Defense Customer Success Lead

Sofar Ocean

. Lead activities to identify, shape, capture, and win strategic opportunities across the U.S.

Posted 9/18/2026full-timeUnited StatesSenior💰 $140,000 - $170,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in U.S. federal business development and capture management, with a strong understanding of the federal acquisition lifecycle and the ability to connect stakeholders effectively. Proven track record in developing capture strategies, managing complex proposals, and leading government affairs initiatives.

Highest-signal resume keywords

U.S. Federal Business DevelopmentCapture ManagementFederal Acquisition LifecycleProposal DevelopmentProject Management

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Capture Strategy DevelopmentProposal WritingOpportunity ShapingSource SelectionContracting MechanismsPost-Award TransitionFederal Budget ProcessesRisk ManagementStakeholder EngagementTeaming Strategies

Soft Skills

Excellent Communication SkillsLeadershipCollaborationRelationship ManagementProject Management

Certifications & Qualifications

U.S. Government Security ClearanceActive SECRET or TS/SCI Clearance

Industry Keywords

Federal GovernmentDefenseGovernment AffairsStrategic PartnershipsComplex Sales CyclesMaritime ProgramsEnvironmental ProgramsData-as-a-ServiceIntegrated Technical CapabilitiesU.S. Navy

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

TypeScript

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead activities to identify, shape, capture, and win strategic opportunities across the U.S. federal government
Own business development, capture management, government affairs, and strategic partnerships
Develop and execute capture strategies from qualification and shaping through acquisition strategy, teaming, proposal development, award, and contract transition
Connect near-term sales opportunities with programs, contract vehicles, appropriations, and agency acquisition strategies
Provide leadership with assessments of pipeline health, capture progress, partner activity, government-affairs priorities, risks, resource needs, and recommended actions
Represent Sofar at customer meetings, industry events, partner discussions, exercises, demonstrations, and federal-market engagements
Lead U.S. federal government-affairs execution with external advisors
Develop capture materials, white papers, RFIs, statements of work, ROMs, proposals, presentations, and customer-facing submissions
Build and manage relationships and teaming strategies with prime contractors and other partners
Collaborate across sales, product, engineering, legal, finance, marketing, operations, and leadership
Directly manage consultants and lobbyists
Report to the Global Head of Government and Defense

Requirements

What you’ll need

5+ years of experience in U.S. federal business development, capture management, government affairs, strategic partnerships, federal acquisition, or a related field
Demonstrated experience advancing and winning complex U.S. federal opportunities involving multiple stakeholders, long sales cycles, and non-obvious funding or contracting pathways
Strong understanding of the federal acquisition lifecycle, including opportunity shaping, capture planning, proposal development, source selection, contracting mechanisms, and post-award transition
Ability to connect operational users, program managers, contracting officials, funders, policymakers, and industry partners around a coherent path to award
Working knowledge of federal budget, authorization, and appropriations processes
Strong project-management skills, including establishing milestones, assigning owners, surfacing risks, and maintaining momentum across complex pursuits
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Willingness to work directly on capture materials, partner strategies, presentations, proposals, and follow-up actions
Willingness to travel up to 25%
U.S. citizenship
Previously or currently held a Secret or higher level U.S. government security clearance
Bonus: Active SECRET or TS/SCI security clearance
Bonus: Experience supporting maritime, ocean, weather, environmental, autonomy, sensing, data, or decision-support programs; fast-paced defense/fedtech companies; or U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, SOCOM, NOAA, or other relevant U.S. agencies
Bonus: Experience capturing defense and civilian-agency opportunities
Bonus: Experience selling or preparing proposals for hardware-enabled solutions, data-as-a-service, software, or integrated technical capabilities to the federal government

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equity
Visa sponsorship and immigration lawyer support
Commission of $140K–$170K