Innovation Strategist

We are seeking a dynamic Innovation Strategist to lead the identification, development, and execution of innovative strategies for securing and delivering high-value government contracts. This role focuses on the intersection of emerging technologies and creative acquisition approaches. The ideal candidate will bridge technical innovation with government contracting expertise to help organizations stay ahead in competitive bids, foster partnerships, and deliver cutting-edge solutions that meet mission-critical requirements while navigating FAR, DFARS, and other regulatory frameworks.

About the Role

You will drive growth by spotting opportunities for disruptive approaches in procurement, proposal development, and solution delivery. The ideal candidate will collaborate with our Protégé business to create a demo application that can support NGA as well as other DoD and Intelligence Community agencies.

Responsibilities

• Develop Innovation Strategies: Identify and evaluate emerging technologies, market trends, and innovative contracting vehicles (e.g., OTs, CSOs, IDIQs with flexible terms) to create winning approaches for government opportunities.
• Opportunity Analysis & Roadmapping: Monitor federal solicitations (SAM.gov, FedBizOpps), agency innovation labs, and policy shifts (e.g., acquisition innovation initiatives). Build and maintain innovation roadmaps aligned with government priorities and organizational capabilities.
• Proposal & Acquisition Support: Collaborate with capture teams to design innovative technical and pricing strategies for proposals. Support the full acquisitions lifecycle, including ROMs, quotes, compliance reviews, and negotiations as prime or subcontractor.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with government contracting officers, program managers, innovation advocates, and industry partners. Represent the organization at industry events, OT summits, and government-industry days.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with technical teams, legal/contracts, business development, and delivery groups to prototype solutions, pilot programs, and scalable innovations that differentiate bids.
• Risk & Compliance Management: Ensure all innovative strategies comply with federal regulations while pushing boundaries through creative yet compliant mechanisms. Advise on risk mitigation for novel contracting approaches.
• Performance Tracking: Measure the impact of innovation initiatives on win rates, contract value, and delivery outcomes. Provide regular reports and recommendations to leadership.
• Knowledge Sharing: Foster a culture of innovation within the team through training on new procurement tools, technologies, and best practices in government contracting.

Requirements

• 5–8+ years of experience in government contracting, business development, strategy consulting, or innovation roles, with direct exposure to federal procurement.
• Proven track record of contributing to successful applications, government contract wins, especially involving innovative or non-traditional acquisition methods.
• Experience in high-priority sectors such as DoD or intelligence community is strongly preferred.
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to translate complex technical concepts into actionable government solutions.
• Understanding of the ATO Security process.
• Excellent analytical, research, and presentation skills (including proposal writing and executive briefings).
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.
• Adaptability in a fast-paced, regulated environment with a bias toward experimentation and learning from pilots.
• Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen with the ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance (including passing a CI polygraph).
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Public Policy, Technology, or a related field (Master’s or MBA preferred).

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications such as CISSP, Security+, or other technology certifications.
• Background in emerging tech areas (AI/ML, cybersecurity, cloud, autonomy, biotech).

Pay

Salary range: $190,000 - $200,000. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as job responsibilities, education, experience, skills, internal equity, market data, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and relevant laws.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and holidays
• Retirement benefits (including 401(k) matching)
• Educational reimbursement
• Parental leave
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Tax-saving options
• Disability and life insurance
• Pet insurance

Note: Benefits may vary based on employment type, location, and applicable agreements.

Schedule

Occasional travel to nearby customer sites may be required.