Vice President of Business Development

Vice President of Business Development

Reports to: Chief Growth Officer
Customer focus: U.S. and allied governments

About CET

Composite Energy Technologies, LLC (CET) develops and manufactures maritime systems, including the HADALUS family of autonomous underwater vehicles. We combine low-cost composite manufacturing with maritime autonomy to deliver practical, scalable capabilities for defense and other demanding applications.

The opportunity

CET is seeking a Vice President of Business Development to grow government sales and build the sales organization and infrastructure needed to support sustained growth. This executive will personally lead major pursuits while establishing clear sales processes, reliable forecasts, and a team that can scale with CET. A proven record of winning contracts with the U.S. Navy and/or U.S. Marine Corps is required. Underwater domain experience is strongly preferred. The role connects customer mission needs with funded opportunities and guides them through contract award, follow-on orders, and production adoption.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a growth strategy for U.S. and allied government customers. Prioritize opportunities based on mission fit, available funding, timing, and CET delivery capacity.
• Own bookings targets and develop revenue forecasts with finance and operations. Build account plans that identify users, sponsors, decision-makers, funding sources, and procurement pathways.
• Personally lead priority opportunities from qualification through award, including capture strategy, teaming, proposals, pricing, and commercial negotiations.
• Establish the customer relationship management (CRM) system, sales stages, qualification standards, account ownership, pipeline reviews, and management reporting.
• Build relationships with Navy, Marine Corps, and allied defense organizations, including operators, requirements owners, program offices, and contracting officials.
• Convert demonstrations and development efforts into funded programs, production orders, and repeat business, with a defined next funding or procurement decision for each priority pursuit.
• Work with engineering, manufacturing, program management, and finance to align customer commitments with technical capability, pricing, and delivery capacity.
• Build and lead the business development team. Establish hiring priorities, performance expectations, and budgets; manage strategic partners and international representatives.

Required qualifications:

• A demonstrated record of personally leading and winning U.S. Navy and/or U.S. Marine Corps contracts, with specific examples of awards, customer growth, and the candidate's contribution.
• Experience selling technology, systems, or services to both U.S. and allied government defense customers.
• Experience establishing or substantially expanding a business development function, including CRM implementation, pipeline discipline, forecasting, and team development.
• Practical understanding of government requirements, budgeting, acquisition, and contracting, including how to turn technical interest into a funded purchase.
• Established Navy and/or Marine Corps relationships and credibility with operators, acquisition professionals, senior leaders, and industry partners.
• Ability to lead complex proposals and negotiations, explain technical value clearly, and make disciplined decisions about which opportunities to pursue.

Preferred qualifications:

Success in the first year

• Experience with autonomous or unmanned underwater vehicles, subsea technologies, naval platforms, or related maritime systems.
• Experience moving emerging defense technologies from demonstrations or development contracts into production and sustained procurement.
• Experience building sales in a growing defense technology or manufacturing company.
• Experience developing partnerships with prime contractors, systems integrators, distributors, or local industrial partners in allied markets.
• An operating CRM and consistent sales process with clear ownership, qualification standards, and reliable pipeline and forecast reporting.
• An agreed growth plan and qualified U.S. and allied government pipeline, supported by actionable capture plans for priority opportunities.
• Contract wins, follow‑on orders, and progress toward production adoption measured against targets agreed with the Chief Growth Officer and CEO.
• A clear team structure and hiring plan, with effective coordination across sales, engineering, operations, and program delivery.

Work expectations:

This role requires direct involvement in customer pursuits and sales operations in a growing company, with frequent domestic and international travel. A hybrid option may be availiable, based on location.

Must be able to pass a background check

Must be a citizen of the United States