Director of Business Development - DHS

Description

CyKor is a fast-growing Technology Solutions Provider to both federal and commercial clients. We attribute our continued growth to our core values, our professional team, and the valuable relationships with our clients. Our small and growing team fosters an environment in which each team member is respected, valued, and appreciated for their contributions.

The Director of Business Development for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expected to create net-new demand by establishing direct relationships with DHS mission owners and influencing requirements prior to formal acquisition and will own opportunities from qualification through transition to delivery. 

The Director serves as a visible external representative of CyKor within the DHS community, advancing trusted relationships and ensuring alignment with mission outcomes and CyKor’s 2030 growth vision and will be required to establish and maintain direct engagement with DHS decision-makers, program offices, and mission stakeholders to generate early-stage opportunities.

Responsibilities:

Market Strategy and Vertical Focus

• Lead all DHS business development efforts, from opportunity qualification to pipeline growth and partner alignment 
• Drive go-to-market strategy, setting growth targets and focusing on high-priority programs and accounts 
• Capture and win mission-driven opportunities that expand CyKor's presence across DHS 
• Build and manage relationships across key DHS components to align solutions with mission needs 
• Monitor procurement trends and acquisition strategies to position for contract success 
• Identify emerging needs in cybersecurity, infrastructure, border security, and disaster response 
• Represent CyKor in industry and government forums to build executive relationships and generate opportunities 
• Support the Chief Growth Officer to ensure strong execution, pipeline discipline, and strategic growth

Capture and Proposal Integration

• Lead capture efforts on priority DHS pursuits, working closely with the Capture Manager to deliver compliant, competitive, and differentiated responses
• Drive teaming, pricing strategy input, win themes, and call plans for opportunities
• Maintain ownership through award and transition to delivery, ensuring clear handoff to Operations, Delivery, and key stakeholders
• Support shaping, early architecture alignment, and partner strategy to produce competitive posture before capture

Pipeline Management and Pursuit Execution

• Own and manage the DHS opportunity pipeline, ensuring quality coverage/alignment with growth and revenue goals 
• Lead structured opportunity identification, shaping, and qualification aligned with LASERS and CyKor’s TSP framework
• Drive priority pursuits with early positioning, strong partnerships, and deep customer engagement 
• Maintain accurate Salesforce data and forecasts to support visibility and meet CEP requirements
• Ensure opportunities are well-qualified, mission-aligned, and backed by validated customer needs 
• Deliver reliable forecasts through consistent pipeline review and performance tracking
• Identify and escalate risks or gaps in pursuit execution, recommending process improvements for scalability

Internal Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Ensure seamless coordination with Capture Operations for opportunity shaping, transition, and proposal development
• Partner with Sales leadership to ensure BD opportunities are structured for successful close and handoff
• Collaborate with CTO and Solutions Engineering team to validate technical alignment during the solution stage
• Work with Alliances & Marketing teams to develop campaigns, events, and positioning that support BD activities in the DHS sector
• Serve as liaison between OEMs and CyKor’s Sales, Growth, and Engineering teams to align pursuits and accelerate joint DHS opportunities
• Support Operations and Finance in developing deal structures that optimize risk, profitability, and compliance

Requirements

• 7-10 years of demonstrated successful experience in DHS and Federal Civilian markets with deep understanding of DHS mission areas
• Strong understanding of federal acquisition, competitive ecosystems, and DHS-specific procurement vehicles (e.g., EAGLE II, FirstSource, SEWP, 2GIT, and other GWAC/IDIQ vehicles)
• Strong executive presence with government and industry partners across the homeland security community
• Demonstrated success leading cradle-to-grave pursuits within DHS and federal civilian environments
• Demonstrated ability to align technical solutions to mission outcomes across cybersecurity, infrastructure protection, and homeland security operations
• Strategic thinking paired with tactical execution capability
• Strong communication, negotiation, and leadership presence
• High integrity, collaboration, and alignment with CyKor culture
• Ability to communicate clearly and drive cross-functional alignment
• Hybrid schedule with availability for on-site meetings and client visits; should reside in the Washington, DC area (or be willing to relocate)

Team Culture & Collaboration 

• Model CyKor’s values of accountability, communication, and collaboration
• Represent CyKor with professionalism and credibility across government, partner, and industry engagements within the DHS community

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with Federal Acquisition Processes & understanding of FAR-based procurements, OTAs, SBIRs, and DHS-specific buying patterns, with the ability to engage intelligently in acquisition strategy discussions
• Experience in DHS subcomponents including supporting or selling into specific DHS agencies such as CBP, CISA, USCIS, ICE, FEMA, or the Coast Guard
• Experience supporting or leading pursuits on vehicles such as DHS-wide BPAs, IDIQs, or component-level contracts
• Familiarity working with key federal OEMs (Cisco, Red Hat, etc.) and understanding how to align partner strategies to drive joint pursuits
• Exposure to capture planning, win strategy development, and proposal processes (e.g., Shipley training or equivalent)
• Experience in areas such as Zero Trust, network modernization, cloud, AI/edge, or infrastructure transformation
• Familiarity with Salesforce (or similar), GovWin, or other tools used to track and manage federal opportunities
• Prior operational/programmatic military or federal experience that provides credibility with government stakeholders