Sr. Director, Business Development (DISA/Fourth Estate)

Empower AI is AI for government. Empower AI gives federal agency leaders the tools to elevate the potential of their workforce with a direct path for meaningful transformation. Headquartered in Reston, Va., Empower AI leverages three decades of experience solving complex challenges in Health, Defense, and Civilian missions. Our proven Empower AI Platform® provides a practical, sustainable path for clients to achieve transformation that is true to who they are, what they do, how they work, with the resources they have. The result is a government workforce that is exponentially more creative and productive. For more information, visit www.Empower.ai.

Empower AI is proud to be recognized as a 2024 Military Friendly Employer by Viqtory, the publisher of G.I. Jobs. This designation reflects the company’s commitment to hiring and supporting active-duty and veteran employees.

The Sr. Director, Business Development for DISA and the Fourth Estate is responsible for driving strategic growth by identifying, qualifying, and capturing new business opportunities that align with corporate objectives. This role requires a proven ability to cultivate strong, trusted relationships with DISA leadership, mission partners, and industry stakeholders. The BDE must think creatively and strategically to pursue and win new opportunities in a highly competitive market, leveraging an innovative approach to teaming, solution shaping, and customer engagement.

The successful candidate will serve as a customer advocate, positioning the company to deliver advanced mission IT, cybersecurity, AI, and modernization solutions to support DISA’s role as the DoD’s IT combat support agency. This executive-level role collaborates with capture teams, technical experts, and corporate leadership to ensure the pipeline is strategically aligned, competitive, and positioned to exceed growth targets.

Responsibilities:

• Build and sustain trusted relationships with DISA senior leadership, program managers, contracting officers, and mission partners across the Fourth Estate.
• Identify and qualify new business opportunities within DISA, aligning pursuits with corporate capabilities in AI, cyber, IT modernization, and digital transformation.
• Actively represent the company at DISA-focused industry days, AFCEA events, and other forums to strengthen visibility and brand recognition.
• Lead early engagement with customers to shape opportunities, influence acquisition strategies, and ensure mission challenges are addressed with innovative solutions.
• Collaborate with Capture Managers to develop winning strategies, informed by customer insights, competitor analysis, and market intelligence.
• Drive teaming discussions with strategic partners, including large primes, niche technology firms, and small businesses, to strengthen competitive positioning.
• Maintain a disciplined pipeline, ensuring timely CRM updates, forecasting accuracy, and compliance with gate review processes.
• Brief executive leadership on account strategies, opportunity health, and growth outlook for DISA pursuits.
• Partner with solution architects and delivery teams to align technical discriminators with DISA mission priorities.
• Apply innovative business development approaches to expand market share and deliver growth in competitive, evolving procurement environments.

Requirements:

• Deep knowledge of DISA’s mission, organizational structure, and acquisition priorities
• Proven track record of identifying and winning opportunities within DISA and the Fourth Estate.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating customer intimacy and influencing acquisition outcomes.
• Strong understanding of the federal acquisition lifecycle, contract vehicles (e.g., ENCORE III, SETI, ITES, CIO-SP4), and DISA’s preferred procurement methods.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills with government and industry partners.
• Ability to think strategically while executing tactically in a fast-paced, competitive environment.
• Proficiency with pipeline management tools (ServiceNow).

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, IT, or related field required.
• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 10+ years of experience in federal business development, with at least 5 years focused on DISA or the Fourth Estate.
• Demonstrated success pursuing and winning opportunities valued at $50M+.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to do the following:

• Communicate verbally and respond to verbal communications in person and over the phone
• Communicate clearly and succinctly in writing, primarily utilizing a keyboard
• Engage in intermittent physical activity, including bending, reaching, lifting, filing, and prolonged periods of sitting
• Travel minimally, via car or plane, which requires ability to manage luggage, laptop, and briefing materials (up to 25 pounds)

All hiring and promotion decisions at Empower AI are based on merit to bring the best talent available to contribute to our firm’s overall success. It is the policy of Empower AI not to discriminate against any applicant for employment, or employee because of age, color, sex, disability, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status. Empower AI is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.