Want to know if this job is worth applying to?
Berkeley, California, United States
Onsite
Terranova is seeking a Director of Business Development to lead growth across federal, defense, and infrastructure markets. We are looking for someone with a strong network across the federal ecosystem, particularly Congress, the Department of War, the State Department, federal agencies, and major government contractors, who understands how to navigate complex government organizations and build relationships with the stakeholders responsible for major programs and investments.
You should understand how Washington works: how federal priorities are developed, how budgets and appropriations move, how agencies establish new programs, and how emerging technologies progress from initial engagement to pilots, procurements, and scaled deployments. You will help Terranova identify the right organizations and stakeholders to engage and build trusted, long-term relationships across government and industry.
You will work directly with Terranova’s leadership and federal government affairs partners to identify relevant programs, understand agency needs, develop partnerships, and build a pipeline spanning defense infrastructure, base hardening, coastal resilience, disaster recovery, wetland restoration, and major civil works.
This role also requires strong commercial execution. You should be able to take an early customer need or strategic relationship and develop it into a well-defined pilot, partnership, procurement opportunity, or long-term program. You should be equally comfortable walking a field site in a hard hat, briefing a congressional office, meeting with agency leadership, or negotiating with a major prime contractor.
The role is remote with a strong preference for Washington, D.C. or the SF Bay Area. Washington, D.C. candidates should expect significant engagement with federal agencies, congressional offices, industry partners, and government stakeholders. Bay Area candidates will work closely with the team at our Berkeley office. Expect frequent travel to Berkeley, Washington, D.C., military installations, project sites, state capitals, and major conferences nationwide.
Own Terranova’s federal, defense, and infrastructure business development strategy from initial engagement through contract close
Build and maintain senior relationships across Congress, DoD, State Department, USACE, FEMA, other federal agencies, and major government contractors
Identify the agencies, congressional offices, program organizations, contracting teams, and industry partners most relevant to Terranova’s capabilities
Coordinate briefings, introductions, site visits, demonstrations, and other engagements with government and industry stakeholders
Work with Terranova leadership and federal government affairs partners to understand relevant appropriations, authorizations, agency programs, budget priorities, pilot opportunities, and emerging mission needs
Position Terranova early for relevant future programs and procurements by understanding customer requirements and building relationships well before opportunities reach the solicitation stage
Develop relationships with major defense contractors, EPCs, construction primes, and strategic partners to pursue larger programs collaboratively
Lead end-to-end BD cycles across federal, state, civil, and defense markets
Structure multi-year partnerships and contracts ranging from $1M to $50M+
Translate Terranova’s technical capabilities into compelling government use cases, proposals, budgets, and program concepts
Work directly with engineering teams to scope, price, and execute pilot-to-scale programs
Represent Terranova at congressional briefings, agency meetings, conferences, military installations, project sites, and executive-level discussions
Strong existing network across Washington, D.C., particularly within Congress, DoD, federal agencies, the national-security community, or federal infrastructure organizations
Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with senior government and industry stakeholders
Experience navigating the federal budget, appropriations, authorization, acquisition, or program-development process
Track record of developing government opportunities from early engagement through funded pilots, programs, contracts, or partnerships
Background in defense, government affairs, federal business development, infrastructure, construction, or government contracting
Experience working with congressional offices, federal agencies, government affairs firms, major primes, or senior government officials
Strong understanding of federal acquisition and contracting frameworks, including FAR/DFARS
Experience in 0-to-1 business development, ideally helping a startup grow from Seed through Series B or a comparable stage
Exceptional commercial judgment, stakeholder management, negotiation skills, and ability to navigate complex organizations
Strong writing and presentation ability for congressional, agency, executive, and technical audiences
High tolerance for travel, ambiguity, long hours, and direct accountability for outcomes
Existing relationships within USACE, FEMA, DoD, State Department, DHS, congressional defense or appropriations committees, or major defense and infrastructure primes
Prior experience on Capitol Hill, in a federal agency, the military, a government affairs firm, or a major government contractor
Familiarity with congressional appropriations and federal budget cycles
Experience helping emerging technologies navigate federal program development and procurement
Experience in construction, infrastructure development, earthworks, ground modification, resilience, or heavy civil projects
Familiarity with engineering design-build workflows and bid preparation
Technical fluency sufficient to work effectively with mechanical, controls, robotics, and field engineering teams
Closed or led negotiations exceeding $50M+ in aggregate value
Compensation
$90k-150k base salary, stock options, and additional benefits