Director, Strategy (National Security)

Newlab is seeking a Director of Strategy to act as a critical operational partner to our VP, Head of National Security. This role will translate high-level strategic priorities into executable, measurable programs across multiple U.S. geographies, ensuring that initiatives in advanced manufacturing, technology commercialization, and public-private partnerships are delivered with precision, speed, and impact.

The Director will manage the delivery of high-profile, multi-stakeholder projects in collaboration with startups, government agencies, and industry partners. They will be responsible for turning strategy into operational plans, tracking financial performance, and building trusted relationships across a diverse ecosystem. We are looking for an operational leader who understands government procurement, contracting, is comfortable navigating the startup and venture world, and can work fluently at the intersection of engineering, business, and policy.

This position will work out of our Brooklyn Navy Yard location. Up to 40% travel can be expected, majority will be domestic.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy and Stakeholder engagement 

• Support the VP to develop and operationalize Newlab’s national security strategy
• Represent the VP in high-level meetings, site visits, and public forums across geographic locations
• Support federal engagement strategies by coordinating with DOD innovation agencies, DARPA and the Military Branches 
• Build trusted relationships with startups, investors, and government leaders to strengthen Newlab’s national security network

Business development 

• Support business development with government agencies, industry partners, and investors
• Lead the end-to-end management of large-scale RFPs, including researching and understanding the requirements and managing internal and external partners to ensure timely and high-quality submission of proposals

Operational Execution and Program Management 

• Manage delivery of multiple concurrent SOWs, with initial emphasis on the Newlab National Security Strategy in Michigan
• Maintain high-touch, client-facing relationships with state, federal, and industry stakeholders
• Develop technical strategies that integrate state-owned assets, key regional and federal partnerships, and commercialization programs to accelerate dual-use activation from prototyping, to testing, to manufacturing
• Ensure projects meet compliance, budget, and revenue targets while aligning with overarching defense commercialization goals
• Oversee day-to-day execution of complex government and industry SOWs ensuring deliverables are met on time and on budget

Internal Ops

• Support VP in managing the P&L for the national security portfolio, including contract profitability and resource allocation
• Collaborate with Global Finance and Head of Advisory to create financial models and pro formas to evaluate new opportunities
• Manage the legal, financial and IT compliance burden as needed in partnership with Global Finance, the Global Head of IT and in-house and external Counsel

Qualifications:

Education: 

• Engineering undergraduate degree from a top-tier institution (STEM preferred)
• Advanced degree in business, policy, or engineering preferred

Skills + Experience:

• 6-8 years in defense, government contracting, technical program management, and/or venture/startup operations
• Proven success managing DOD or state-level contracts from proposal to execution
• Proven track record of successfully managing large RFPs and securing and managing  multi-million dollar grants from government agencies.
• Experience in strategy development and project management with a successful history of managing a varied portfolio of work on time and on budget 
• Familiarity with DoD acquisition pathways, SBIR/STTR, OTAs, and compliance frameworks (CMMC, NIST 800-171, DCAA)
• Demonstrated ability to work with early-stage companies and translate technical capabilities into use cases aligned with commercial/government offtake pathways 

Qualities + Attributes 

• Strong bias toward action
• Inherently curious and strong propensity to build
• Energized by and able to thrive in a dynamic and fast-moving startup environment 
• Passionate about driving cross-sector collaboration to advance the development, scale and adoption of critical technologies technology 
• Natural ability to communicate complex ideas effectively, both verbally and in writing

• Exceptional operational skills and the ability to manage complex spreadsheets, pro formas, and program dashboards with precision
• Strong client-facing presence with senior government and industry leaders
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for both technical and executive audiences

Compensation:

• $160,000-$180,000
• Eligible for Bonus Program
• Comprehensive medical benefits