Advanced Systems Manager Sr (Capture Manager)

Position Overview

The Advanced Systems Manager is responsible for leading the disciplined capture of new business opportunities within the Quantum Sensing Solutions Business Unit, from BD handoff of qualified opportunities through contract award. This role owns the end-to-end capture process for qualified opportunities, translating early business development efforts into executable program awards.

Operating at the intersection of strategy, customer engagement, proposal leadership, and technical collaboration, the Advanced Systems Manager assembles and leads cross-functional capture teams, develops and executes winning capture strategies, and ensures alignment with Business Unit (BU) leadership and corporate objectives. Upon contract award, responsibility transitions to the QSS Program Execution function, with the Advanced Systems Manager ensuring a clean and informed handoff that has been vetted for execution risk acceptability through a defined gate review process and coordination with the Execution function leadership.

This role is critical to scaling the company’s quantum sensing portfolio across government and commercial customers.

Key Responsibilities

Capture Leadership & Strategy

• Assume ownership of qualified opportunities upon transition from the Business Development phase through defined process gates, ensuring clarity of requirements and scope, customer need, competitive landscape, and win strategies and objectives.
• Develop and execute capture strategies aligned with Business Unit and corporate growth priorities, including win themes, discriminators, pricing approach, and teaming strategy.
• Lead the development of program and technical bid baselines consistent with competitive objectives, established execution risk thresholds, and business unit strategies
• In close coordination with Infleqtion Proposal Operations, assigned technical teams, and QSS program management staff, play a critical role in leading development and review of proposal-level integrated master schedules in support to the creation of proposal artifacts, including pricing and cost volumes, technical volumes, schedule graphics, deliverable tables, etc.
• Lead all capture gate reviews, preparing materials, driving decision-making, and incorporating leadership guidance into evolving capture plans.
• Estimate, manage, and maintain accountability for capture strategy, plans, cost, schedule, and risk throughout the capture process.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary capture interface with government customers, program offices, primes, and key stakeholders during the pre-award phase.
• Coordinate closely with Business Development to ensure continuity of customer relationships and messaging.
• Define, mature, establish, and maintain strong working relationships with industry teammates, subcontractors, and technology partners. When appropriate and beneficial, lead the development of Teaming Agreements to provide discriminating competitive advantage.

Capture Team Assembly & Leadership

• Assemble and lead multi-disciplinary capture teams, including technical leads, proposal managers, pricing/finance, contracts, and supply chain.
• Define roles, responsibilities, and expectations for capture team members.
• Drive disciplined execution of capture activities, including competitive assessments, solution shaping, and proposal readiness.

Proposal & Pre-Award Execution

• Lead capture activities through proposal submission, ensuring technical, management, and cost elements align with a defined and vetted capture strategy.
• Working in a highly integrated partnership with Infleqtion Proposal Operations, provide strategic oversight to proposal development, ensuring compliance, clarity, and competitiveness.
• Support negotiations and clarifications as required leading up to award, including the development of BAFO phase artifacts as required.

Transition from Business Development

• Work in direct partnership with the Infleqtion Business Development team to ensure a seamless transition into the opportunity capture phase:
• Participate in the regular cadence of BD opportunity portfolio meetings to ensure a strong working knowledge of the landscape of opportunities being worked by the BD Team in order to efficiently develop capture strategies which recognize the body of work accomplished throughout the BD phase
• Act as a key interface between the BD Team and the BU to lead the planning, provision and organization of BU technical and/or program management staff required to support the effective maturation of opportunities through the qualification process
• As required, support the BD team in the establishment and codification of forecast information for opportunities in the BD phase as required to support QSS resource planning needs and the management of the QSS annual operating plan

Transition to Execution

• Lead the transition from capture to execution upon contract award, ensuring:
• Adequate review and vetting of proposal program baselines by the QSS Program Execution/management staff as needed to ensure an acceptable and aligned balance of competitive positioning vs. execution risk
• Clear communication of customer expectations and commitments
• Transfer of capture knowledge, assumptions, and risks

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, business, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or national security environments, with direct experience in capture management or closely related roles.
• Demonstrated success leading captures resulting in contract awards, including complex technical programs.
• Strong understanding of U.S. government acquisition processes, contracting vehicles, and proposal development best practices.
• Experience working with advanced technologies (e.g., sensing, photonics, quantum, RF, or similar deep-tech domains).
• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with quantum sensing, precision navigation, advanced ISR, or emerging defense technologies.
• Experience working in a small or mid-sized defense firm, with comfort operating in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment.
• Familiarity with OTA, SBIR/STTR, and other non-traditional acquisition mechanisms.
• Experience in formulating, baselining, and execution of developmental and recurring effort Government Program contracts.
• Existing relationships within DoD, IC, or aerospace primes relevant to quantum sensing applications.

Success Metrics

• Quality and consistency of capture execution across qualified opportunities
• Win rate and strategic alignment of awarded contracts
• Effectiveness of capture team leadership and gate review outcomes
• Smooth and effective transition from BD to capture and capture to execution

Benefits

• Salary range: $140,000 to $152,000
• 100% company-paid medical, dental, vision, short/long-term disability
• Employer-funded Health Savings Account
• Unlimited PTO
• 401(k) match
• Company-paid Life and AD&D Insurance
• Flexible Savings Account
• Paid FMLA, Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Employee Assistance Program
• Student Loan Repayment
• Equity Program