Sales Director - Defence

Sales Director - Defence The Opportunity A high-growth, UK-based advanced manufacturing business is building a critical domestic capability in battery cell production, supporting defence, energy, and industrial electrification. As part of its next phase of growth, the organisation is seeking a Commercial Director (Defence) to establish and lead its defence commercial function. This is a foundational role with significant influence over strategy, customer engagement, and long-term revenue generation.

The Role Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, you will own and develop key defence accounts, guiding them through long, high-value sales cycles and towards commercial agreements. Key Responsibilities - Own and develop 5–8 priority defence accounts - Progress opportunities through complex procurement processes - Map stakeholders and decision-makers - Drive accounts towards paid evaluation and agreements - Build relationships with defence primes and integrators - Provide market intelligence - Prepare accounts for negotiation Experience Required Essential - 10+ years in defence or complex B2G/B2B environments - Experience with MOD or defence primes - Track record closing £1m+ deals - Experience with RFIs, RFQs - Ability to build relationships from scratch Desirable - Battery, energy, or manufacturing experience - Scale-up experience - Security clearance (SC/DV) - Government networks Key Skills - Stakeholder management - Commercial discipline - Strong communication - Ability to manage long sales cycles - Political awareness - Self-sufficient working style Personal Attributes - Persistent and resilient - Calm under pressure - Proactive and decisive - Entrepreneurial mindset. For a confidential discussion please apply.