Director of business development (veteran affairs)

Description

Commence, headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA, is a mission-led, technology-driven company built to solve the hardest problems in federal health care and drive measurable outcomes. Its work spans program integrity and compliance, quality improvement and measurement science, health informatics, interoperability, and AI, delivered across the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Defense Health Agency (DHA), and state health agencies. At its center is a data-centric philosophy grounded in a simple conviction: that better data, made accessible, connected, and usable, is the raw material of better decisions, better care, and better efficiency.

Requirements

The Director of Business Development owns Commence’s growth across the Department of Veterans Affairs. You will serve as the relationship lead for the VA account, building trust with the people who run VHA and VBA programs, understanding their goals, and aligning Commence’s capabilities to their priorities. You will also carry revenue accountability: identifying, qualifying, and capturing new opportunities, shaping procurements before they reach the street, and building the pipeline that turns relationships into awarded work. The role reports to the Chief Strategy Officer.

• Build and maintain trusted relationships across VA, including VHA and VBA program offices, VISN and medical center leadership, and senior decision makers, to understand mission needs and connect them to Commence’s solutions.
• Lead the identification, qualification, and capture of new business across VHA, VBA, and the broader VA enterprise, owning the full lifecycle: market research, competitive analysis, teaming strategy, win themes, solution shaping, proposal support, and oral presentations.
• Develop and execute account plans with leadership, capture, and proposal teams that position Commence ahead of formal procurements.
• Build and maintain a qualified pipeline sufficient to meet annual submission and award targets, and drive disciplined bid and no-bid decisions.
• Track VA policy, budget, and acquisition developments, including community care policy, claims modernization, clinical quality priorities, and VA technology strategy, and translate them into pursuit strategy.
• Work with cross-functional teams to deliver compelling presentations, solution demonstrations, white papers, and RFI responses that create and shape demand.
• Represent Commence at VA industry days, conferences, and association events, and cultivate teaming relationships with primes and specialized partners in the VA market.
• Maintain regular contact with senior and executive-level decision makers to ensure alignment and strengthen partnership over the long term.

Qualifications

• B.S. in a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years working in or with the Department of Veterans Affairs, including VHA, VBA, or VA OIT, in business development, capture, or related leadership roles.
• Proven track record of capturing competitive VA opportunities, with specific wins you can speak to in detail.
• Deep knowledge of VA healthcare delivery, community care, and benefits administration, and how VA priorities translate into funded programs and procurements.
• Established relationships with VA program officials, contracting organizations, and industry partners.
• Familiarity with VA contract vehicles and acquisition pathways, including T4NG2, VECTOR, GSA schedules, and agency-level BPAs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop marketing collateral and lead executive-level presentations.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a federal Public Trust or higher.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience selling or delivering services in clinical quality review, program integrity, health informatics, or interoperability.
• Formal business development or capture training (Shipley or similar).
• Active federal clearance or prior VA credentialing.

Work Environment/Physical Demands

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This is a remote position. Candidates must be able to sit, read, work on a computer, and watch a computer screen for extended periods of time. Occasionally required to stand, walk, use hands and fingers, kneel or crouch.

Commence is an equal employment opportunity employer. All personnel processes are merit-based and applied without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, disability, national or ethnic origin, military and veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Commence is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants, including individuals with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process due to a disability, please contact Human Resources at (757) 306-4920 or hr@commence.ai. Please note that unless you are requesting an accommodation, all applications must be submitted through our online application system.