Defense Business Development & Capture Manager

Located in Woodland, WA, LifePort is the leading manufacturer of medical transportation and interior products as well as ballistic armor protection systems for fixed and rotary wing aircraft. From large multi-aircraft projects to small custom projects, LifePort supplies the industry’s largest aerospace OEMs and end users with the finest aviation solutions today.

Position Summary:

Develop and grow LifePort's defense business portfolio across the U.S. Department of Defense, other federal customers, allied governments, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) channels, and major aerospace and defense OEMs/primes. This is a customer-facing business development and capture role responsible for building trusted relationships, identifying opportunities early, mapping requirements, stakeholders, funding and acquisition pathways, and converting validated customer needs into qualified pursuits and revenue opportunities.

The position represents LifePort's defense portfolio, including ballistic protection and survivability, aeromedical/MEDEVAC/CASEVAC systems, patient handling, special-mission interiors, mission seating and flooring, and related mission-equipment integration. The successful candidate must be credible with senior military, acquisition, OEM and international stakeholders; able to translate operational problems into business opportunities; and disciplined enough to manage capture from initial customer problem through funded requirement, acquisition pathway, award and follow-on growth.

Essential Functions:

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with U.S. DoD operational, requirements, acquisition, program management, contracting, medical, aviation, sustainment and security-cooperation stakeholders.
• Develop targeted relationships with major defense OEMs/primes, integrators, channel partners, allied defense organizations and other organizations that can create or accelerate qualified LifePort opportunities.
• Own assigned defense accounts and campaigns from early identification through qualification, capture, proposal, award and follow-on growth; maintain clear customer, owner, next action, decision gate and forecast discipline.
• Identify emerging customer problems and programs before formal solicitation by monitoring requirements development, acquisition activity, budget signals, industry engagement, exercises, platform modernization and partner activity.
• Map customer requirements to the appropriate funding and acquisition pathway, including understanding the relationship among requirements, PPBE/POM activity, appropriations, budget exhibits, program elements, colors of money, acquisition organizations and contracting vehicles.
• Understand and communicate how enacted or programmed funding can translate into an executable acquisition opportunity; identify the government owner, acquisition authority, contracting path and next action required for LifePort to compete appropriately.
• Develop account and campaign strategies for LifePort defense solutions, including ballistic/survivability systems, MEDEVAC/CASEVAC and patient-handling systems, rapid-role-change mission equipment, special-mission interiors, seating, flooring and related integration capabilities.
• Conduct customer discovery and requirements analysis; translate mission needs into clear internal opportunity statements for Engineering, Programs, Operations, Finance and Contracts.
• Make executive-level capability presentations and lead customer discussions with personnel ranging from operators and maintainers through program managers, PEOs, senior military leaders, OEM executives and allied-government stakeholders.
• Support domestic and international sales, including FMS and appropriately structured direct-commercial/allied opportunities, while coordinating export-control, ITAR/EAR, contracting and legal requirements with responsible LifePort functions.
• Develop and maintain working knowledge of DSCA/FMS processes, Security Cooperation Organizations, relevant service international program offices, OEM international channels and allied procurement approaches.
• Coordinate with LifePort leadership and registered government-affairs/lobbying resources on approved congressional or budget-shaping efforts. This position is a business development/capture role and is not intended to duplicate registered lobbying activity.
• Evaluate RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, sources sought, BAAs, CSOs, OTAs and other acquisition vehicles; lead or support bid/no-bid recommendations and proposal/capture strategy.
• Work with Finance and Contracts on pricing, commercial structure, terms, risk and profitability; support proposal development and customer negotiations within delegated authority.
• Develop strategic teaming relationships where partners can close platform-access, certification, integration, technology, manufacturing, international-market or customer-access gaps.
• Plan and execute high-value customer visits, demonstrations, trade shows and industry engagements tied to defined account/capture objectives rather than general networking.
• Maintain accurate CRM and forecast data and provide concise executive updates on opportunity value, probability, funding, customer sponsorship, next decision, risk and required resources.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Programs, Operations and executive leadership to ensure proposed solutions are technically feasible, supportable, certifiable, producible and aligned with LifePort strategy.