Vice President / Account Executive Department of War/Air Force/Space Force Accounts

As the Leader in Recruiting Intelligence, The Edens Group has been retained to recruit a VP of Business Development, specifically within the Air Force/Space Force and DoW landscape. Our client is a mid-sized federal IT systems integrator providing business optimization efficiencies for a variety of government agencies with a focus on Homeland Security and Defense initiatives.

They are seeking an energetic, experienced candidate who can demonstrate successful behaviors in identifying, pursuing, and closing IT solution deals in the Federal marketplace. You will join a growing team to target opportunities that offer their unique solutions to Federal agencies and as such, you will have direct accountability for opportunity identification, winning deals and you will be responsible for managing client and partner relationships across your portfolio.

Our client’s corporate culture is defined by a world class amalgamation of brand name executive leadership who are committed to working together to make this venture successful. Working at this organization, your advice will not be filtered, you will have a seat at the table and be given the latitude to drive revenue growth through leveraging existing partnerships as well as forming new relationships by thinking outside of the box.

Position Overview

Our Client is seeking a Vice President / Account Executive to own the full growth, of its Department of War (DoW) account, with a primary focus on the Department of the Air Force (U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force) and expansion into other DoW components, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Defense Agencies such as DISA and DLA. This is a mission-critical leadership role for a company undergoing a deliberate and high-stakes portfolio transformation, and DoW is central to their next stage of growth.

This is not a role for someone who manages from a distance. The right candidate wakes up every morning thinking about how to keep the work, win the recompetes, and build the relationships that generate the next contract. They bring deep technical credibility in IT infrastructure, cloud, application development, cybersecurity, or related disciplines, along with a working understanding of DoW priorities such as Zero Trust, DevSecOps, and Enterprise IT modernization, and they use that fluency to earn trust with customers and partners, identify expansion opportunities, and propose innovative solutions that generate long-term engagements.

The VP is the account owner but will not work in isolation; this leader will partner closely with the Chief Growth Officer (CGO) and the broader growth organization to build pipeline, pursue new business, and coordinate across the company’s growth infrastructure. The expectation is that this leader is hands-on and actively engaged in growth activities, not simply directing others from the sidelines.

This position reports directly to the CGO and operates with a high degree of autonomy. There is no micromanagement here, but there is accountability. The right person is a self-starter who can hit the ground running, set their own priorities, and drive results without waiting to be told what to do. They are highly collaborative and relationship-oriented, but equally comfortable picking up the phone to have a hard conversation, pushing back on a teaming partner who isn’t holding up their end, or navigating the friction that comes with managing a complex, multi-contract account through a period of real change. This role demands someone who doesn’t shy away from conflict when the mission requires it, and who can be direct, decisive, and constructive all at once.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Growth & Business Development

• Own the account growth strategy: develop and drive a plan to expand the portfolio through new awards, working hand-in-hand with the CGO and growth organization to align resources and prioritize pursuits
• Work in coordination with the CGO and Company’s growth team, serving as the account-level executive sponsor on all pursuits
• Develop and execute a near-term recompete strategy covering all contracts approaching expiration
• Identify and pursue partnership, teaming, and joint venture structures to accelerate DoW market entry and bridge revenue during the small-to-full-and-open conversion period
• Identify and qualify opportunities across the Department of the Air Force (USAF and USSF) and other DoW components where Company’s capabilities are competitive (e.g., AFLCMC, SSC, AFWERX, SpaceWERX)
• Build and cultivate a partner ecosystem (large integrators, niche technology firms, small businesses) to strengthen competitive positioning, with the ability to pick up the phone and get a meeting

Requirements

• Deep experience managing contract portfolios including IDIQs, task orders, and prime contracts, both as prime and as sub
• Entrepreneurial operating style: comfortable setting goals, prioritizing under uncertainty, and moving fast without bureaucratic cover
• Not afraid of conflict or hard conversations: able to address performance issues with partners, push back on customers when necessary, and navigate difficult teaming dynamics without losing the relationship
• Proven self-starter who requires no day-to-day direction; this role reports directly to the CGO, operates with full autonomy, and demands someone who can own their agenda and execute independently from day one
• Experience with alternative acquisition vehicles (SBIRs, CSOs, OTAs, etc.)
• Experience structuring teaming agreements and joint ventures in competitive federal markets
• Active security clearance (Secret or higher), or the ability to obtain one

Compensation

Our Client recognizes that attracting a leader capable of navigating this kind of transformation requires a compensation structure that reflects both the challenge and the opportunity. This position offers:

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience in the 200’s plus a very healthy commission structure based on a business model that robustly rewards individuals for solid wins. Model will be articulated upon mutual interest.
• Full benefits package: Health, Dental & Vision | 401(k) | Tuition Reimbursement | FSA | 11 Federal Holidays | 3 Weeks PTO

The Edens Group, LLC

Attn: Kelly Edens

Cell: 703-517-2613