Director, National Security Initiatives

Strategic Business Development & Relationship Management

• Lead business development activities targeting the Department of War (Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and related DoW components.
• Cultivate and manage strategic relationships with defense-portions of National Laboratory partners (Sandia, Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, Oak Ridge, Argonne, and others) to develop joint research programs, user agreements, and cooperative R&D arrangements (CRADAs).
• Identify and pursue new research sponsorship opportunities with defense-related industry partners (prime contractors, technology companies, aerospace and defense firms) and convert prospects into funded research agreements.
• Represent the University at national security conferences, industry days, Congressional briefings, and defense community events to build institutional visibility and research pipeline.
• Develop and execute annual business development plans with clear pipeline metrics, win targets, and sponsor engagement schedules; report progress to SVP for Research and Kyl Institute leadership.

Sensitive Research Portfolio Management

• Serve as the University point of contact for sponsored research involving classified, controlled unclassified information (CUI), and export-controlled (ITAR/EAR) research programs.
• Coordinate with the U of A Facility Security Officer (FSO), the Office of Export Controls, and Research Compliance to ensure all classified research proposals and awards comply with applicable federal regulations, security requirements, and university policy.
• Ensure, in coordination with the Kyl Institute and the Research Security Office, the development and maintenance of facility clearance (FCL) infrastructure, including collaboration with federal oversight bodies on secure facility requirements.
• Manage relationships with DoD program managers and contracting officers for active classified research contracts and ensure seamless transition from business development to award execution.

Program Strategy & Proposal Development

• Direct the development and preparation of white papers, capability statements, and formal research proposals in response to Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and directed solicitations from DoD and National Lab sponsors.
• Collaborate with faculty, research centers, and ORP colleagues to identify and package University research capabilities that align with national security sponsor priorities.
• Negotiate terms for Letters of Intent (LOIs), Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), and research contracts; recommend approval to executive leadership.
• Coordinate with the Office of Technology Transfer on dual-use technology, intellectual property considerations, and licensing opportunities arising from national security research.

Cross-Institutional Leadership & Kyl Institute Alignment

• Maintain active matrixed collaboration with the Kyl Institute for National Security, participating in programmatic planning, advisory board activities, and joint initiatives that intersect research and policy dimensions of national security.
• Provide strategic input to Kyl Institute leadership on research funding trends, sponsor priorities, and emerging opportunities that could inform institute programming.
• Represent the intersection of research and national security policy in University-wide strategic planning discussions, including cross-college and interdisciplinary national security initiatives.
• Build and steward a University-wide network of faculty, staff, and administrative colleagues engaged in national security research to support coordinated, competitive positioning.

Administrative & Operational Leadership

• Provide leadership and mentoring to any staff, graduate assistants, or business and research development associates within the national security programs function.
• Develop and manage program budgets related to national security business development activities, sponsor visits, and outreach initiatives.
• Maintain accurate tracking and reporting of the national security research portfolio using CRM and research administration systems; provide regular pipeline and portfolio reports to senior leadership.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the national security ecosystem - including DoW organizational structures, federal agencies, National Laboratory partnership models, and defense innovation pathways (e.g., SBIR, OTAs, CRADAs) - combined with familiarity with university research administration environments.
• Skilled in building and sustaining strategic partnerships across government, industry, and academia, with demonstrated ability to engage credibly and influence outcomes at senior leadership levels.
• Skilled in identifying research sponsorship opportunities, aligning institutional capabilities to sponsor mission needs, and developing a sustained pipeline of mission-relevant research activity.
• Ability to manage relationships and program performance, including proficiency with CRM tools, stakeholder tracking systems, and reporting frameworks that support leadership decision-making.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational environments, influencing without direct authority, and translating high-level strategic priorities into concrete, actionable plans with clear accountabilities.