Head of BD, Proposal & Capture

About Us:

Grid.aero is a VC-backed aviation startup tackling complex challenges in both defense and commercial markets. We are focused on solving real-world problems that will shape the future of the industry. Led by aerospace veterans and supported by leading venture firms, Grid is at the forefront of developing autonomous systems that will revolutionize how goods move through the skies.

Be part of a fast-growing, high-impact startup from day one. At Grid, your work will shape critical industries, driving innovation at the intersection of national security and global commerce.

Role Overview:

Grid Aero is hiring a Head of Business Development for Proposal & Capture to lead the pursuit of our most critical defense and commercial logistics opportunities. You will own the full capture lifecycle, shaping requirements with DoD, allied governments, and relief organizations, defining solution architectures and price-to-win strategies, and building strategic coalitions. You will drive capture plans from start to finish, developing narratives, teaming agreements, and win themes around our autonomous Lifter platforms. You will lead cross-functional teams through kickoffs, compliance checks, red teams, and final submissions. You will also maintain a strong pipeline of Letters of Intent, MOUs, strategic partnerships, and customer engagements to ensure repeatable capture success.

What You’ll Do:

• Drive end-to-end capture: identify opportunities, shape solutions, define price-to-win, and secure awards.
• Lead proposal strategy and content: author narratives, technical volumes, management plans, and past-performance stories.
• Build and execute integrated capture plans with BD, engineering, finance, and leadership, aligning our Lifter platform to customer needs.
• Engage DoD, allied governments, and commercial partners early. Gather intelligence, shape requirements, and negotiate teaming agreements.
• Optimize pipelines and processes : maintain LOIs and partner networks, refine templates and workflows, and apply lessons learned to boost win rates.

Who You Are:

• Mission-Driven: You’re energized by tackling complex defense and humanitarian challenges, and you thrive on driving impactful results through strategic capture.
• Strategic Storyteller: You excel at distilling technical and operational concepts into persuasive narratives, win themes, and proposals that resonate with decision-makers.
• Collaborative Leader: You steer cross-functional teams, engineering, finance, legal, operations, fostering alignment, accountability, and peak performance under tight deadlines.
• Relationship Builder: You forge trust with DoD stakeholders, allied partners, and commercial organizations, gathering critical intelligence and influencing requirements to shape the path to award.

Desired Qualifications:

• 5+ years in defense/aerospace proposal or capture management, with 3+ years supporting DoD programs. Former DOD acquisitions and/or contracting expertise preferred.
• Proven expertise managing the full capture and proposal lifecycle for competitive acquisitions.
• Deep understanding of federal acquisition regulations (FAR, DFARS) and vehicles (RFPs, RFIs, BAAs, OTAs, FMS).
• Track record in multi-volume proposal development, including solution definition, win-theme creation, and price-to-win analysis.
• Exceptional writing and communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and partner across functions.
• Strong project management chops—balancing multiple priorities, compliance requirements, and tight deadlines.
• U.S. citizen eligible for DoD security clearance, with willingness to travel up to 25% (CONUS/OCONUS).

Why Join Grid.aero:

• Mission First: Tackle some of the most important national security issues of the day.
• Ownership: Receive a significant equity stake and help build the future of Grid.aero.
• Impact: As one of our early hires, you’ll have a direct and visible impact on the success of the company.
• Innovation: Lead the architecture of a game-changing product that will redefine the air logistics industry.
• Growth: Work alongside experienced aerospace founders and grow with the company as a key technical leader.

Compensation: $125k -$150k / .4-1% Equity
This role offers a significant equity stake in Grid.aero, with compensation expected to grow over time. We are looking for individuals who are driven by the mission and excited about the opportunity to build something extraordinary.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Grid.aero is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Legal Notice:

Grid.aero is committed to complying with U.S. export control laws. Due to the nature of our work, candidates must be U.S. persons (U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)).