The finalists for WashingtonExec’s 2023 Pinnacle Awards were announced Sept. 25, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person Nov. 16.
Next is Contracts Executive of the Year finalist in the Private & Public Companies category Stephen Yuter, who is vice president of contracts, risk management and compliance at BrainGu. Here, he talks about shaping the next generation of leaders and career advice.
How do you help shape the next generation of government leaders/industry leaders?
I have always been deeply committed to being a positive force in developing talent by bringing students, young professionals, and career changers into the contract management profession. Since 2016, I have had the privilege of serving as a Career Mentor for the NCMA Contract Management Leadership Development Program. During my time supporting the program, I have successfully guided exceptional individuals preparing for new positions of leadership and authority within their own organizations.
Providing mentees with not only career direction and strategic goal setting, I have also significantly expanded their professional networks and supported their future educational aspirations. Earlier in my career, I served as an Experience Leader for the DHS Acquisition Intern Program at Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Serving as a mentor, advisor, trainer, and liaison, I was fortunate to guide over 20 individuals through the program, many who are now senior leaders across Government.
What’s your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Career success is not linear. My own career has not followed the trajectory I initially planned for, but it has allowed me to seize new opportunities and exposed me to exciting areas tangential to contracts such as capture, pricing, and M&A.
A flexible and open mindset has broadened my aperture in a way that drove me to recognize and pursue work that excites me. I advise high-potential individuals to take a similar approach and strategic risks that will enhance their careers ⏤ a new job that stimulates your passion, a promotion that allows you to grow, or involvement in an industry association that enables you to think differently.
My experiences have taken me from the halls of vital cabinet agencies to those of global consulting firms and growing small businesses ⏤ as an individual contributor, a senior executive, a strategist, a collaborator, a negotiator, a mentor, and a peer. I have always instilled in others to create their own opportunities. Raise your hand, lead from where you are, take on an additional challenge, share your ideas, mentor others, and most importantly, bring enthusiasm to the work that you do.
In my current role at BrainGu, team members are encouraged to “change the box” by taking huge leaps to solve new challenges, but never without a parachute of support and camaraderie. Personal success is then predicated on helping others succeed and reinforces the idea that taking strategic risks enhances one’s career journey.