Senior Business Development Manager

About Intrinsic At Intrinsic, we are reimagining how the defense and national security communities build, adopt, and scale modern technologies. We help government leaders accelerate their missions by delivering AI/ML-powered software solutions that are intuitive, secure, and built to meet warfighter needs. Our team operates at the edge of innovation, deeply embedded in efforts like Kessel Run, AFRL, and ABMS, bringing Silicon Valley agility to the Department of Defense. We're a small business team of technologists, operators, and builders with a passion for creating solutions that matter. Join us and shape the future of mission-driven technology. Position Overview Intrinsic is seeking a Senior Business Development Manager to own growth across our U.S. Air Force portfolio, with Air Force as the clear priority and Space Force experience as a complementary advantage. This leader will combine deep operational credibility, established customer relationships, acquisition knowledge, and technical fluency to identify mission needs and translate them into funded engineering and software opportunities. The role is focused on the Air Force Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management (C3BM) ecosystem, including Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), battle management, operational command and control, C2 Strike, AI/ML-enabled decision support, modeling and simulation, and modern software capabilities. The ideal candidate understands how the operational Air Force fights, how operational needs become requirements, how requirements are funded and acquired, and how software and AI capabilities transition into operational use. The successful candidate will bring current relationships across operational Air Force units, acquisition and program organizations, C3BM stakeholders, AFRL and the broader research community, and will be able to move comfortably among operators, acquisition professionals, scientists, engineers, program offices, and industry partners. What You’ll Do · Own Intrinsic’s Air Force growth strategy, customer engagement and relationships, pipeline development, opportunity shaping, and conversion of qualified opportunities into funded work. · Develop and maintain deep relationships across operational Air Force units, MAJCOMs, acquisition and program offices, C3BM organizations, AFRL and other research organizations, and mission stakeholders. · Identify operational mission gaps and work directly with operators to understand mission threads, workflows, decision points, data requirements, C2 challenges, and desired operational outcomes. · Translate operational needs into actionable opportunities for Intrinsic engineering teams across AI/ML, agentic AI, decision support, modeling and simulation, software integration, and human-machine teaming. · Develop and shape opportunities across the ABMS/C3BM ecosystem, including battle management, operational C2, C2 Strike, and related command-and-control modernization efforts. · Understand and navigate Air Force software acquisition and funding pathways, identifying practical paths from operational need and prototype through funded development, integration, deployment, and sustainment. · Engage customers well before solicitation release to understand requirements, funding, acquisition strategy, competitive environment, stakeholders, and decision timelines. · Connect operational users, acquisition organizations, and Intrinsic technical teams so proposed solutions remain grounded in mission requirements and can be translated into executable engineering approaches. · Work with technical leadership to develop concepts, demonstrations, prototypes, white papers, and solution approaches responsive to Air Force mission needs. · Develop and execute account and opportunity strategies, including stakeholder mapping, customer engagement plans, competitive assessments, teaming strategies, and win strategies. · Identify and use appropriate acquisition pathways, including SBIR Phase III, OTA, CSO/BAA, IDIQ/task orders, prime contracts, subcontracts, and other mechanisms that can transition Intrinsic technology into operational use. · Establish and develop relationships with primes, OEMs, and technology partners when they improve customer access, technical solutions, contract pathways, or transition potential. · Work closely with the Capture and Proposal Manager once opportunities are qualified, retaining customer and account ownership while providing the operational context, customer intelligence, requirements understanding, and shaping history needed for successful capture and proposal execution. · Maintain accurate opportunity qualification, pipeline, probability, milestones, and revenue forecasts in Intrinsic’s CRM. What You Bring · 15–20+ years of relevant Air Force operational, acquisition, technical, or defense-industry experience, with significant operational understanding relevant to C2, battle management, ISR, air operations, targeting, mission planning, or related mission areas. · Demonstrated understanding of C3BM and ABMS and how Air Force operational C2 requirements translate into programs, capabilities, and acquisition activities. · Established, current relationships across multiple parts of the Air Force ecosystem, including operational organizations and mission users, acquisition/program offices, and research or laboratory organizations. · Demonstrated credibility engaging operators on mission problems and translating operational needs into requirements and solution opportunities. · Working understanding of Air Force software acquisition, including rapid/prototyping pathways and transition into sustained operational capability. · Technical fluency in AI/ML, modern software, modeling and simulation, autonomy, decision support, or related technologies sufficient to work effectively with engineering teams and customers. · Strong executive communication, writing, and relationship-building skills with military, civilian, acquisition, technical, and industry leaders. Preferred Qualifications · Demonstrated defense business development or capture experience, including personally identifying, shaping, and converting opportunities into funded work. · Prior experience within or directly supporting C3BM, ABMS, operational C2, battle management, or C2 Strike. · USAF Weapons School Graduate · Experience in an AOC, operational wing, NAF, MAJCOM, or other operational command-and-control environment. · Experience and relationships with AFRL, AFLCMC, and relevant Air Force program or acquisition organizations. · Experience transitioning AI/ML or modern software capabilities from prototype or experimentation into operational use. · Understanding modeling and simulation and its application to operational planning, analysis, experimentation, training, or decision support. · Existing Space Force relationships and understanding of Space Force operational and acquisition organizations. Space Force experience is highly desirable as a complement to, not a substitute for, deep Air Force experience and relationships. · Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in business, engineering, computer science, operations, or another relevant field. · Active or recently held Top Secret clearance. What We Offer At Intrinsic, we believe mission-driven work should be supported by world-class employee experience: · Competitive base salary: $150,000 – $215,000 (commensurate with experience) · Performance-based annual bonuses · Medical, dental, and vision coverage (for employees and dependents) · PTO and paid work holidays · 100% remote-first culture – work from anywhere in the U.S. · 401(k) with company match Join Us! If you're passionate about helping the operational Air Force solve complex mission problems with modern software, AI/ML, modeling and simulation, and decision-support capabilities—and you know how to turn those needs into executable acquisition and engineering opportunities—we'd like to hear from you. Job Type: Full-time Pay: $150,000.00 - $215,000.00 per year Benefits: · 401(k) · 401(k) matching · Dental insurance · Health insurance · Paid time off · Vision insurance Schedule: · Monday to Friday Supplemental Pay: · Yearly bonus Work Location: Fully Remote, 30-40% travel required