Growth Manager - Commercial, State, and Local Markets

Job Overview

The Growth Manager – Commercial, State, and Local Markets is responsible for building Vatn's business outside the federal defense customer base. This role focuses on identifying and closing new opportunities with commercial customers, port and harbor authorities, state and local government agencies, and maritime research institutions. Alongside this, it shapes the go-to-market strategy for Vatn's autonomous underwater vehicles, spanning ports and waterways security, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, offshore energy, and marine research applications. This role blends strategic market-building, such as identifying new verticals and use cases, with hands-on sales execution, including prospecting, demonstrations, proposals, and closing deals through commercial and state/local procurement processes.

Key Responsibilities

Client Acquisition & Relationship Management:

• Organize and conduct a deliberate prospecting effort to identify potential commercial customers, port and harbor authorities, and state and local government agencies, expanding the company's market reach beyond federal defense.
• Generate, assess, and convert new leads across target verticals, including ports, offshore energy, environmental agencies, public safety and marine law enforcement, and research institutions.
• Qualify leads and convert them into long-term clients or partnerships.
• Build and maintain long-term relationships with key clients, prospects, and stakeholders across commercial and state/local markets.
• Prepare proposals, quotes, and rough orders of magnitude (ROM) tailored to commercial and public-sector procurement processes.

Sales & Revenue Generation:

• Coordinate demonstrations and pilot deployments to support client understanding and requirements development.
• Navigate state and local procurement pathways, including cooperative purchasing agreements, state contract vehicles, and competitive RFPs.
• Support the contracting and program management teams during handoff to ensure smooth project execution kickoff.
• Support the CGO in contract negotiation and deal closing.
• Maintain customer engagement to support repeat and follow-on sales.

Market Expansion & Product/Service Promotion:

• Develop and execute go-to-market plans to promote Vatn's products to new and existing commercial and public-sector customers.
• Identify new markets and use cases and contribute to market expansion plans, including ports and waterway security, environmental and hydrographic monitoring, search and rescue, offshore energy inspection, and marine research.
• Support solution development alongside Engineering and technical teammates to adapt Vatn's platform to commercial and civil requirements.
• Attend industry events, conferences, and trade shows to stay current with market trends and support pipeline growth.
• Attend demonstrations and pilot deployments with customers and partners.
• Coordinate with Marketing and Strategic Communications team for specific and targeted communication campaigns.

Strategic Planning:

• Develop and implement growth strategies for commercial, state, and local markets that align with overall company goals.
• Conduct market research to identify new business opportunities and trends outside the federal defense space.
• Analyze competitors, customer needs, and market conditions to guide go-to-market decisions.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to clients, stakeholders, and leadership.

Collaboration & Teamwork:

• Work closely with Engineering, Programs, and Operations to ensure customer needs are understood and met.
• Partner with the Proposal/Capture function on pursuits that involve state or local government procurement.
• Provide feedback on product and service offerings based on client interactions and market demand.
• Ensure a smooth transition of clients to the program management team following deal closure.

Reporting & Analysis:

• Maintain accurate records of business development activity, including prospecting, meetings, and deal progress, in the company CRM.
• Track sales metrics, report on progress to senior leadership and adjust strategy as necessary.
• Prepare regular reports on pipeline, leads, conversions, and revenue growth in commercial and state/local markets.

Continuous Improvement:

• Stay current on market trends, regulatory changes, and competitor activity across target commercial and public-sector verticals.
• Proactively identify areas for process improvement in the growth and sales process.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or equivalent experience. 
• Experience: 2+ years of experience in business development, sales, or a related field, ideally with exposure to commercial or state/local government sales.
• Experience with state or local government procurement is advantageous.

Skills:

• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
• Strong customer engagement and interpersonal abilities
• Highly organized, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Self-motivated with a high level of initiative
• Experience selling to ports, marine authorities, or public safety/first responder agencies is a plus.
• Experience in the maritime, offshore energy, or environmental sectors is a plus.

Key Attributes for Success

• Goal-oriented: Driven by results and focused on achieving sales and revenue objectives.
• Adaptable: Able to adjust strategies based on market conditions, client needs, and business objectives.
• Relationship-building: Strong ability to build and maintain lasting relationships with clients and partners across commercial and government customers.
• Analytical: Capable of evaluating market, financial, and regulatory conditions and using those insights to inform strategic decisions.

Working Conditions

• Full-time position, based in Bristol, RI with willingness to travel extensively, both domestically and internationally.
• Willing to work on commercial and government watercraft, including large and small boats.
• Must be able to wear PPE such as life preservers, helmets, protective clothing, eye protection, and hearing protection.

Vatn is an equal opportunity employer.