Director of Strategic Growth - Defense

About Applied Intuition Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co . We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. About the role The Director of Strategic Growth serves as the senior relationship and shaping layer of our DoD business development operation. Reporting to the Head of Growth, you will be responsible for opening doors, building deep credibility with government stakeholders, and shaping programs well before they reach the public domain. You will operate as a high-level owner on a specific portfolio of domain accounts, partnering with a Capture Manager to convert strategic opportunities into a winning pipeline. At Applied Intuition, you will: Cultivate senior-level trust-based relationships with PEOs, PMs, requirements officers, and CTO offices. Shape opportunities 12-18 months in advance by influencing requirements and acquisition strategies. Lead strategic customer discovery to understand long-term roadmaps, budget trajectories, and political dynamics. Define win strategies, identifying competitive discriminators and making critical 'pursue vs. walk away' decisions. Provide strategic direction to the Capture Manager to ensure execution is aligned with shaping work. Author white papers and lead capability demonstrations that position our technology in the customer's thinking. We’re looking for someone who has: BS or MS in Engineering, Political Science, National Security, or a related field. 15–25 years of experience in or around the DoD (Military O-5/O-6, GS-15/SES, or senior Industry BD). Expert-level knowledge of the PPBE cycle and the POM process. Proven track record of shaping requirements for multi-million dollar defense programs. Specific, 'warm' relationships within target commands (e.g., Army Futures Command, NAVSEA, or AFMC). Experience operating in a "lean" environment, directly engaging in work rather than managing large support staffs. Active Secret or Top Secret security clearance. Nice to have: Former experience as a Program Manager at DARPA, DIU, or a Service Research Lab. Established network within relevant Congressional staff or Authorization/Appropriation committees. Deep understanding of autonomous systems, modeling & simulation, or Vehicle OS architectures. Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment. Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position. Please reference the job posting subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $175,000 USD to $225,000 USD annually. Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the