Business Development Manager - Intelligence products for Aerospace and Defence

Outsmart Insight; Greater London; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Outsmart Insight Ltd. is seeking a Business Development Manager to grow its client base at the intersection of emerging technology, strategy, and long-term client relationships. You will engage senior leaders across defence, aerospace and government, shaping pilots and long-term partnerships rather than traditional selling.

The role emphasizes autonomy, ambiguity tolerance, and credible engagement with technically sophisticated audiences, with remote and flexible working options available.

Qualifications

• 5+ years business development experience in senior client-facing, partnership, consulting or commercial roles.
• Track record of working with R&D-led or technology-driven organisations.
• Comfort operating without scripts, rigid playbooks or heavy supervision.
• Background in, or strong affinity for, science, engineering or technology.
• The judgement to balance patience with momentum.

Responsibilities

• Lead senior-level, consultative conversations with technically sophisticated clients.
• Develop new client relationships and expanding existing strategic accounts.
• Help clients define the right problem to explore before money is spent.
• Structure pilots and guide clients through how to buy, not just what to buy.
• Act as a trusted interface between deep technical insight and commercial outcomes.
• Feed market insight back into how we shape and position our services.
• Work closely with delivery teams to ensure credibility, quality and follow-through.

Skills

Senior-level conversations

BD experience

R&D/tech exposure

Autonomy & initiative

Patience with momentum

Job description

The pitch - it’s a fun job with a great team - and it’s a serious one too. You’ll be working at the intersection of emerging technology, strategy, and long-term client relationships, helping some of the world’s most influential R&D-led organisations make sense of what’s coming next, and decide where to engage.

If you enjoy intelligent conversations with very smart people, are comfortable with ambiguity, and want real ownership rather than a narrow sales remit, this role will feel like a good match.

The role

As Business Development Manager you will take contribute to how Outsmart Insight grows its client base as we enter our next phase of scale, working directly with senior leaders (CTOs, Heads of Innovation, R&D Directors, technical strategists) across defence, aerospace and government.

Your job is to develop clients, not “sell to them”:

• Turn early curiosity into meaningful, funded engagements
• Shape broad conversations into well-scoped pilots
• Grow trust-based relationships into long-term partnerships

What you’ll be doing

• Lead senior-level, consultative conversations with technically sophisticated clients
• Develop new client relationships and expanding existing strategic accounts
• Help clients define the right problem to explore before money is spent
• Structure pilots and guide clients through how to buy, not just what to buy
• Act as a trusted interface between deep technical insight and commercial outcomes
• Feed market insight back into how we shape and position our services
• Work closely with delivery teams to ensure credibility, quality and follow-through

This is low-volume, high-trust work. Success is measured in relationship depth and repeat engagement, not activity metrics.

The technology landscape

You’ll gain exposure to and engage with a wide range of emerging technology domains, including:

• Artificial intelligence and human-machine teaming
• Robotics and autonomous systems
• Advanced sensing, haptics and human performance engineering
• Secure communications and resilient architectures
• Next-generation materials and energy systems

You don’t need to be an expert but you do need to be genuinely curious.

Who this role is for

This role is designed for someone who is:

• Mid-career and ready for greater autonomy and ownership
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and incomplete information
• Credible with technical, sceptical audiences
• Motivated by long-term impact rather than short-term wins
• Calm, thoughtful and intellectually curious

What we’re looking for

• 5+ years business development experience in senior client-facing, partnership, consulting or commercial roles
• A track record of working with R&D-led or technology-driven organisations
• Comfort operating without scripts, rigid playbooks or heavy supervision
• A background in, or strong affinity for, science, engineering or technology
• The judgement to balance patience with momentum

If you describe yourself primarily as a “closer” or are motivated by aggressive targets, this role is unlikely to be a good fit.

Practicalities

• Schedule: Monday to Friday, no weekends
• Location: UK-based
• Working style: Remote and flexible arrangements considered

Why Outsmart Insight?

Advances in science and technology – from robotics and AI to climate tech and space – are reshaping every industry. Navigating that change requires more than information; it requires judgement, perspective and trust.

Outsmart Insight is a technology intelligence company working at the intersection of deep tech and the future. We specialise in horizon scanning, technology monitoring, trend forecasting and innovation scouting, supporting global companies, venture firms and government agencies as they make long-term decisions under uncertainty. We are deliberately intellectually serious, and highly trusted by our clients. As we grow, we are focused on building durable partnerships.

Our values

• Smart minds, working together
• Quality delivered every time
• Strong client relationships built on trust
• Hard work, rewarded
• A happy, healthy team