Business Development Manager, Federal

ABOUT SLATE

At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love—and doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Slate is looking for a seasoned, relationship-driven Business Development Manager, Federal to lead our federal vehicle sales efforts. As an individual contributor on the Fleet Sales team, you will own Slate’s pursuit of federal government business, including civilian agencies, the Department of Defense and the military services, and the GSA vehicle acquisition channel. You will bring established relationships and deep procurement know-how to open doors, navigate long and complex buying cycles, and convert them into awarded contracts and delivered vehicles.

As one of Slate’s first fleet sales leaders, you will help build the federal business from the ground up. You will act as a trusted advisor to fleet managers, contracting officers, and program leaders, guiding them through the transition to electric vehicles with Slate’s truck, accessories, and related fleet solutions.

WHAT YOU GET TO DO

• Own the federal pipeline end to end, from account planning and opportunity identification through solicitation response, award, and delivery handoff.

• Develop and execute a strategic account plan for priority federal customers across civilian agencies, DoD, and the military services, including installation and base-level fleet managers.

• Navigate federal acquisition channels, including GSA Schedule and GSA Fleet / Automotive, agency-direct purchasing, and military procurement vehicles, and guide Slate’s path to the right contract vehicles.

• Lead pursuit of solicitations, RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs, partnering with Legal, Finance, Pricing, and Operations on proposals, compliance requirements, and pricing.

• Build and sustain senior-level relationships with fleet managers, contracting officers, program offices, and prime or channel partners.

• Represent Slate at federal-focused events, industry days, conferences, and customer demos.

• Translate federal requirements and mandates, such as fleet electrification goals, domestic-content and Buy American considerations, and charging infrastructure needs, into compelling value propositions for Slate vehicles.

• Maintain an accurate pipeline and forecast in Salesforce, and meet or exceed unit and revenue targets in a long-cycle, high-value deal environment.

• Serve as the voice of the federal customer, bringing market and requirements feedback to Fleet Sales leadership, Product, and Engineering.

• Collaborate with Fleet Sales colleagues, Fleet Customer Success, Marketing, and Digital to deliver a best-in-class customer experience.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Public Policy, or a related field. Advanced degree is preferred.

• 8+ years of direct experience in automotive or EV fleet sales, serving government, public-sector, and commercial (B2B) customers.

• 2+ years of direct experience in government fleet sales, with demonstrated success selling to federal agencies, navigating complex public-sector procurement processes, closing large federal deals, and meeting or exceeding quota.

• Hands-on experience navigating federal and military procurement, including GSA schedules and contract vehicles, FAR / DFARS fundamentals, and agency-specific purchasing processes.

• Established relationships with federal fleet, procurement, or contracting stakeholders, including DoD and military services, are strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated success managing multi-stakeholder sales cycles that span many months or years.

• Highly motivated, gritty self-starter who can operate in a dynamic white-space environment and work through roadblocks. You’re a hunter, not a farmer.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills, with a consultative sales approach.

• Proficiency using Salesforce or other CRM systems.

• Proficiency using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

• Active security clearance is a plus, but not required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must have the ability to travel (up to 50%).

• Must have the ability to lift up to 35 pounds.

• Must have the ability to stand, walk, and perform repetitive tasks for extended periods.

SALARY RANGE

The compensation for this position is the range Slate reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position taking into account the wide variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including job-related knowledge; skillset; experience, education and training; certifications; work location; and other relevant business and organizational factors.

Annual Base Pay Range: $114,612 to $203,335 USD

ADDITIONAL…