Business Development Manager - Defence

First Military Recruitment; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

First Military Recruitment is seeking a Defence Business Development Lead with experience in Maritime, Satellite Communications or Defence Tech. You will own the full sales lifecycle for campaigns within the defence business, from market insight and account strategy through to capture planning and contract award.

The role requires a commercially astute, technically credible sales professional who can build trusted relationships across military commands, prime contractors, defence SMEs,

Qualifications

• Proven success in defence or adjacent technology sales.
• Strong UK defence ecosystem knowledge.
• Experience managing full sales cycle.
• Technical credibility in engineering or electronics.
• Ability translate complex briefs into commercial propositions.
• Experience with military and government stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end sales activity for defence opportunities from qualification to close.
• Develop and execute targeted account plans with defence primes and MOD-facing organisations.
• Translate advanced engineering capabilities into compelling customer propositions across RF, sensing, radar and AI/ML.
• Build trusted relationships with technical, commercial, procurement and operational stakeholders.
• Own capture planning including win themes, partner strategy and bid/no-bid decisions.
• Represent the business at defence events and customer meetings, expanding routes to market.
• Maintain a clear pipeline, forecast, and disciplined sales governance from lead to revenue.
• Ensure delivery of a high-quality transition from sales into delivery and identify follow-on opportunities.

Skills

Defence sales

MOD procurement

End-to-end sales

Technical credibility

Relationship building

CRM hygiene

Pipeline management

Stakeholder engagement

Bid & capture

Networking in defence

Job description

First Military Recruitment are currently seeking a Defence Business Development Lead with experience in at least one of the following areas – Maritime, Satellite Communications or Defence Tech.

We are seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to own and drive the full sales lifecycle for campaigns within our client’s defence business – seeking specialists with either a background in Maritime, Satellite Communications or Defence Tech : from market insight, account strategy and opportunity creation through to capture planning, proposal development, negotiation, contract award, handover and long-term account growth. This role is suited to a commercially astute, technically credible sales professional, who can build trusted relationships across military commands, prime contractors, defence SMEs, government stakeholders and specialist technology partners.

Our client encourages applications from ex-military personnel however all candidates will be given due consideration.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead end-to-end sales activity for defence opportunities, taking ownership from early market engagement and qualification through to close, mobilisation and account expansion.
• Develop and execute targeted account plans across defence primes, MOD-facing organisations, innovation frameworks, specialist SMEs and relevant partner ecosystems.
• Translate the company’s advanced engineering capabilities into compelling customer propositions, particularly across RF, sensing, communications, radar, electronic warfare, AI/ML, resilient navigation and low-SWaP technology solutions.
• Build trusted, consultative relationships with technical, commercial, procurement and operational stakeholders, acting as a credible interface between customer need and engineering expertise.
• Identify, qualify and shape opportunities early by understanding customer missions, capability gaps, procurement routes, funding timelines and competitive positioning.
• Own capture planning for priority opportunities, including stakeholder mapping, win themes, partner strategy, bid/no-bid input, pricing assumptions, proposal coordination and negotiation approach.
• Work closely with technical teams to scope solutions, develop value propositions, create proposals and ensure a high-quality transition from sales into delivery.
• Support client management during project delivery, ensuring customer confidence, commercial awareness, delivery alignment and identification of follow-on opportunities.
• Represent the business at defence events, industry forums, trade shows and customer meetings, using existing networks while also creating new routes to market.
• Maintain a clear pipeline, accurate forecasting and disciplined sales governance, ensuring opportunities are tracked from lead generation through to revenue recognition and account growth.
• Remain engaged through delivery to maintain customer confidence, identify emerging needs and support timely resolution of any commercial or relationship issues.
• Develop long-term account plans that convert successful projects into repeat business, framework activity, adjacent opportunities and strategic partnerships.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Proven success in defence, security, aerospace or adjacent technology sales, with experience selling complex engineering, R&D, consultancy, systems, services or capability led solutions.
• Strong understanding of the UK defence ecosystem, including MOD, defence primes, specialist SMEs, procurement routes, innovation funding, frameworks and collaborative bid environments.
• Demonstrable ability to manage the complete sales cycle, including prospecting, qualification, solution shaping, capture, proposal leadership, negotiation, close, handover and account expansion.
• Technical credibility, ideally supported by an engineering, science, electronics, communications, systems, software, RF, sensing or related technology background.
• Ability to absorb complex technical briefings and translate them into customer-focused commercial propositions that are clear, relevant and outcome-led.
• Confident engaging at multiple levels, from engineers and project leads through to senior military, government, commercial and executive stakeholders.
• Structured and disciplined sales approach, with strong pipeline management, forecasting, account planning and CRM hygiene.
• Collaborative working style, able to bring together technical, delivery and commercial colleagues to pursue opportunities and maintain customer trust.
• Existing networks across defence customers, primes, SMEs, technology partners, military users or innovation communities would be highly advantageous.
• High levels of initiative, resilience and curiosity, with the ability to create opportunities in an often complex, long-cycle and relationship-driven market.
• Strong presentation skills and the ability to develop and deliver effective sales campaigns.