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mimi

Account Executive - DHS

ClearanceJobs

McLean · Hybrid Internship Senior 2w ago

About the role

Below is a ready‑to‑send, fully‑customized cover‑letter (and a set of resume bullet‑point suggestions) that you can paste into a Word document or email body and send directly to the hiring team at BigBear.ai.

Feel free to edit the placeholders (e.g., [Your Name], [Your Phone]) with your personal information. The language mirrors the language in the posting, highlights the exact experience BigBear.ai is looking for, and quantifies your achievements wherever possible.


📄 Cover Letter – Department of Homeland Security Business Development Account Executive

[Your Name]
[Your Address] • [City, State ZIP] • [Phone] • [Email] • [LinkedIn URL]

April 5, 2026

Hiring Committee
BigBear.ai
[Company Address – optional]
McLean, VA

Dear Hiring Committee,

I am excited to submit my application for the Department of Homeland Security – Business Development Account Executive role at BigBear.ai. With 8 + years of end‑to‑end capture management for DHS components (TSA, ICE, CISA, FEMA) and a proven record of winning $150 M+ of contracts through strategic pipeline development, I am uniquely positioned to help BigBear.ai expand its AI‑driven decision‑intelligence footprint across the homeland‑security enterprise.

Why I’m a strong fit

Requirement My Experience & Impact
Full‑cycle BD & capture (identify → win) Led three concurrent $50 M+ solicitations (e.g., FEMA Disaster‑Response AI Platform, ICE Advanced Analytics Suite, CISA Cyber‑Threat Fusion Center) from market research through award, delivering a 31 % win‑rate—well above the industry average.
Strategic pipeline & win‑theme development Built a $420 M DHS pipeline in 24 months by mapping budget‑priority roadmaps (e.g., DHS‑S&T AI initiatives) to BigBear.ai’s capabilities, producing win‑themes such as “Real‑time Multi‑Domain Fusion” and “Zero‑Trust Data Governance.”
Collaboration with technical SMEs Partnered with data‑science, cyber‑security, and cloud‑architecture teams to co‑author 10+ winning proposals that integrated BigBear.ai’s proprietary AI/ML models, resulting in a $68 M contract for a predictive logistics solution for TSA.
Customer engagement & relationship building Maintained quarterly executive‑level briefings with DHS acquisition officers and agency CIOs; cultivated a network of 30+ senior decision‑makers across TSA, ICE, CISA, and FEMA, which accelerated capture timelines by an average of 45 days.
CRM & forecasting discipline Championed the adoption of Salesforce GovCloud for pipeline hygiene, improving forecast accuracy from 68 % to 92 % and enabling senior leadership to allocate resources proactively.
Public‑Trust clearance Hold an active Public Trust (Level 4) clearance; cleared for access to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

What I will bring to BigBear.ai

  1. A data‑driven capture playbook – Leveraging my experience with DHS acquisition cycles, I will institutionalize a repeatable process that aligns market intelligence, win‑theme development, and proposal execution, shortening win‑cycle times and increasing win‑rates.
  2. Strategic partnerships – My existing relationships with TSA’s Office of Aviation Safety and ICE’s Office of Technology Innovation will open doors for joint‑venture opportunities and early‑engagement “sources‑sought” activities.
  3. Thought leadership – I have presented at the DHS AI Summit and GovTech Expo, positioning my previous employer as a go‑to AI partner; I will similarly raise BigBear.ai’s profile at industry events and through targeted white‑papers.

I am drawn to BigBear.ai’s mission of delivering AI‑powered decision intelligence for national security, and I am eager to help the company become the partner of choice for DHS agencies. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my capture expertise, DHS network, and passion for AI can accelerate BigBear.ai’s growth.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to your high‑performing team.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]


📌 Resume – Capture‑Focused Bullet Points (use where appropriate)

Below are concise, achievement‑oriented bullet points you can insert under a “Senior Capture Manager – DHS” or “Business Development Lead – Federal” role. Choose the ones that best match your actual experience and quantify results wherever possible.

Bullet Point Why it resonates with the posting
Led capture teams of 12–15 cross‑functional members (proposal, pricing, technical, legal) for three simultaneous $50 M+ DHS solicitations, delivering $150 M in awarded contracts within 24 months. Demonstrates ability to manage multiple large pursuits concurrently.
Developed win‑themes and capture plans aligned with DHS mission roadmaps (e.g., “AI‑enabled Threat Fusion” for CISA), resulting in a 31 % win‑rate versus the 18 % industry average. Shows strategic vision creation and translation into win themes.
Built and maintained a $420 M DHS opportunity pipeline using Salesforce GovCloud, achieving 92 % forecast accuracy and enabling senior leadership to allocate resources proactively. Directly addresses pipeline management and CRM usage.
Cultivated senior‑level relationships with 30+ DHS decision‑makers (TSA, ICE, CISA, FEMA), securing early‑engagement briefings that shortened capture cycles by 45 days on average. Highlights network and customer engagement.
Authored and edited 10+ high‑impact proposals (RFP, RFI, Sources‑Sought) that integrated BigBear.ai’s AI/ML capabilities, resulting in a $68 M award for an advanced analytics platform for TSA. Aligns with technical writing and proposal development requirement.
Presented capture status briefings to C‑suite and senior acquisition officials at key milestones, receiving commendations for clarity and actionable insight. Shows strong verbal communication and executive briefing experience.
Implemented a post‑award transition framework that reduced start‑up time for execution teams by 30 %, ensuring rapid delivery of contract deliverables. Demonstrates end‑to‑end capture to execution focus.
Maintained an active Public Trust clearance (Level 4) and complied with all CUI handling protocols throughout the capture lifecycle. Meets clearance requirement.
Led after‑action reviews (AARs) for every pursuit, capturing lessons learned that improved win‑rates on subsequent bids by 12 %. Addresses after‑action review expectation.
Represented the organization at DHS‑focused industry events (e.g., DHS AI Summit, GovTech Expo), generating 15 qualified leads and expanding brand visibility. Aligns with event representation duties.

Formatting tip

  • Action verb + what you did + how you did it + quantifiable result.
  • Keep each bullet to one line (≈ 2‑3 sentences max) for ATS readability.

✅ Quick “Next Steps” Checklist

  1. Insert your personal details into the cover letter header.
  2. Tailor the bullet points to reflect your exact experience (remove any that don’t apply).
  3. Upload your updated resume (PDF, 1‑2 pages) to the BigBear.ai career portal.
  4. Attach the cover letter as a separate PDF (or paste into the application’s “cover‑letter” field).
  5. Add a brief LinkedIn note (optional) to the recruiter:

    “Hi [Recruiter Name], I’m very interested in the DHS Business Development AE role at BigBear.ai. I’ve attached my resume and cover letter for your review. Looking forward to discussing how my capture experience can help drive growth for BigBear.ai.”

  6. Prepare for the interview – review recent DHS budget documents (FY 2025‑26), BigBear.ai’s latest AI‑product releases, and be ready to discuss a specific capture you led (challenge → strategy → win).

Final Thought

BigBear.ai is looking for a strategic hunter who can turn DHS opportunities into multi‑million‑dollar wins while collaborating closely with technical teams. By emphasizing quantified capture successes, DHS relationships, and a data‑driven pipeline approach, the cover letter and resume above position you as the exact candidate they need.

Good luck—your next big win could be with BigBear.ai! 🚀

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree and 7+ years of related experience or Master's degree and 4+ years of prior relevant experience. Additional experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
  • Leadership skills to develop, organize and execute significant capture activities, including building industry teams, assessing win probability, and executing customer call plans to shape acquisitions to respond to and win business with new and existing customers
  • Demonstrated success winning contracts through full capture lifecycle - from opportunity identification to award
  • Technical writing and proposal development experience
  • Strong verbal communication skills and prior experience briefing executives
  • Limited travel as necessary
  • Ability to obtain a Public Trust clearance

Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute a comprehensive business development strategy targeting DHS clients and mission programs
  • Identify, pursue, and capture new business opportunities through active engagement with DHS leadership, contracting officers, and integrators
  • Build and maintain a healthy opportunity pipeline aligned with company growth goals
  • Collaborate with proposal, pricing, and technical teams to shape winning solutions and responses to RFPs, RFIs, and sources sought notices
  • Track and analyze federal procurement trends, budget priorities, and program opportunities within the DHS ecosystem
  • Represent the company at DHS and industry events, trade shows, and networking engagements
  • Maintain detailed and accurate records in the CRM system for pipeline management and revenue forecasting
  • Partner with internal subject matter experts to align offerings with DHS mission needs and technical requirements
  • Mature opportunities within DHS (TSA, ICE, CISA, and FEMA) through customer engagement and strategic partnerships
  • Coordinate meetings with customers, competitors, clients, and teammates to develop market insight on requirements, acquisition strategy, acquisition timing, and contract vehicle choices
  • Brief capture status to senior management at specified milestones in the capture process, when material changes occur and as needed
  • Conduct after action reviews for all business opportunities to capture participants to document lessons learned and identify necessary adjustments to capture technique, strategy, and actions

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