Client Executive

Summary

Join Nava, a consultancy and public benefit corporation, as a Client Executive overseeing and managing relationships with New Jersey State and Local Government clients. Analyze market trends, identify growth opportunities, and develop plans to capitalize on them. Lead cross-functional teams in delivering client solutions, providing training on business development processes, and using tracking metrics to monitor pipeline health and market position. Collaborate with peers and leadership to develop and deliver client presentations. This role supports Nava's mission and values. The position requires extensive experience in government contracting and a deep understanding of New Jersey's government procurement processes. A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package are offered.

Requirements

• Experience leading subject matter experts through end-to-end government contracting, from developing client insight to long lead preparation to supporting strategic opportunities, to galvanizing a bid team, to proposal writing and management, to pricing strategy to post-award protest and analysis
• 10+ years developing solutions for the State of New Jersey, including organizing and developing proposal responses and pricing strategy
• A deep understanding of New Jersey government and how they buy services and technology, including state budgets / funding and upcoming new or re-competed work
• Proven ability to reach and influence decision makers in the state government, including external consultants
• Experience with agile software development on large government programs and complex transformation/modernization efforts
• Experience helping shape proposal solutions
• Proven track record of winning contract bids
• Ability to guide a multi-vendor team to a winning bid by providing structure while being flexible to new information and gathering input and feedback from across the team
• Ability to build and form strong personal relationships internally and externally; Able to bring others into the business development phase, build consensus and build understanding around needs and practices
• A proven ability to establish order, calm, and accountability in the business development practice while managing multiple threads in rapidly-evolving environments
• An adaptive, empathetic, collaborative, and positive mindset
• Highly resourceful, reliable, and detail-oriented
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States
• Must meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired
• Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future
• May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract
• $130,000 - $160,000 a year
• Please note: potential can be up to $250,000 with performance bonus

Responsibilities

• Building strategic pipelines and capture plans for targeted opportunities in the State of New Jersey
• Gather preliminary non-public client/program intelligence
• Develop overall capture strategy (solution, past performance, pricing, client insight, teaming strategy)
• Identify competitive pricing range, and drive pricing approach until competitive
• Finalize teaming and prime/sub business deal terms including who the team is, what role they play, acceptable rates, and workshare
• Working closely with the Proposal Manager and cross-functional teams to develop compliant, compelling, and competitive proposals
• Conducting competitive assessments of competitor's bids and pricing
• Reviewing and analyzing proposal sections to ensure win themes, discriminators, and customer requirements are effectively addressed
• Identifying teaming partners and developing a pricing framework for the bid that align with technical approaches and customer expectations
• Attending one on one meetings with the contracts department to ensure language and contractual documents are correct
• Collaborating with internal teams and leadership to identify SME participants for bid activities
• Managing internal activities around bids, being flexible in consideration of various time zones of others contributing to the work
• Participating in demonstrations and sourcing valuable tools to streamline business development operations
• Identifying through government forecasts, websites, and databases upcoming opportunities that fit Nava’s mission and goals
• Developing call plans and landing meetings with stakeholders
• Gathering pricing information on existing contracts to use for current proposals
• Contributing to pre solutioning to gain full understanding of the client, creating daily, weekly and monthly schedules to track action items and achieve critical milestones in the overall capture plan
• Building strategic pipelines and capture plans for targeted agencies and departments
• Identifying and researching forecasted, expiring, and re-competed opportunities that fit Nava’s mission, developing strategic research and intel packages for specific agencies and opportunities that help shape Nava’s solution
• Aligning past performance and qualifications toward technical solutions that advocate what the government is looking for and implementing government mandates or requirements to ensure compliance with proposals
• Building and maintaining positive, long-term relationships with clients and stakeholders to drive business growth and success
• Being proactive in identifying opportunities for growth and expansion with existing and potential clients
• Confirming partnerships to fill capability gaps in potential opportunities
• Establishing trust with clients by being reliable, transparent, and responsive
• Maintaining regular contact with clients, understanding their needs and providing solutions that meet their requirements
• Being available for ad hoc requests and client meetings with various departments to address client needs
• Attending industry marketing events virtually and in person with the objective of meeting government stakeholders and new potential partners
• Providing timely and accurate information to stakeholders, and working to resolve any concerns or issues that may arise
• Following Nava’s capture and proposal processes
• Bid operations: coordination with BD team members to set up internal organization tools for setting up internal organizational tools for bids like a bid calendar, a Slack channel, time code, and Google Drive
• Developing and facilitating training for client solutions managers to develop their skills and knowledge base
• Developing and facilitating business development training for all Nava departments
• Assisting with onboarding and being accessible as a learning resource for teammates

Benefits

• Health coverage – Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs
• Time off – Vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating days to rest and recharge
• Company holidays- Enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO
• Annual bonus – When Nava meets goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus
• Parental leave – Paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home
• Wellness program – Full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools
• Virtual care – See doctors online with no copay through UnitedHealthcare’s virtual visit program
• Sabbatical leave – Earn extended paid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest
• 401(k) match – Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan
• Flexible work – Remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities
• Home office setup – Company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs
• Utility support – Monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses
• Learning opportunities – Internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills
• Development budget – Annual allowance for courses, tuition, certifications, & LinkedIn Learning access
• Referral bonus – Get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team
• Commuter benefits – Pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable
• Insurance coverage – Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost
• Supportive culture – A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care