federal is building something fundamentally different from any other organization in the defense innovation ecosystem: an engine designed to identify critical national security problems, build solutionsaround them, and scale those solutions into enduring capabilities for the U.S. Department of War and federal government.


The Head of Defense Growth is the senior leader responsible for translating that ambition into real-world impact. This role sits at the intersection of mission problem-solving, and venture scale. You will define how Red Cell Federal and the AI-powered products it builds identify opportunities, shape demand, win programs, and grow into long-term solutions for the American warfighter.


This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who wants to build the system, not inherit one.


About This Role


This is not a conventional "VP of Sales" or "Head of BD" position. You are not being hired to sell a single product, manage a catalog, or inherit a stale pipeline. You are being hired to translate hard mission problems into new, productized capabilities built on top of RC Federal's flagship AI platform. You will uncover non-obvious paths to adoption and solve complex mission problems that do not fit neatly into existing acquisition models.


We are looking for someone who thrives in fast-moving environments with limited oversight. Someone who can look at an operational gap, a fragmented funding landscape, and an early-stage capability and find a way through.


You will have broad ownership over Red Cell Federal's public sector growth strategy, with initial focus on Department of War, shaping where we play, how we play, and how we win. That means leveraging existing products, building new, mission-ready capabilities, or drawing from the broader Red Cell portfolio in order to deliver next-generation solutions to the warfighter.


What You'll Do

• Define and operationalize Red Cell Federal's public sector and DoW growth strategy across priority missions, agencies, and acquisition pathways.

• Lead "left-of-bang" shaping with mission owners, program offices, contracting offices, and other acquisition stakeholders before solicitations exist.

• Set bid/no-bid decisions and prioritize opportunities across the portfolio.

• Architect creative solutions that may include leveraging capabilities from multiple portfolio companies with a focus on solving hard mission problems and accelerating adoption.

• Build and run a scalable BD → Capture → Close growth engine that portfolio companies can plug into.

• Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-ownership growth team spanning BD, capture, proposals, and contracts.

• Translate pipeline and program traction into the GTM narrative and metrics that fuel venture growth.

What Success Looks Like

• A clear, differentiated Red Cell Federal presence across priority DoW and federal mission areas.

• A pipeline that consistently converts early engagement into real programs.

• Faster transitions from pilot and prototype efforts into enduring programs of record.

• A repeatable federal growth engine that compounds across multiple ventures -not just one.

Who You Are

• A senior public sector growth leader with experience turning complex, technical capabilities into scaled programs.

• A creative problem-solver who enjoys working at the edge of structure and inventing new approaches.

• Comfortable owning ambiguity, making hard calls, and being accountable for outcomes.

• Mission-driven, operator-empathetic, and motivated by solving problems that matter.

• A builder with a venture mindset, energized by the opportunity to fuel the growth of an AI-native company.

Your background should include senior growth, capture, or federal sales leadership roles at high-growth defense technology companies, next-generation primes, or elite GovCon organizations, but what matters most is your ability to build something new.


Required Qualifications


We are looking for a proven public sector growth leader who has personally built, shaped, and closed complex deals - as well as built growth processes and teams from the ground up - not someone who has only supported the process.


Experience & Track Record

• 12+ years of private sector experience selling to public sector, at least some of that time in an executive position in either business development, capture, or federal sales, and ideally with a focus on defense or national security.

• Demonstrated ownership of the full lifecycle from early shaping ("left of bang") through capture, award, and post-award expansion.

• At least $100M+ in cumulative contract value influenced, captured, or closed over the course of a career.

• History of moving efforts from prototype / pilot / SBIR / OTA into enduring programs of record.

Contracting & Acquisition Depth

• Strong working knowledge of DoW and federal acquisition pathways, including hands-on experience with:

• FAR / DFARS-based contracts (FFP, CPFF, T&M, hybrids)

• OTAs (both prototype and follow-on production)

• IDIQs / GWACs / BPAs (e.g., task order strategy, on-ramping, teaming)

• Innovation-focused mechanisms such as SBIR/STTR, BAAs, CSOs, and rapid acquisition authorities

• Ability to creatively navigate acquisition constraints and identify non-obvious paths to award and scale.

Domain & Customer Credibility

• Deep familiarity working with DoW stakeholders and mission owners, such as:

• Program Executive Offices (PEOs) or Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs)

• PMOs / Requiring Activities

• Combatant Commands, services, or defense agencies

• Track record of engaging credibly with operators, acquisition professionals, and senior government leadership.

• Experience selling or scaling technically complex capabilities, such as software platforms, AI/data systems, cyber, EW, autonomy, advanced sensing, or mission-critical infrastructure.

Leadership & Operating Model

• Proven experience acting as a player-coach - setting strategy while personally driving the most important deals.

• Experience building or leading BD, capture, proposal, and contracting teams, either directly or in matrixed environments.

• Demonstrated ability to establish discipline without bureaucracy: clear bid/no-bid decisions, win themes, pipeline rigor, and accountability.

Clearance

• Current U.S. security clearance strongly preferred

Location & Travel

• Strong preference for the Washington, DC metro area (or willingness to relocate).

• Expect meaningful time in the field shaping, capturing, and closing. This role is a contact sport.

• Up to 30% travel.

First 90 Days (High - Level)

• Develop a clear Red Cell Federal public sector growth thesis and identify a small number of priority mission areas and pursuits.

• Launch disciplined shaping and capture efforts on the highest-leverage opportunities.

• Stand up the initial BD → Capture → Close operating process and cadence across the portfolio.

• Create visible momentum with early wins, clear pipeline ownership, and leadership alignment.

Final Thought


Many roles in defense innovation talk about impact. This is one of the rare ones where you can actually create it - by building the growth system that turns bold ideas into real capability for the American warfighter. If you want a role you're unlikely to find anywhere else in the defense ecosystem, this is it.


Salary Range: $250,000-$280,000 - This represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience, skills, and other factors.

Our Red Cell Partners Benefits:

For full-time roles

• Career track opportunity with potential for rapid advancement with strong performance as the firm grows
• 100% employer paid, comprehensive health care including medical, dental, and vision for you and your family.
• Paid maternity and paternity for 14 weeks at employees' normal pay.
• Unlimited PTO, with management approval.
• Opportunities for professional development and continued learning.
• Optional 401K, FSA, and equity incentives available.
• Mental health benefits are available through Tara Mind.
• Cost effective GLP-1 solutions available through Crux.

We're an Equal Opportunity Employer: You'll receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.

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