Defense Technology Strategy and Innovation Leader

Defense Technology Strategy and Innovation LeaderThe Opportunity: Develop and execute inorganic strategies, including mergers, acquisitions, and venture investments, that position the Defense Technology Group (DTG) for growth and capability differentiation. Design the M&A value-creation strategy, including future organizational structure, combined technology, cost efficiencies, and GTM acceleration, build the acquisition pro formas and decision‑lever models that underwrite it, lead integration activities, and take operational ownership of acquired business units and entities, driving each to its value‑creation thesis against defined operational and financial benchmarks. Define the investment strategy that positions, captures, and retains meaningful work in DTG’s addressable market segments. Own the investment thesis and evaluation criteria, direct the internal deal process end‑to‑end, lead financial, operational, and strategic due diligence on target assets, and set the investment recommendations and capital‑allocation rationale carried to the EVP and senior executives. Define and enforce success metrics that govern the portfolio, including mission outcomes, captured business value, growth, and scoreable differentiation relative to competitors, and hold business units and investments accountable to them. Own business‑case definition and executive materials that support communications to other senior leaders, and drive hiring and organizational design as the function scales. Own and manage the budgets for the strategy portfolio and for business units as DTG assumes operational responsibility, including annual planning, internal R&D and investment allocations, forecasting, and variance tracking against committed financial targets. Build cross‑functional alignment on resourcing and trade‑offs, and hold the portfolio to its committed spend and return profile. Translate portfolio and investment performance into clear, decision‑ready communications for stakeholders across the organization, including DTG and GDS leadership, the CTO organization, enterprise product functions, and corporate strategy, finance, and contracts, through recurring business reviews, investment and deal approvals, and briefings. Keep senior leaders current on priorities, risks, dependencies, and course corrections. You Have: Experience owning M&A and investment strategy end-to-end, defining the value-creation thesis, leading diligence and deal execution, and driving post-close integration to its operational and financial targets Experience holding businesses or portfolios accountable to value-creation and operating benchmarks, including work at the portfolio-level, to grow revenue, expand margin, and improve retention Experience in private equity, venture capital, or transaction advisory, setting investment strategy and recommendations for senior decision-makers Experience driving product and go-to-market strategies for technology businesses, including taking products to product-market fit and scaled adoption Experience building and leading teams Ability to travel up to 25% of the time Ability to obtain a Secret clearance Master’s degree in Finance, Valuation, or Entrepreneurial Finance Nice If You Have: Experience communicating highly complex information clearly and articulately across executive, technical, and customer audiences Experience with defense, aerospace, or U.S. public-sector clients and in federal contracting environments Experience operating inside a portfolio company or early‑stage business, spanning value creation, GTM, and customer success