Manager Defense Business Development Jobs in Washington

At REGENT, we’re on a mission to revolutionize regional transportation between coastal cities. We're not just building vehicles, we're creating a new category of transportation: the Seaglider. These groundbreaking wing-in-ground-effect craft travel just above the water’s surface, combining the speed of an airplane with the low operating costs of a boat. Capable of 180 miles at 180 mph on today's battery tech (and up to 400 miles with next-gen batteries), Seagliders will unlock fast, affordable, and sustainable coastal transit for passengers and cargo - connecting cities, islands, and communities like never before.

Backed by leading investors and powered by a team of passionate, forward-thinking engineers, builders, and operators, we’re now scaling from a breakthrough prototype to full production - and building the team to make it happen.

REGENT is a proud dual-use company with technology that can make a difference to our warfighters, and we need a passionate and experienced defense business development leader to take us to the next level. Reporting directly to the Director of Defense Programs, our Manager, Defense Business Development, will be responsible for refining and executing our defense go-to-market strategy and executing our existing DoD contracts.

The Manager, Defense Business Development, will have three primary initiatives:

• Long-term strategy: Develop and execute a roadmap to a Program of Record with relevant services

• Medium-term tactics: Develop and execute strategies for securing opportunities to bolster REGENT’s product development across key defense stakeholders (all services, intelligence community, and innovation units, e.g. DIU)

• Short-term execution: Ensure flawless execution of our existing Marine Corps and Defense Department programs focused on accelerating full-scale human-carrying seaglider development

Throughout these initiatives, the Manager, Defense Business Development, will work closely with our engineering team to filter and prioritize customer requirements and to communicate technical details, timelines, and program plans to our customers. The Manager, Defense Business Development, will also work closely with the Government Relations function to build and deepen relationships with key government leaders, agencies, and advocacy groups, ensuring REGENT is a leader on legislation and policy matters that are generally important to the business.

Success in this role means our seagliders are built into multiple DoD Programs of Record, comprising a substantial fraction of our total manufacturing capacity. As a result, our nation’s warfighters are better equipped to succeed. If you’re energized by working at the intersection of cutting-edge innovation, real-world impact, and hands-on engineering, you’ll be in the right place - and we’d be thrilled to have you on the team!

REGENT is proud to be a SkillBridge industry partner and offer internship opportunities for transitioning service members. Through this program, you'll gain hands-on experience in the maritime and defense industries, working alongside some of the most respected leaders and engineers in the field. While you continue to receive your military pay and benefits, we’ll provide immersive training and meaningful work that sets you up for success in a civilian career.

To be eligible for a Skillbridge Internship, you must meet the following requirements:

• Must be eligible to participate in an Internship per DoD Instruction 1322.29

• Must be projected to receive an honorable discharge from the military

• Must have all TAP and transition requirements completed prior to the start date

• Must receive approval from the Unit Commander or O4+ in the chain of command

• Must be located within a commutable distance or willing/approved to relocate to the job location

• Own successful strategy and growth of REGENT’s defense business and team

• Develop multi-year business development strategies focused on winning solutions across all areas of the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community

• Work alongside REGENT leadership to determine business development strategies and priorities

• Engage target government programs and key decision-makers; our defense leader must forge strong relationships and can’t be stuck behind a desk

• Build the defense business development and program management team, ensuring a top-tier BD function

• Coordinate with engineering leadership to ensure customer requirements are met throughout the capture and program execution processes

• Actively lead strategic capture plans with other employees and monitor current and future government programs, including legislative actions, customer requirements, executive branch policy, guidance, and budgeting.

• Lead proposal development from inception to completion, including responding to Request for Information and Request for Proposals, writing proposals, and preparing customer presentations

• Bachelor's degree in technical, public policy, or business field

• 6+ years of experience with Federal Programs, Department of Defense, and/or National Security

• Expert communication and writing skills with a focus on technical and creative attributes to develop winning strategies and capture management plans

• Expert deal strategy and negotiation skills

• Proven ability to manage multiple business development strategies across a multitude of government offices

• Strong understanding of the US Government's proposal and contracting processes

• Veteran, especially Marine Corps or Navy

• Master's degree in a technical field and/or an MBA

• Demonstrated experience within the aerospace field

• Collaborative Team Player: You believe that great things happen when teams work together. You communicate effectively and collaborate with engineers, stakeholders, and other cross-functional teams to align on goals and move projects forward. You bring people together, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and moving towards a shared vision.

• Creative Problem Solver: You thrive on tackling complex challenges and finding innovative solutions. Whether you're resolving installation challenges, debugging elusive electrical issues, or adapting on the fly during integration and test, you bring a practical, inventive mindset to every problem. You don't just patch issues - you improve processes, anticipate downstream impacts, and help turn one-off fixes into scalable solutions that raise the bar for future builds.

• Adaptable & Agile: In a fast-paced, ever-evolving startup environment, you quickly adapt to changing priorities and requirements. You approach challenges with a calm, resilient mindset, and know how to pivot and adjust your approach as needed, ensuring that progress continues without missing a beat.

• Innovative Mindset: You’re driven by curiosity and a passion for technology. You’re passionate about driving continuous improvement, embracing new technologies and methodologies to enhance efficiency, quality, and team performance.

If you’re ready to take on an exciting challenge, grow with us, and make a lasting impact, we want to hear from you. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, but you see yourself contributing to our mission, we encourage you to apply! We value diverse skillsets and experiences and believe in the potential of passionate individuals to make a big impact.

Equal Opportunity Employer

REGENT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.