Vice President, Strategic Growth

CenCore is seeking a Vice President of Strategic Growth to lead the company’s enterprise growth agenda across defense and government markets. This executive will translate corporate strategy into a funded, executable pipeline of new programs, markets, partnerships, and transactions while aligning opportunities with operating capacity, compliance requirements, and financial targets. The role combines business development, corporate development, capture leadership, and government program strategy. The successful candidate will work closely with the executive team and business unit leaders to advance organic growth, strategic partnerships, and targeted acquisitions.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a multi-year enterprise growth plan aligned with Department of Defense modernization and industrial base priorities.
• Build and manage a qualified opportunity pipeline across the Department of Defense, prime contractors, and federal agencies.
• Lead go or no-go decisions, win strategies, teaming arrangements, and executive-level capture activities for priority pursuits.
• Pursue funding and contracting opportunities through Other Transaction Authority consortia, SBIR and STTR programs, Defense Production Act initiatives, industrial base funding, and related vehicles.
• Identify, evaluate, and support acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic investments in partnership with finance, contracts, and executive leadership.
• Build strategic relationships with prime contractors, original equipment manufacturers, technology firms, academic institutions, workforce partners, consortium managers, and government program offices.
• Align business unit growth plans with corporate strategy, operating capacity, governance, compliance posture, and financial targets.
• Oversee proposal strategy, pricing coordination, teaming approaches, and the quality of executive-level submissions.
• Analyze budget priorities, program new starts, competitor activity, and policy developments, then translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Establish growth performance indicators and governance processes, and report progress to the executive team.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or a related field.
• At least 12 years of experience in business development, corporate development, strategy, or capture within the defense or government contracting sector.
• At least 5 years of experience in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated success winning and growing Department of Defense or federal programs.
• Working knowledge of FAR, DFARS, Other Transaction Authority agreements, and federal acquisition processes.
• Experience supporting or leading mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, or strategic partnerships from sourcing through close.
• Strong financial acumen, including the ability to develop and defend business cases, pricing strategies, and investment theses.
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret security clearance.
• MBA or other advanced degree.
• Background in advanced manufacturing, defense hardware, or industrial base programs.
• Established relationships within Department of Defense program offices, Office of the Secretary of Defense industrial base offices, or defense consortia.
• Experience in a growth-stage or private-equity-backed company.

Skills / Competencies

• Enterprise growth strategy and execution
• Federal capture management and opportunity qualification
• Corporate development, diligence, and integration planning
• Financial modeling, pricing strategy, and investment analysis
• Executive communication and stakeholder influence
• Strategic partnership and teaming development
• Market intelligence and competitive analysis
• Cross-functional leadership and growth governance

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• Hybrid role based in Springville, Utah.
• Ability to work effectively in office and remote environments, consistent with company expectations for a hybrid executive role.