Capture and Business Development Manager
STOKE Space Technologies
Sales & Business Development
Kent, WA, USA
USD 110,985-195,825 / year + Equity
At Stoke, we believe a thriving space economy will enable a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable future here on Earth. That is why we’re building Nova, our fully and rapidly reusable launch vehicle. Designed for daily flight, Nova tackles the core challenges of space transportation by reducing cost, increasing availability, and improving reliability. By radically lowering launch costs and increasing flight cadence, we’re helping create a truly scalable space industry.
Our team is mission-driven, collaborative, and empowered to take ownership of their work. If you want to work alongside some of the most dedicated and talented people on Earth, we’d love to have you join us.
Description
As a Capture and Business Development Manager, you will join our Business Development team and support the pursuit and capture of strategic government opportunities across the national security and civil space sectors. This role sits at the center of our go-to-market organization - working across technical, programmatic, and business teams to shape, develop, and deliver winning proposals.
You will contribute across the full proposal lifecycle, from early-stage strategy through final submission, supporting opportunities from customers such as NASA, U.S. Space Force (USSF), Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), Missile Defense Agency (MDA), as well as research and development initiatives from Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), Space Rapid Capabilities Office (SpaceRCO), SpaceWERX, and others. You’ll then join the Business Development team in meetings with potential customers and government officials, both on and off-site. This is a high-visibility role that requires strong organization, attention to detail, and the ability to translate complex inputs into clear, compelling proposal content.
Responsibilities
- Support the development of compliant, high-quality proposals in response to RFIs, RFPs, BAAs, and other government solicitations
- Build and maintain company tracker for government solicitations and proposals
- Coordinate cross-functional inputs across technical, program, contracts, business development, and finance teams
- Develop and manage BD proposal artifacts including:
- Conduct RFP analysis, compliance matrices, and proposal outlines/templates
- Ensure adherence with solicitation instructions, evaluation criteria, and standards
- Craft executive summaries, proposal strategy, and leadership messaging
- Coordinate with engineering to draft technical volumes, supporting narratives, and contract deliverables
- Develop compliant and substantive Integrated Master Schedules, Statements of Work, and Performance Work Statements
- Support cost volumes and pricing in coordination with VP-level leaders
- Track deliverables, manage version control, and support executive reviews
- Assist with data calls, content libraries, and reusable proposal assets
- Contribute to continuous improvement of proposal processes, tools, and templates
- Support visits and meetings government officials, commercial customers, and other VIPs.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- 3–7 years of experience supporting federal proposal development or USG contracting
- Working knowledge of the USG acquisition lifecycle, such as data calls, RFIs, and RFPs
- Strong writing, editing, and organizational skills
- Strong oral presentation skills
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities
- Experience coordinating across multiple stakeholders and deadlines
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Sharepoint)
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience translating complex technical concepts into clear written prose
- Past work in the Defense and Space sector supporting proposals for DoD, NASA, and/or IC
- Familiarity with FAR/DFARS and USG procurement processes
- Ability to obtain / or currently holding a US Government Security Clearance (DoD/IC)
- Experience developing or supporting:
- Costing, Rates, and Approved Pricing Narratives
- Experience with proposal scheduling tools (e.g., SmartSheet, MS Project)
- Ability to synthesize inputs from diverse SMEs into cohesive narratives
- Familiarity with competitive assessment and price to win (PTW) capture strategy
- Exposure to various contract vehicles such as IDIQs, OTAs, or GWACs
Benefits
- Equity – We know that our employees are the reason we succeed. To give everyone a stake in our future, we are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, full-time employees.
- Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Company-paid life and disability insurance
- 401(k) plan with employer match
- 4 weeks’ Paid Time Off
- Holidays – 10 days (including an end-of-year closure)
- Paid Family/Parental Leave
- On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location)
- Dog friendly offices!
Compensation
Target Levels:
- Level 2 Range: $110,985 - $150,150
- Level 3 Range: $130,620 - $195,825
Our job posts are intentionally written to attract a wide variety of experience levels, and we make decisions about the right fit on a per-candidate basis.
Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Equal Opportunity
The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including with respect to disability and veteran status. It is committed to compliance with all equal opportunity laws, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII. It does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race, citizenship, immigration status, or any other protected class when it comes to employment practices, including hiring.
Employment at the Company is contingent upon satisfactory completion of reference and background checks, and on your ability to prove your identity and authorization to work in the U.S. for the Company. Employees must comply with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services employment verification requirements, and, therefore, they must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 at the start of employment and re-verify authorization to work periodically.
Separate from this I-9 process, this position entails access to certain technology and technical data that is restricted under U.S. export control laws and regulations. Employment or continued employment may be conditioned on your legal authorization to work with or have access to export control materials as necessary to perform your job.
Candidate Rights & Accommodations
If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the application or participate in the interview process, please contact careers@stokespace.com. Requests will be handled in accordance with applicable laws. Please do not include medical or other confidential information in your initial request.
For more information about your rights, please refer to the "Know Your Rights" notice here.
E-Verify
Stoke Space uses E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires.