Manager – Defense Business Operations & Partnerships

Solugen

14549 Minetta St., Houston TX 77035

Manager – Defense Business Operations & Partnerships

Houston, TX or Washington

D.C

At Solugen, we believe planet-scale change starts with the chemistry we use every day. We have built the world’s first carbon-negative molecule factory, fusing biology, chemistry, and technology to manufacture the materials needed to sustain modern life. Founded in 2016, Solugen is a post–Series D venture-backed biotechnology company supported by leading investors including Founders Fund, Fifty Years, Refactor, Y Combinator, Temasek, GIC, and Baillie Gifford.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Solugen operates the Bioforge™, a first‑of‑its‑kind carbon-negative manufacturing facility producing bio‑based chemistries for applications across industry, infrastructure, and national security.

Solugen employs 100+ full‑time employees and is expanding rapidly into defense and national security–related industrial partnerships.

The Manager – Defense Business Operations & Partnerships supports Solugen’s growing defense and national security business by enabling and executing complex partnerships across the defense industry. The role is primarily focused on business operations and partnership execution—facilitating multi‑party relationships to drive revenue through partnerships, agreements, and programs.

The role sits at the intersection of defense business development, operations, government engagement, and finance. In addition to enabling partnerships, the Manager supports defense revenue forecasting, board and investor materials, and executive‑level reporting related to the defense portfolio. The primary thrust of the role, however, is facilitating revenue generation through effective coordination and execution of defense industry partnerships.

The Manager works closely with Solugen’s Vice President of External Affairs, Government Capture Manager, and the (to be hired) Senior Director of Defense Business Development. The Government Capture Manager leads government funding efforts, including proposal coordination and submission, while the Senior Director of Defense Business Development serves as the senior sales lead and owner of top‑of‑funnel opportunities.

In support of these efforts, this role functions as the customer success engine for the defense business and as Solugen’s ambassador to the customer—identifying and advancing private‑sector partnerships, independently driving discussions, operationalizing agreements, and coordinating internal and external stakeholders from first contact through execution. The role partners closely with the Capture Manager to bring private‑sector companies into government proposals and to pursue government funding that supports private‑sector partnerships and business opportunities.

External engagement in this role is directly tied to partnership execution and program advancement and may include participation in industry forums, trade shows, customer site‑visits, government program manager engagements, and meetings with relevant government stakeholders, including the Department of Defense and Members of Congress.

• Execute and operationalize 5–10 substantive defense industry partnerships per year—including MOUs, teaming agreements, supply agreements, and JV or pilot structures—in coordination with senior BD leadership, driving private partnerships from initial discussions to revenue‑generating agreements within 12 months.
• Advance ≥75–90% of prioritized private‑sector partnership discussions into executable agreements, proposals, or funded programs.
• Support integration of private‑sector partners into active government capture efforts, working closely with the Government Capture Manager.
• Enable on‑time execution readiness for all awarded or shortlisted defense programs, including partner alignment, internal coordination, and compliance support.
• Maintain defense revenue forecasts within ±10% variance, supporting quarterly board materials, investor updates, and executive reporting.
• Deliver 100% of defense‑related board, investor, and executive materials on schedule, with clear articulation of partnership…