Vice President, Growth

Vice President, Growth
Assail Federal, Inc.

About Assail Federal

Assail Federal builds autonomous offensive AI for the warfighter and the defense of mission-critical systems. Our Reaper platform enables mission teams to conduct authorized offensive cyber operations in contested, disconnected, and communications-denied environments. Built for expeditionary deployment, Reaper brings autonomous cyber capabilities to the tactical edge, operating locally without reliance on internet connectivity or continuous reachback.

Reaper also enables agencies and commands to test their own applications, APIs, AI systems, and digital infrastructure through autonomous red teaming and adversarial exposure validation. Whether supporting operations against adversary infrastructure or validating the security of friendly assets, Reaper operates within defined mission authorities and operational boundaries.

We are looking for a growth leader who can connect these capabilities to mission requirements and turn customer engagement into funded deployments, operational adoption, and enduring defense programs.

About the role

As Vice President, Growth, you will own Assail Federal’s growth strategy and execution, from identifying mission requirements and building customer relationships through capture, contract award, and program expansion.

Reporting directly to Alissa Knight, CEO and Chief AI Officer, you will help determine where we compete, which partnerships we build, and how we invest in opportunities. You will work closely with engineering to align our technology with customer priorities and establish credible paths from demonstrations to operational deployment.

This is a hands-on executive role. You will personally advance strategic opportunities while building the team, processes, and discipline needed to scale the federal business.

What you’ll do

• Develop and execute a growth strategy across defense and national security customers, with clear priorities, bookings targets, and resource plans.

• Build relationships with operational users, mission owners, program offices, acquisition professionals, and funding stakeholders.

• Identify emerging mission requirements and connect them to Reaper’s capabilities through focused customer engagement.

• Build and manage a qualified pipeline grounded in mission fit, funding, acquisition timing, competitive position, and delivery readiness.

• Lead capture strategy, competitive assessments, teaming decisions, pursuit budgets, and bid/no-bid recommendations.

• Work with customers and technical teams to design demonstrations and evaluations with measurable outcomes and a defined path to funded adoption.

• Identify appropriate acquisition pathways and contract vehicles in collaboration with contracting and legal specialists.

• Lead proposal efforts, coordinating technical, management, pricing, and contractual contributions to produce compelling, compliant submissions.

• Develop partnerships with prime contractors, defense technology companies, integrators, and research organizations.

• Track budget and acquisition developments that affect priority pursuits and adjust plans accordingly.

• Build transition strategies that connect initial awards to follow-on funding, broader deployment, and enduring programs, including programs of record where appropriate.

• Maintain accurate forecasts and give the CEO clear visibility into opportunity progress, risks, and investment decisions.

• Bring customer insights into product planning while aligning commitments with engineering capacity and contractual requirements.

• Build and develop the growth team as the business expands.

What you’ll bring

• Demonstrated success winning and expanding defense or national security business involving complex technology.

• Experience owning opportunities across business development, capture, proposal development, and award.

• An understanding of how mission requirements, government budgets, funding decisions, and acquisition processes connect.

• Experience converting demonstrations, prototypes, or initial contracts into follow-on business or operational adoption.

• The ability to engage credibly with both operational and acquisition stakeholders and translate technical capabilities into mission value.

• Sound judgment about which opportunities to pursue, how to allocate resources, and when to change direction.

• Experience coordinating engineers, proposal contributors, partners, and executive stakeholders around a shared pursuit.

• A collaborative leadership approach, clear communication, and a willingness to remain directly involved in customer work.

Experience with cyber operations, autonomous systems, AI, software platforms, or emerging defense technology is particularly relevant. Experience building a growth function at an early-stage company is also valuable.

No specific degree is required. We value relevant experience, demonstrated results, and the ability to learn.

What success looks like

You build a qualified pipeline with credible funding and acquisition paths, deliver contract awards against agreed targets, and establish forecasts the company can use to plan confidently. Customer evaluations lead to funded work, initial awards create opportunities for expansion, and partnerships improve our ability to reach and serve mission teams.

Alongside those results, you establish a disciplined growth organization that selects opportunities carefully and makes commitments the company can deliver.

Why join Assail Federal

• Shape the growth strategy of a defense technology business at a formative stage.

• Work directly with the CEO and have a meaningful voice in company priorities.

• Collaborate closely with the engineers building the technology you bring to customers.

• Help translate advances in autonomous offensive AI into practical mission capabilities.

• Build and develop a team with ownership across the full federal growth lifecycle.

Additional requirements

U.S. citizenship is required for this position. Travel to customer sites, partner locations, and industry events is expected.

We welcome your application

We encourage candidates with relevant experience to apply even if their background does not match every preferred qualification. We welcome different career paths and perspectives.

Assail Federal is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations throughout the hiring process.