Director / Sr. Director, Strategic Defense Programs

About the Opportunity: 

Seekr is an AI technology company building mission-critical AI capabilities for defense and national security customers. Our technology is purpose-built for the operational environment — designed to perform where it matters most, integrated into the platforms, systems, and workflows that the mission depends on.

Seekr has established strategic partnerships with the nation's premier defense integrators that operates platforms, integrates advanced sensor and communications payloads, and sustains some of the most complex mission systems and programs. To lead this relationship, we are hiring a Program Director who brings both the executive instincts to steward a strategic partnership and the technical credibility of someone who has actually done the work: standing up mission systems with our partners, integrating Seekr AI technology into sensors and communications architectures on platforms, and driving programs from rapid prototype to program of record. Spanning the full portfolio of airborne ISR, C2, tactical and strategic communications, and mission integration across multiple agencies and classification levels, this role is responsible for aligning all individual program efforts into a coherent strategy that systematically generates demand for Seekr's AI capabilities across the partner's enterprise.

Key Responsibilities:

Partnership Leadership

• Own the end-to-end executive relationship with Seekr's strategic defense partners, serving as the primary interface across business development, program execution, and technical solutioning at all levels of the organization.
• Develop and manage a joint partnership governance framework, including program review cadences, escalation paths, IP and NDA structures, and shared investment planning.
• Lead joint capture activities, including opportunity identification, teaming structure, and proposal development.
• Represent Seekr in engagements with government customers, including industry events and classified program briefings, across priority mission domains.

Portfolio Strategy & Demand Generation

• Develop and maintain a unified strategic plan that maps Seekr's AI capabilities across the partner's full portfolio, identifying insertion points, sequencing opportunities, and aligning customer mission priorities.
• Coordinate and align all individual program efforts under a coherent portfolio strategy; prevent fragmentation and ensure each program contributes to compounding, enterprise-level AI adoption.
• Proactively generate demand for new AI capability insertions by identifying gaps across the partner's program base where Seekr creates asymmetric mission value, and building the business case to pursue them.
• Maintain deep situational awareness of customer requirements, adjacent program activity, and competitive positioning across target mission areas including airborne ISR, ground and airborne C2, JADC2-aligned communications, and multi-domain mission integration.
• Track and report portfolio-level metrics, including pipeline health, program milestones, and strategic partnership maturity, to Seekr executive leadership on a regular cadence.

Program Execution & Technical Oversight

• Guide programs through the full lifecycle, from rapid prototyping and live demonstration through formal T&E, OT&A, and transition to program of record, across mission sets.
• Translate Seekr's AI capabilities into credible mission-level value propositions; work alongside partner mission systems engineers to define integration approaches, interface requirements, and technical feasibility across platform and system types.
• Coordinate Seekr's internal cross-functional teams (engineering, product, contracts, legal, and finance) to support partner deliverables and ensure commitments are met on schedule and within budget.
• Identify and manage program risk across the portfolio; surface technical, schedule, and contractual issues early and drive resolution before they affect partner or customer relationships.

Required Qualifications:

• Active US Security Clearance (TS / SCI eligibility strongly preferred)
• 15+ years of experience in defense programs, with direct involvement in DoD mission systems integration across ISR platforms, C2 architectures, or tactical/strategic communications systems.
• Demonstrated experience leading the build of unique mission systems, including sensor integration, communications payload installation, and government airworthiness or fielding processes.
• Hands-on experience spanning the full program lifecycle: from concept and rapid prototype through live demonstration, formal testing, and transition to program of record.
• Proven ability to manage and align multiple concurrent programs under a cohesive portfolio strategy, balancing individual program execution with enterprise-level visibility and prioritization.
• Strong customer-facing program leadership skills; prior experience managing a complex, multi-stakeholder defense partnership or channel relationship at the prime or sub-prime level.
• Experience developing strategic demand generation plans: identifying capability gaps, building business cases, and influencing partner and customer acquisition decisions.
• Solid understanding of DoD acquisition frameworks (FAR/DFARS), OT authorities, and competitive proposal processes.
• Willingness to travel frequently (up to 30%) to partner sites, government customer locations, and demonstration events.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, aerospace, systems engineering, computer science, or a related technical field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience at a prime defense integrator in a mission systems, C2, or special mission aircraft role.
• Prior military service in an ISR, C2, communications, or intelligence career field, particularly with operational exposure to airborne collection, battle management, or tactical networking systems.
• Demonstrated track record of growing a technology partnership by proactively creating new program opportunities, not just managing existing ones.
• Familiarity with AI/ML technology applied to signal processing, image exploitation, sensor fusion, C2 decision support, or communications network optimization.
• Familiarity with JADC2 concepts, ABMS, or related DoD multi-domain connectivity and interoperability initiatives.
• Experience with rapid prototyping programs including bridging from prototype to production transition.
• Active engagement in relevant government program offices and familiarity with their investment priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to operate in a fast-moving AI company while maintaining the rigor and credibility expected by a large defense prime.
• Knowledge of AI infrastructure, trusted AI, LLM ecosystems, or mission AI workloads