Director of Sales - US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike

The Role

As the Director of Sales for US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike at Striveworks, you’ll be challenged—and trusted—on day one to lead and develop methods to increase customer value and generate revenue through the development of relationships, markets, and customers. You will be trusted, empowered, and resourced to build the strategy, foster the relationships, and manage the opportunities you identify to grow the business. You will be empowered with company resources and relationships through existing account opportunities, partnerships, co-selling agreements, contract vehicles, and teaming agreements. You will be an integral part of the leadership team, developing strategic growth and business growth plans, creating new revenue opportunities, and identifying new requirements. Additionally, you will be sought out for expertise in synthesizing customer requirements, structuring customer deals, and recommending new products and services in alignment with company strategic growth plans. You’re right for this opportunity if you enjoy creating value with customers in a mission-focused environment that has a bias toward action and a great track record in building customer value–based partnerships.

Your day-to-day will include:

• Develop and implement strategic sales plans that align new US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike and Defense Industrial Base deals with company growth plans.
• Communicate with US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike customers, acquisition professionals, and partners to ensure customer awareness of Striveworks’ capabilities by seeking new technology insertions and direct sales opportunities with an expectation of frequent and consistent customer location engagements, conferences, and events.
• Research, shape, and win targeted US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike acquisitions efforts and new sales opportunities, leveraging Striveworks’ core AI/ML capabilities and products (with emphasis on Strike kill chain applications).
• Develop and manage a qualified sales pipeline of at least 4X of assigned sales target for year-over-year revenue growth.
• Identify teaming opportunities with other contractors and leverage existing contract vehicles to support growth plans of MLOps technology insertions across integrated combat systems in US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike, including missiles, radars, launchers, electronic warfare systems, surface command and control systems, gun systems, and overall surface strike kill chains.
• Support the proposal development process by providing customer insights, competitive insights, and differentiated win themes aligned to our product-market fit.
• Have a working knowledge of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process to influence and shape funding.
• Have an understanding of Federal Acquisition Regulation, including expertise with Naval Acquisitions, Rapid Transition Office (PEO-IWS RTO), major acquisition pathways, Other Transactional Authorities (OTA), Middle Tier Acquisition (MTA), rapid acquisition, Disruptive Capabilities Office (DCO), experimentation, and prototyping opportunities.

The anticipated base pay range for this position is $200,000-$250,000/year with an aggressive cash commission structure. Striveworks’ total compensation package includes a base salary, commission-based earnings, and annual performance-based equity grants.

This position offers a fully remote work environment, but the expectation is frequent and consistent customer location engagements, conferences, and events.

The Right Fit

We spend a lot of time during our hiring process talking about shared values. 

Why? We passionately believe that fostering an environment where people can self-actualize and pursue greatness is the best way to achieve our individual and collective goals. 

What does this mean for you? We want to create an environment where you can thrive and achieve your goals, where you know the team shares your goals, and where you make and accept decisions for the team with humility. At Striveworks, we want your say/do ratio to be 1, and we want you to know that being part of a top-tier team means that there is no smartest person in the room. If that makes sense, we’re already on the same page. 

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike leader who also has sales experience and consistently outperforms quotas selling into Programs of Record and competitive service-level acquisitions within the US Navy
• Proven ability to sell new and emerging technology into US Navy enterprise, PEO Integrated Warfare Systems, Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike, or their supported components
• Experience qualifying deals and analyzing market strategies, deal requirements, growth potential, and deal financials, including forecasting
• 1–3 years of sales, strategic capture, or key account management experience, with a strong record of revenue generation
• 10+ years of operational experience in US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike
• 1–3 years of related sales experience in the US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike market
• Active Top Secret US security clearance (TS/SCI preferred)

The Wish List

We’re very interested in candidates who possess the above qualifications, and we appreciate and consider the addition of:

• Proven sales experience within the US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike and related US Navy PEOs exceeding $2M in annual direct sales
• Software or AI/ML sales experience
• Effective communicator with credibility and expertise in the DOD and US Navy Surface Combat Systems and Surface Strike who can relate our differentiated capabilities to customer mission requirements and effectively communicate customer requirements to our internal teams
• Previous experience working in US Naval Acquisitions

The Benefits

• Top-of-market salary and total compensation
• Generous equity plan
• Health, vision, and dental insurance
• Flexible PTO
• Parental leave

Build, Deploy, and Maintain AI for an Unpredictable World

AI is driving a new Industrial Revolution. But most AI tools only work when the world looks the same tomorrow as it did yesterday. That's rarely the case.
Striveworks was formed to fix this problem. Our platform lets teams build AI models, deploy them into unpredictable environments, and watch them deliver trustworthy results—day after day. Our approach has transformed AI outcomes for organizations where failure is never an option. As a result, Striveworks was recognized as an exemplar in the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence Final Report. 

In 2023, Striveworks placed on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 as one of the most rapidly growing technology companies in North America. In 2024, Striveworks was honored with a Built In Best Places to Work award—for the third year running.

Striveworks is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity or expression), national origin, social or ethnic origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. Striveworks will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind.

If you require assistance or a reasonable accommodation in the application process, please contact Operations at [email protected].

Striveworks is a participating employer in the E-Verify program.