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Business Development Manager - Defence Sector

Job Posted: 17 days ago

Salary: £ Competitive
Job Type: Permanent
Location: Eastbourne / Hybrid

Expire in: 10 days

Job Description

Business Development Manager – Defence & Government Markets
 Reports to: Managing Director
 Location: United Kingdom (Hybrid with UK and International Travel)
Package including: Negotiable salary with commission, bonus, company car 
   
Are you a business development executive with experience in the defence sector?  We would welcome ex MOD or service who have a strong sales background. 

Job Purpose
   
 The Business Development Manager is responsible for identifying, developing and securing new business opportunities across the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), NATO, prime defence contractors and international defence organisations. The role is focused on developing long-term strategic customer relationships, winning profitable contracts and supporting sustainable business growth while ensuring full compliance with defence procurement regulations and security requirements.
 
The successful candidate will possess a strong understanding of the UK defence
 market, defence acquisition processes and the ability to engage confidently with senior military, government and commercial stakeholders.
   
 Key Responsibilities
   
 Business Development
  
Develop and execute a Defence Business Development Strategy aligned with company objectives. 
Identify new opportunities within UK MOD, NATO and international defence markets. 
Generate and qualify new business leads. 
Develop annual sales and growth plans. 
Build and maintain a robust opportunity pipeline 
Monitor market trends, defence spending and procurement programmes.  Customer Relationship Management
  
Develop strategic relationships with:  
UK Ministry of Defence 
Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) 
Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) 
Prime Contractors 
Tier 1 and Tier 2 Defence Suppliers 
NATO procurement agencies 
International defence organisations   
Maintain regular engagement with procurement teams, programme managers and technical specialists. 
Represent the company at customer meetings and defence exhibitions.  Market Intelligence

Monitor:  
Defence budgets 
Future procurement programmes 
Framework agreements 
Competitor activity 
Emerging technologies 
Government policy   
Identify opportunities arising from defence capability reviews.   Strategic Growth

 Develop opportunities across sectors including:
  
Soldier Systems 
C4ISR 
Tactical Communications 
Personal Protective Equipment 
Medical Systems 
Vehicle Systems 
Naval Equipment 
Aerospace 
Secure Textiles 
Load Carriage Equipment 
Weapon Accessories 
Sustainment & Logistics   Commercial Responsibilities
  
Achieve annual sales targets. 
Deliver profitable revenue growth. 
Prepare sales forecasts. 
Manage account development plans. 
Protect company margins. 
Support long-term strategic agreements.   Cross Functional Collaboration
   
 Work closely with:
  
Technical 
Design 
Production 
Quality 
Procurement 
Programme Management  to ensure customer requirements are fully understood and delivered.
 
Compliance

 Ensure all activities comply with:
  
UK Export Control Regulations 
MOD procurement rules 
Security classifications 
ISO 9001 
ISO 14001 
Cyber Essentials / Cyber Essentials Plus 
DEFCONs 
JSP Publications 
Modern Slavery Act 
Bribery Act 2010  Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
  
Annual Sales Revenue 
Gross Margin 
New Customer Acquisition 
Pipeline Value 
Contract Awards 
Customer Retention 
Forecast Accuracy 
Number of Customer Visits 
New Market Penetration 
Strategic Account Growth    
 Knowledge & Experience
   
 Essential
  
Minimum 5 years' Business Development experience within the defence sector. 
Proven track record of winning defence contracts. 
Experience dealing with MOD and prime contractors. 
Understanding of defence procurement processes. 
Strong commercial negotiation skills. 
Experience managing strategic customer accounts. 
Excellent presentation and communication skills. 
Experience using CRM systems. 
Full UK driving licence. 
Willingness to travel throughout the UK  Desirable
  
Knowledge of NATO procurement. 
Experience within textile manufacturing, defence equipment, engineering or protective systems. 
Understanding of government framework agreements. 
Existing defence industry network. 
Experience with export markets. 
Security cleared (SC or DV) or eligible to obtain clearance.    
 Skills & Competencies
   
 Commercial
  
Business Acumen 
Strategic Thinking 
Negotiation 
Financial Awareness 
Opportunity Management    
 Leadership
  
Influencing Skills 
Relationship Building 
Stakeholder Management 
Decision Making    
 Personal
  
Self-motivated 
Highly organised 
Professional 
Resilient 
Results driven 
Customer focused 
Excellent communicator 
Ethical 
High integrity    
 Qualifications
   
 Essential
  
Degree in Business, Engineering, Manufacturing or related discipline, or equivalent industry experience.    
 Desirable
  
MBA 
Institute of Sales Professionals Membership 
Prince2 or equivalent project management qualification    
 Security Requirements
   
 The successful candidate must:
  
Be eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC) as a minimum. 
Be capable of obtaining Developed Vetting (DV) if required. 
Meet UK Export Control compliance requirements. 
Comply with company information security policies.    
 Typical Customers
  
UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) 
Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) 
BAE Systems 
INVISIO 
Babcock International 
Leonardo UK 
Thales UK 
Rheinmetall UK 
QinetiQ 
General Dynamics UK 
Lockheed Martin UK 
Rolls-Royce Defence 
MBDA UK 
NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA)    
 Career Progression
  
Senior Business Development Manager 
Head of Business Development 
Commercial Manager 
Sales Director 
Business Unit Director 
Commercial Director

Before You Apply

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Bank details.
National Insurance number.
Date of birth.

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