Senior Director, Joint Staff/OSW Strategic Capture

Company: Shield AI
Location: Mount Rainier
Posted on: January 21, 2026

Job Description:

The Director or Senior Director of Strategic Capture – OSW & Joint Staff will lead the development and execution of Shield AI’s long-term business development and capture strategy focused on the Office of the Secretary of War (OSW), the Assistant Secretaries, and the Joint Staff. This individual will drive Shield AI’s engagement and alignment with enterprise-level defense priorities, modernization initiatives, and Secretariat transformation efforts — shaping strategic growth opportunities that advance the company’s impact across the joint force. What youll do: • Develop and execute a comprehensive OSW and Joint Staff capture strategy integrating service-aligned efforts across the DoW. • Identify, qualify, and prioritize strategic opportunities aligned with Department of War (DoW) enterprise priorities. • Establish and maintain trusted relationships with senior leaders across OSW and the Joint Staff — including key stakeholders within Research & Engineering (R&E), Acquisition & Sustainment (A&S), Cost Assessment & Program Evaluation (CAPE), Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO), and other relevant offices. • Serve as Shield AI’s principal interface for enterprise-level DoW engagements, ensuring a unified message and coordinated strategy. • Anticipate and interpret policy, budget, and technology priorities emerging from OSW and the Joint Staff, translating them into actionable capture strategies and investment focus areas while supporting the teams execution of service-focused capture. • Shape and influence DoW and Joint Staff concepts, roadmaps, and acquisition approaches that define future autonomy, AI, and unmanned systems adoption. Required qualifications: • 10 years of experience in business development, strategy, or capture within the Department of Defense ecosystem, with a focus on OSW, Joint Staff, or enterprise-level engagements. • Deep understanding of DoW organizational structures, acquisition systems, and decision-making processes at the Secretariat and Joint levels. • Demonstrated success leading major captures ($50M value) or shaping large-scale defense initiatives through the full business development lifecycle. • Proven ability to influence and communicate effectively with senior DoW and Joint Staff stakeholders. • Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills, with demonstrated ability to collaborate across technical, operational, and policy teams. • Active Secret clearance (Top Secret preferred). Preferred qualifications: • Experience with emerging technologies in autonomy, artificial intelligence (AI), command and control (C2), unmanned systems (UAS), or ISR. • Prior military, government, or industry experience supporting OSW, the Joint Staff, or a Service Secretariat. • Advanced degree in business, public policy, engineering, or a related field.

Keywords: Shield AI, Aspen Hill , Senior Director, Joint Staff/OSW Strategic Capture, IT / Software / Systems , Mount Rainier, Maryland