Business Development Manager - Defence

Business Development Manager – Defence Technology

Salary: Up to £90,000 + Benefits

Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire – Hybrid (3 days onsite)

Permanent | Full-time

Are you an experienced Business Development professional with a strong track record of winning business across the UK defence, national security or government markets?

We’re working confidentially with a rapidly growing UK technology organisation operating within the defence and aerospace sector. Following significant growth and investment, they are looking to appoint a Business Development Manager to help identify, shape and secure major new opportunities across the UK and international defence markets.

This is a genuine growth-focused BD role. You’ll be responsible for developing opportunities from an early stage, building relationships with senior stakeholders and turning complex customer requirements into commercially successful campaigns.

The Role

As Business Development Manager, you’ll take ownership of a portfolio of strategic opportunities, working closely with technical, commercial and senior leadership teams to develop and execute winning business development strategies.

You’ll be joining an organisation developing highly technical, mission-critical capabilities for demanding defence environments, so this role requires someone who can combine commercial drive with an understanding of how the defence market operates.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Identifying, qualifying and developing new business opportunities across defence and government markets
• Building and maintaining a strong pipeline of strategically aligned opportunities
• Developing and executing capture and campaign plans from early customer engagement through to contract award
• Building trusted relationships with senior decision-makers and stakeholders across UK Defence
• Understanding customer challenges and helping shape solutions around emerging operational requirements
• Navigating complex defence procurement and commercial environments
• Working closely with technical, engineering, commercial and delivery teams to develop compelling customer propositions
• Supporting bids, proposals, negotiations and wider business-winning activity
• Monitoring market developments, competitor activity and emerging technologies
• Representing the organisation at customer meetings, industry events and relevant defence forums
• Delivering against ambitious revenue and new-business targets

What We’re Looking For

We’re interested in speaking with commercially driven individuals who understand how to develop and win complex opportunities within the defence ecosystem.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Proven Business Development, Sales, Capture or Campaign Management experience within defence, aerospace, national security or a closely related market. You will have sold hardware within this space.
• A strong understanding of the UK defence procurement landscape
• Experience developing opportunities from early-stage engagement through to contract award
• Evidence of building and managing a meaningful pipeline of new business
• Strong senior stakeholder and relationship management skills
• The ability to operate credibly with both commercial and highly technical stakeholders
• A proactive, entrepreneurial approach with the ability to operate independently
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to prioritise the opportunities most likely to deliver growth

Experience within uncrewed systems, autonomous technology, aerospace, advanced engineering, defence electronics or other emerging defence technologies would be particularly relevant, although it is not essential.

An established network across UK Defence would also be highly advantageous.

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to join a well-backed UK technology business at an exciting point in its growth.

Rather than inheriting a purely account-management position, you’ll have the opportunity to shape markets, develop new customer relationships and directly influence the organisation’s future growth strategy.

You’ll work alongside highly experienced technical and commercial teams delivering next-generation capabilities into some of the most demanding environments in the defence sector.

Package includes:

• Salary up to £90,000, dependent on experience
• Hybrid working – 3 days per week onsite near Salisbury
• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays
• Pension
• Life assurance
• Income protection
• Enhanced family leave
• Additional employee benefits

The role will involve occasional UK and international travel.

Due to the nature of the work, candidates must be able to satisfy the relevant UK security vetting requirements.

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