Standard Job Description

In today’s contested battlespace, speed is the warfighter’s decisive edge. By designing cutting‑edge systems, deploying them rapidly, and dominating the operational spectrum, we turn swift innovation into battlefield advantage.

The Capability Development Management Director for Radical Interoperability will be responsible for building the digital superhighway for future joint and allied operations - creating the common interoperability foundation that enables authorized platforms to rapidly discover, connect, and collaborate with minimal human integration. This leader will establish and drive a multi-generational product and capability roadmap for an open, resilient, secure mission interoperability fabric spanning cloud, on prem, tactical ed and disconnected environments. The role does not own a C2 system or a JADC 2 solution. Interested candidates should have product leadership, networking and architectural understanding as well as demonstrated enterprise influence.

The Capability Development Management Director provides executive leadership to align business priorities with emerging market, technology, and threat trends. Working with the Technology and Strategic Innovation team, all four Business Areas, Global Strategy, Business Development, marketing, communications, and sales, the Director defines product vision, shapes roadmaps, and ensures market‑leading solutions that meet customer needs and drive revenue.

Key responsibilities of this role include:

• Crafting and communicating a multi‑horizon product vision, strategy, and roadmap that address mission needs.

• Managing multi‑year investment portfolios across research, prototyping, and production to close top customer capability gaps.

• Guiding technology teams from concept ideation to capability delivery.

• Conducting early‑stage market/technical analyses, building business cases, ROI models, and securing funding; using a “left‑of‑requirements” approach to capture prospects before formal requirements are issued.

• Owning the innovation funnel, steering concepts through prototype and aligning them with business objectives.

• Monitoring program performance (cost, schedule, technical health) and defining success criteria, KPIs, and value drivers.

• Building and maintaining relationships with external partners (industry, universities, national labs), executive stakeholders, and government customers.

• Leading multidisciplinary teams for IRAD projects using spiral development and proof‑of‑value testing.

• Instituting standardized product development, transition, and integration processes across the acquisition enterprise, with metrics for technology maturity (TRL) and capability readiness.

• Mentoring senior staff, fostering a culture of foresight, innovation, and customer centricity, and creating development pathways for emerging capability experts.

The role demands a customer‑centric strategic leader who thrives in fast‑paced, ambiguous environments, with proven ability to translate warfighter needs into fielded capabilities, backed by strong program management, systems engineering, and product development expertise.

Basic Qualifications

• Deep technical knowledge in relevant capability - 10yrs+

• Proven track record of developing business cases including cost benefit analyses and ROI models, managing multi-million-dollar budgets and securing internal/external funding (CRAD, SBIR/STTR, co-funded programs)

• Demonstrated ability to assemble, lead, and motivate cross functional teams that deliver high complexity projects

• Hands-on experience taking concepts from ideation to fully developed, prototype ready solutions

• Strong written and oral communication skills, capable of influencing senior leadership, customers, and external partners

• Naturally proactive with a passion for creative problem-solving and outside-the-box thinking

• Expertise in strategic foresight, market analysis, and threat modeling.

• Visionary thinking with ability to anticipate future capability needs.

Desired Skills

• Broad technical experience in multiple domains

• BS, MS or PhD; preferred Science, Engineering or Technology discipline

• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance

• Product Management experience in defense or other industries

• Networking skills

• Negotiation skills

• Willingness to operate within a structured process

• Willingness to take a "risky" position and advocate the new idea

• Business Savvy

• Self-starter, able to work with little direct supervision

• Credibility internally and externally

• Preferred previous experience in capability development