[Hiring] Head of Defense Growth @Red Cell Partners

Role Description

Red Cell Partners is building something fundamentally different from any other organization in the defense innovation ecosystem: a venture builder designed to identify critical national security problems, build companies around them, and scale those companies into enduring capabilities for the U.S. Department of War and federal government.

The Head of Defense Growth is the senior leader responsible for translating that ambition into real-world impact. This role sits at the intersection of venture creation, mission problem-solving, and federal scale-up. You will define how Red Cell and the companies it builds identify opportunities, shape demand, win programs, and grow into long-term solutions for the American warfighter.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who wants to build the system, not inherit one.

What You’ll Do

• Define, own, and operationalize Red Cell’s public sector and DoW growth strategy across priority missions, agencies, and acquisition pathways.
• Lead “left-of-bang” shaping with mission owners, program offices, contracting offices, and other acquisition stakeholders before solicitations exist.
• Set bid/no-bid decisions and prioritize opportunities across the portfolio.
• Architect creative solutions that may include leveraging capabilities from multiple portfolio companies with a focus on solving hard mission problems and accelerating adoption.
• Build and run a scalable BD → Capture → Close growth engine that portfolio companies can plug into.
• Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-ownership growth team spanning BD, capture, proposals, and contracts.

What Success Looks Like

• A clear, differentiated Red Cell presence across priority DoW and federal mission areas.
• A portfolio-wide pipeline that consistently converts early engagement into real programs.
• Faster transitions from pilot and prototype efforts into enduring programs of record.
• A repeatable federal growth engine that compounds across multiple ventures—not just one.

Qualifications

• A senior public sector growth leader with experience turning complex, technical capabilities into scaled programs.
• A creative problem-solver who enjoys working at the edge of structure and inventing new approaches.
• Comfortable owning ambiguity, making hard calls, and being accountable for outcomes.
• Mission-driven, operator-empathetic, and motivated by solving problems that matter.
• Your background should include senior growth, capture, or federal sales leadership roles at high-growth defense technology companies, next-generation primes, or elite GovCon organizations.

Requirements

• 12–20+ years of private sector experience selling to public sector, at least some of that time in an executive position in either business development, capture, or federal sales, ideally with a focus on defense or national security.
• Demonstrated ownership of the full lifecycle from early shaping (“left of bang”) through capture, award, and post-award expansion.
• At least $100M+ in cumulative contract value influenced, captured, or closed over the course of a career.
• History of moving efforts from prototype/pilot/SBIR/OTA into enduring programs of record.
• Strong working knowledge of DoW and federal acquisition pathways, including hands-on experience with FAR/DFARS-based contracts (FFP, CPFF, T&M, hybrids), OTAs, IDIQs/GWACs/BPAs, and innovation-focused mechanisms such as SBIR/STTR, BAAs, CSOs, and rapid acquisition authorities.
• Ability to creatively navigate acquisition constraints and identify non-obvious paths to award and scale.
• Deep familiarity working with DoW stakeholders and mission owners, such as Program Executive Offices (PEOs) or Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs), PMOs/Requiring Activities, and Combatant Commands.
• Track record of engaging credibly with operators, acquisition professionals, and senior government leadership.
• Experience selling or scaling technically complex capabilities, such as software platforms, AI/data systems, cyber, EW, autonomy, advanced sensing, or mission-critical infrastructure.
• Proven experience acting as a player-coach - setting strategy while personally driving the most important deals.
• Experience building or leading BD, capture, proposal, and contracting teams, either directly or in matrixed environments.
• Demonstrated ability to establish discipline without bureaucracy: clear bid/no-bid decisions, win themes, pipeline rigor, and accountability.
• Active U.S. security clearance or ability and willingness to obtain one.
• Strong preference for the Washington, DC metro area (or willingness to relocate).
• Expect meaningful time in the field shaping, capturing, and closing.

Benefits

• Career track opportunity with potential for rapid advancement with strong performance as the firm grows.
• 100% employer paid, comprehensive health care including medical, dental, and vision for you and your family.
• Paid maternity and paternity for 14 weeks at employees' normal pay.
• Unlimited PTO, with management approval.
• Opportunities for professional development and continued learning.
• Optional 401K, FSA, and equity incentives available.
• Mental health benefits are available through Tara Mind.
• Cost effective GLP-1 solutions available through Crux.

Final Thought

Many roles in defense innovation talk about impact. This is one of the rare ones where you can actually create it - by building the growth system that turns bold ideas into real capability for the American warfighter. If you want a role you’re unlikely to find anywhere else in the defense ecosystem, this is it.

Salary Range

$250,000-$280,000 - This represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience, skills, and other factors.