Navy Growth Lead

Overview

The Navy Growth Lead is responsible for driving strategic growth within the United States Navy by identifying operational mission challenges, positioning FTI Defense’s technology and solutions to address those challenges, and leading the progression from initial mission engagement to contract win and scaled operational adoption. This role blends traditional government business development with a technology-led solution sales approach focused on solving mission and operational problems through integrated capabilities rather than solely pursuing transactional contracts.

The Navy Growth Lead serves as FTI Defense’s senior growth representative for the Navy account. The role requires a deep understanding of Navy missions, fleet and shore operational environments, sustainment ecosystems, acquisition pathways, and decision structures. The individual must translate mission needs into compelling solution narratives that lead to program adoption, mission impact, and long-term expansion. The ideal candidate maintains trusted relationships across fleet operations, sustainment, logistics, maintenance, acquisition, cyber, information warfare, and mission-support communities and is viewed as a credible mission partner capable of opening doors through operational understanding and established Navy relationships.

This individual reports directly to the Chief Growth Officer and works closely with internal technology, engineering, operations, capture, and growth teams to align customer mission problems with the company’s capabilities, shape opportunities before formal acquisition activity exists, and convert mission relevance into contract opportunities and successful program execution.

Responsibilities

- Drive Navy market growth by developing and executing account strategies that position FTI Defense’s solutions as mission-relevant capabilities.

- Identify current and future Navy mission problems and shape solutions that address operational needs.

- Cultivate and mature value propositions around integrated solutions and long-term partnerships.

- Engage stakeholders across fleet operations, sustainment, logistics, maintenance, acquisition, cyber, information warfare, and mission-support communities to understand emerging challenges and align the company’s platforms and capabilities to operational needs.

- Execute a mission-focused solution sales approach that builds demand through mission engagement, demonstrations, pilots, prototypes, operational experimentation, and early adoption programs.

- Identify, qualify, and mature opportunities from early mission engagement through capture and proposal stages across applicable acquisition pathways, including SBIR/STTR, OTAs, CSOs, multiple-award contracts, IDIQs, and other vehicles.

- Build lasting and trusted strategic relationships across the Navy ecosystem, including fleet organizations, systems commands, program offices, warfare centers, and mission-support organizations.

- Work closely with technology, engineering, capture and proposal teams, operations, and shared services to ensure opportunities are properly shaped, resourced, and executed.

- After initial wins, drive expansion within Navy organizations by identifying additional mission users and applications and scaling adoption across commands and programs.

- Serve as a trusted advisor to operational and acquisition stakeholders by understanding mission execution challenges, fleet readiness concerns, sustainment pressures, and modernization priorities.

- Help position FTI Defense as a strategic operational partner rather than solely a technology vendor or staffing provider.

- Provide market intelligence on Navy mission priorities, sustainment requirements, modernization initiatives, readiness gaps, and emerging technology demands.

Education/Qualifications

- Must be a U.S. citizen and possess an active Top Secret level security clearance.

- 10+ years of experience supporting Navy or Department of Defense operational, sustainment, acquisition, mission-support, or modernization environments.

- Demonstrated understanding of Navy missions, fleet and shore operational ecosystems, sustainment operations, logistics, maintenance, acquisition pathways, and mission priorities.

- Proven ability to build trusted relationships across operational, sustainment, logistics, maintenance, acquisition, cyber, information warfare, and mission-support communities within the Navy ecosystem.

- Strong understanding of DoD acquisition pathways, including OTAs, SBIR/STTR, and major contract vehicles.

- Experience supporting or selling software, analytics, AI, modeling and simulation, cyber, digital mission capabilities, readiness technologies, or operational support solutions.

- Proven ability to develop pipeline and mature opportunities from early mission engagement through contract award.

- Existing network across operational, sustainment, logistics, maintenance, acquisition, cyber, information warfare, and mission-support communities within the Navy ecosystem.

- Preferred candidates will possess prior operational Navy experience, direct mission-support experience, or extensive embedded experience supporting operational Navy organizations.

- Candidates should maintain current and active relationships across operational, sustainment, logistics, maintenance, acquisition, cyber, information warfare, and mission-support communities within the Navy ecosystem.

- Experience supporting organizations such as U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Navy systems commands such as NAVSEA, NAVAIR, NAVWAR, or NAVSUP, Navy program executive offices, warfare centers, shipyards, aviation maintenance organizations, logistics organizations, fleet cyber organizations, or naval expeditionary and command-and-control mission areas is strongly preferred.

Key Competencies:

- Deep appreciation for the operational challenges facing the Navy and the ability to translate those challenges into technology opportunities.

- Ability to position integrated capabilities that solve mission problems rather than selling individual products or services.

- Skilled at building trust across operational, sustainment, logistics, maintenance, acquisition, cyber, information warfare, and mission-support communities.

- Ability to influence requirements and acquisition strategies early in the lifecycle.

- Works closely with engineering, product, capture, operations, and executive leadership to move opportunities forward.

- Strong communication and presentation skills.

- Experience with CRM systems to track pipeline actionability and customer engagement plans.

- Ability to establish credibility quickly within naval operational mission environments through lived experience, mission understanding, and trusted relationships.

- Strong understanding of operational mission execution, fleet readiness, sustainment, logistics, maintenance, and lifecycle support environments.

- Ability to identify mission friction points and align technology to operational needs before formal acquisition activity occurs.

- Builder mentality with the ability to create demand, shape opportunities, and drive long-term mission adoption through operational relevance and trusted engagement.

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