Senior Portfolio Development Manager

What We Do

At the SEI AI Division, we conduct research in applied artificial intelligence and the engineering questions related to the practical design and implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and systems. We currently lead a community-wide movement to mature the discipline of AI Engineering for Defense and National Security.

As our government customers adopt AI and machine learning (ML) to provide leap-ahead mission capabilities, we:

• build real-world, mission-scale AI capabilities through solving practical engineering problems.

• discover and define the processes, practices, and tools to support operationalizing AI for robust, secure, scalable, and human-centered mission capabilities.

• prepare our customers to be ready for the unique challenges of adopting, deploying, using, and maintaining AI capabilities.

• identify and investigate emerging AI and AI-adjacent technologies that are rapidly transforming the technology landscape.

Are you creative, curious, and collaborative? Do you enjoy doing meaningful and complex work? Are you interested in making a difference by bringing innovation to government organizations and beyond? Apply to join our team today!

Position Summary

As a Senior Portfolio Development Manager, you will partner with our technical teams to cultivate, shape, and manage customer relationships, while capturing research and development opportunities to build our portfolio of technical national security work. You will be responsible for active identification, qualification, and pursuit of new research opportunities across the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and Federal civilian agencies. Our goal is to create strong and enduring relationships that create desired mission outcomes for our clients, the AI Division, and the Defense Department.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Shaping Our Portfolio and Growth: You will establish strategic business development goals and plans and implement actions to achieve those goals. You will contribute to our continual process of planning, developing, and executing an organizational technology strategy. You will work closely with the AI Division Technical teams and leadership to strengthen and grow business, technical, and operational capabilities. Alongside the team, you will increase the impact of our work for our customers and enhance our portfolio of work.

• Customer and Stakeholder Engagement: You will regularly engage with customers and stakeholders; you will represent the AI Division portfolio by presenting and showcasing our work to customers, sponsors, and partners. You will help build and maintain relationships within the DoD innovation and technology ecosystems, including relevant mission, research, and technology development communities.

• Collaboration: You will represent SEI products and services, while actively engaging with our staff and government customers in various forums to understand their challenges and needs, and shape potential solutions. You will contribute to improving our technical capabilities by sharing your knowledge and insight and performing on cutting-edge research projects.

• Process Improvement: You will identify and suggest improvements to how we engage our customers, execute our work, develop our people, and function as a leading-edge research and development organization.

• Community Involvement: You will participate in technical and professional associations and keep informed about developments in the government, military, and economic, scientific, political, and industrial fields as they apply to SEI products and services.

Requirements

• BS in a related field and at least 10 years of experience working with or in the Department of Defense and/or Intelligence Community, or a MS degree in a related field with at least 8 years of relevant experience working with or in the Department of Defense and/or Intelligence Community.

• An advanced degree in a relevant technical field or an advanced degree in a business-related field with experience leading complex programs/projects is preferred.

• Willingness to travel to various locations to support the SEI's overall mission. This includes within the SEI and CMU community, sponsor sites, conferences, and offsite meetings on occasion. Moderate up to (25%- to 40%) travel outside of your home location.

• Works well independently and excels in group settings and ambiguous operating environments.

• You will be subject to a background check investigation and will need to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense security clearance.

• Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for CMU in the United States. CMU will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Previous experience developing and executing business strategies and opportunities in collaboration with senior leaders, technical management, and technical staff

• Engaging in research, operations, and transition activities with DoD, Federal agencies, industry, and academia; working knowledge of how DoD and related government organizations fund and conduct research, innovation, and technology transition

• Communicating and marketing through professional organizations, webinars, public relations, and conferences and trade shows

• Experience leading medium to large technical teams

• Ability to assess initiatives against programmatic, technical, and operational goals

• Ability to develop business plans, technical work plans, project management tracking and reporting systems

• Ability to prepare and conduct management and entry-level technical briefings with senior government leaders and technologists

• Ability to engage customers to elicit and distill capability gaps and needs and translate those needs to SEI technology focus areas

• Desire to work with technical staff to establish tailored approaches, goals, and schedules

• Ability to recognize and deal appropriately with confidential and sensitive information

• Extraordinary written and oral communication skills

• Strong reasoning and analytical skills; solid presentation skills; high capability in communicating with and in front of internal and external customers including audiences from diverse military, Governmental, and academic backgrounds

• Ability to work independently but with emphasis on team goals and teamwork

• Ability to combine technical aptitude with a business perspective, be comfortable with understanding technical products and services, and interact effectively with technical staff at the SEI and in customer organizations