Senior Capture Success Manager

About Us:
Collaborative autonomy is how self-tasking teams of machines will solve hard human problems, and HavocAI is an unquestioned leader in collaborative autonomy. We set the standard for autonomous surface vessels for a wide range of defense and commercial maritime missions. Success requires us to grow quickly, and we’re looking for teammates who are passionate about solving hard problems, about pushing the envelope, and about preventing conflict and saving lives. Ambition is welcome to apply within.

Position Overview
Havoc is seeking a Sr. Capture Success Manager to lead and operationalize strategic growth opportunities from early pursuit through award and into successful execution. This role sits at the center of Growth, Product, Engineering, Mission Operations, and Leadership — ensuring opportunities are not only won, but positioned for successful delivery and long-term customer impact.

The ideal candidate combines disciplined capture management with strong operational execution skills. They are comfortable navigating complex defense and maritime opportunities, coordinating cross-functional teams, driving timelines and accountability, and helping transition programs seamlessly from pursuit into execution. This role is highly cross-functional and execution-oriented, requiring someone who can move fluidly between customer engagement, proposal management, internal coordination, and operational delivery support in a fast-paced, high-growth defense technology environment.

Responsibilities:

Capture & Growth
Lead capture efforts for priority defense, maritime, autonomy, and dual-use opportunities

Develop and maintain capture plans, win strategies, competitive assessments, and execution timelines

Coordinate across Growth, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Product, and Leadership teams to mature opportunities and drive pursuit readiness

Support customer engagement activities including industry days, partner coordination, technical exchanges, and proposal development

Own internal capture management processes including schedules, action tracking, reviews, deliverables, and decision gates

Drive proposal execution including compliance management, artifact collection, staffing coordination, pricing support, and final submission readiness

Help identify and manage teaming partners, subcontractors, and strategic collaborators aligned to specific pursuits

Support pipeline management, forecasting, and opportunity prioritization activities

Ensure opportunities are aligned with Havoc’s operational capabilities, technical roadmap, and strategic priorities

Program Transition & Delivery Support
Lead transition activities from capture to execution upon contract award

Establish and maintain program startup plans, schedules, milestones, and cross-functional coordination mechanisms

Serve as the operational bridge between Growth and Mission Operations teams to ensure continuity of customer expectations and delivery commitments

Track risks, dependencies, customer action items, and execution readiness throughout the program lifecycle

Coordinate internal stakeholders and resources to support successful delivery outcomes

Assist Program Managers and technical teams with customer reporting, milestone tracking, and execution coordination

Help ensure proposals are executable, realistic, and aligned with operational constraints and delivery capabilities

Support early-stage customer success and relationship continuity during initial execution phases

Operational Excellence
Build and improve scalable processes for capture execution, proposal management, and transition-to-delivery workflows

Maintain opportunity documentation, lessons learned, and institutional capture artifacts across the organization

Develop repeatable playbooks, templates, operating cadences, and internal best practices for growth and execution teams

Drive accountability across internal stakeholders to maintain momentum on strategic pursuits and operational priorities

Improve visibility, communication, and execution discipline across complex cross-functional efforts

Help establish operational rigor while maintaining agility in a fast-moving startup environment

Qualifications
5+ years of experience in capture management, program management, business operations, or defense growth roles

Experience supporting or leading DoD, Navy, SOCOM, or federal opportunities

Strong understanding of the capture lifecycle, proposal development, and government contracting processes

Demonstrated ability to manage complex cross-functional projects under aggressive timelines

Experience transitioning programs from pursuit into execution or operational delivery environments

Strong organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills

Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, highly dynamic environments with evolving priorities

Comfortable managing ambiguity and driving execution with limited oversight

Experience with autonomy, maritime systems, robotics, defense technology, or dual-use technology environments preferred

Preferred Experience
OTA, SBIR, RFI, and FAR-based procurement experience

Experience coordinating technical, operational, and business teams simultaneously

Familiarity with Navy and maritime mission environments

Experience using CRM, pipeline, proposal, and project management tools

Background in high-growth defense or venture-backed technology companies preferred

What Success Looks Like
Within the first 6–12 months, successful candidates will have:
Established strong cross-functional trust and operating rhythms across Growth, Engineering, Product, and Mission Operations

Improved capture execution discipline, visibility, and accountability across strategic pursuits

Successfully led multiple opportunities from qualification through proposal submission and award transition

Reduced friction and information loss between capture and program execution teams

Built scalable processes, templates, and operating cadences that improve organizational efficiency and execution quality

Helped ensure proposals are operationally executable, technically aligned, and positioned for customer success

Increased organizational responsiveness and coordination during high-priority pursuits and program startups

Contributed directly to new business wins, successful program launches, and strong customer relationships

Helped create a culture of ownership, urgency, and execution excellence across growth and delivery functions

Benefits:
100% Employer paid Health, Dental and Vision Insurance for you and your families

Life Insurance (Employer Paid)

Ability to participate in the companies 401k program (Matching)

Unlimited PTO policy with an enforced 2 week minimum

Equity Package

Work / Home Office Stipend

Global Entry

16 Week Paid Parental Leave

Monthly Health and Wellness Stipend

Our Values:
Innovation: We are driven to break new ground. Every day presents an opportunity to challenge the status quo, think boldly, and deliver advanced solutions that transform the future of defense technology.

Integrity: We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards, ensuring transparency, accountability, and trust in all our actions and partnerships.

Mission-Driven: We are focused on achieving impactful outcomes that align with our core mission—protecting lives through innovation.

Forward-Leaning: We continuously seek out new opportunities and remain at the forefront of technological advancements. We embrace change and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow with confidence and creativity.

Ownership of All Tasks: At HavocAI, no problem is too complex or too trivial. We believe that greatness comes from tackling the hardest challenges, but also in handling the smallest, sometimes thankless, tasks with the same level of commitment and care.

Servant Leadership: We lead by serving others, whether it’s supporting our employees, partners, or the broader community. Empowering those around us is key to achieving long-term success and making a lasting impact.

HavocAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.