Director, Defense
$270,000–$270,000 year
On-siteTorrance, California, United States
Job Summary
Define Arc's Defense strategy across all service branches with a multi-year roadmap tied to company objectives. Build and lead the Defense organization, including sales, business development, and technical program management. Establish operating cadence, forecasting, and pipeline discipline for a durable defense business. Serve as Arc's external face to the DoD, service branches, primes, and allied partners to win programs of record. Lead capture strategy and execution for priority pursuits across the full spectrum of defense procurement pathways. Map relevant programs and contract vehicles to Arc's powertrain capabilities, including emerging vehicles like Golden Fleet. Partner with Engineering, Product, and Operations to translate warfighter needs into the product roadmap. Guide company strategy with market intelligence and represent Arc at industry forums, on the Hill, and with key stakeholders. Establish the compliance and infrastructure foundation for a scaling defense business, including ITAR, CMMC, and clearance requirements. This full-time, on-site role reports to the CTO and requires 30–40% travel to D.C., Norfolk, and San Diego.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience across defense, aerospace, maritime, or dual-use hardware
- at least 4 years leading and building teams
- prior experience standing up or scaling a defense function
- Demonstrated track record of winning and executing significant defense programs
- capture leadership on programs of record, OTAs, or major prime subcontracts
- Established relationships across the Navy, USMC, USCG, SOCOM, or relevant OSD offices
- credibility with the primes and non-traditional players in the maritime and unmanned domains
- Deep fluency in the Defense Industrial Base, defense acquisition, and the full range of procurement pathways from SBIR through programs of record
- Executive presence and communication skills
- ability to represent Arc credibly to flag officers, senior acquisition officials, prime executives, and Congressional staff
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity, building a function from zero, and balancing near-term revenue with long-term positioning
- Bachelor's degree
- U.S. Person as defined by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)
- Ability to travel 30–40%, including to D.C., Norfolk, San Diego, and other fleet concentration areas
- This is a full-time, on-site role at our Los Angeles headquarters
Desired Qualifications
- MBA, advanced technical degree, or military service background
- Experience working at an emerging technology defense contractor
- Experience in strategy consulting
- Experience in the maritime industry or with a government agency dealing with the marine domain
- Direct experience engaging with government program offices (e.g., PEO USC, PMS 406, NAVSEA)
- Familiarity with autonomy, robotics, and maritime systems
- Enthusiasm for boating and clean energy
Hiring someone like this?
Get your role in front of qualified candidates on Sorce.