Senior Director, Counter Threat Portfolio

Senior Director, Profit & Loss (P&L) – Counter Threat Portfolio

Location: Lorton, VA (Preferred). Candidates who are not local must be willing to travel regularly to the Lorton office or relocate.

Compensation: $225,000 - $275,000 annually (based on experience) annual bonus

Job Type: Direct Hire

Position Overview

This company is seeking an accomplished Senior Director of Profit & Loss (P&L) to lead and grow its Counter Threat Portfolio. This executive leadership role is responsible for driving operational excellence, strategic growth, and financial performance across a portfolio supporting some of the U.S. Government's most critical national security missions.

The ideal candidate will have full P&L ownership of a government contracting portfolio while leading program execution, business development, capture strategy, and customer engagement. This position requires a leader who can successfully balance mature sustainment programs, advanced technology development, and new business growth within a high-visibility defense portfolio.

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior GovCon executive with a strong combination of P&L leadership, business development, capture management, program management, and technical knowledge within the ISR and Counter Threat space.

Key Responsibilities

• Own full Profit & Loss (P&L) responsibility for the Counter Threat portfolio, including revenue growth, profitability, forecasting, budgeting, and overall operational performance.
• Develop and execute a strategic growth plan to expand QinetiQ US's presence within the Counter Threat market.
• Lead a portfolio supporting mission areas including:
• Counter-UAS
• Counter-IED
• Force Protection
• Border Security
• Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR)
• Integrated Sensor Systems
• Build and maintain executive-level customer relationships across organizations including the U.S. Army, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), CENTCOM, and allied defense organizations.
• Partner closely with Business Development and Capture teams to identify, qualify, pursue, and win new opportunities while expanding existing programs.
• Ensure successful program execution by delivering exceptional customer satisfaction, technical performance, schedule adherence, and financial results.
• Lead cross-functional teams across Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Contracts, Finance, and Business Development.
• Ensure compliance with all government contracting regulations, security requirements, and company policies.
• Develop future leaders through mentoring, coaching, and succession planning.
• Represent QinetiQ US during executive customer meetings, industry conferences, and strategic partner engagements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Military Science, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience managing defense and/or homeland security portfolios.
• Demonstrated success managing a $50M government services or technology portfolio with direct P&L ownership.
• Proven experience supporting organizations such as:
• U.S. Army
• U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• Successful track record leading business growth through federal capture and proposal efforts.
• Strong knowledge of Counter Threat mission areas, including:
• Counter-UAS
• Counter-IED
• Force Protection
• Border Security
• ISR
• Integrated Sensor Systems
• Experience leading geographically dispersed teams and multiple Program Managers.
• Strong executive communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Willingness to travel 40-50%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Established relationships with organizations such as:
• Army Futures Command
• Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM)
• Army Research Laboratory (ARL)
• Capability Program Executives (CPEs)
• DHS Components (CBP, USCG)
• USSOCOM
• USAF Security Forces Center
• AFLCMC
• Joint Staff
• Experience integrating emerging technologies such as:
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Autonomous Systems
• Robotics
• Electronic Warfare
• Advanced Analytics
• Demonstrated success leading organizations through significant portfolio growth or transformation.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Vision
• Executive Presence
• Customer-Focused Leadership
• Financial Acumen
• Growth Mindset
• Operational Excellence
• Talent Development
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Sound Decision Making
• Ethical Leadership

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate comes from the Government Contracting (GovCon) industry—not directly from a government agency—and has successfully managed a large defense portfolio with full P&L responsibility. They should bring a balanced background in business development, capture management, program management, and operational leadership, along with technical familiarity in ISR, Counter Threat, or related defense technologies.

Experience supporting organizations such as the U.S. Army, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is highly desirable, particularly in operational or mission-focused environments. Candidates with purely IT or cybersecurity backgrounds, without broader ISR or mission systems experience, are unlikely to be a strong fit.