Head of Business Development

QinetiQ; Farnborough; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence technology company is seeking a Head of Business Development in Farnborough or Salisbury, responsible for leading business development in the Training & Simulation sector. The candidate will drive strategies to expand this domain into a £100m+ business annually, requiring proven experience in defence markets and strong leadership capabilities. The role offers a hybrid working model and an environment that fosters innovation and collaboration.

Benefits

Matched contribution pension scheme

Competitive holiday allowance

Health Cash Plan and Private Medical Insurance

Employee discount portal

Volunteering Opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven track record in the defence sector, preferably in Training & Simulation.
• Significant experience in securing complex, high-value contracts (e.g. £20M+).
• Ability to influence senior customer stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of synthetic training trends.
• Collaborative approach across internal functions.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the Training & Simulation growth strategy.
• Lead the Business Development team and foster a customer-focused culture.
• Develop the Training & Simulation marketing strategy.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities.
• Establish relationships with key customers and stakeholders.

Skills

Business development expertise

Strategic growth planning

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Industry networking

Commercial acumen

Education

Degree qualified

Formal capture or BD training

Job description

Head of Business Development

Location - Farnborough or Salisbury with hybrid working

Ref: 18925

As a key member of the Training & Simulation leadership team, the successful candidate will lead the Business Development function, with full accountability for defining and implementing the strategy to grow this domain from a strong base into a £100m+ per annum business over the current business planning period. The role also includes contributing to wider QinetiQ Group pursuits where Training & Simulation capabilities form a critical component of the overall solution.

We are seeking a strategic, experienced leader with a proven track record of business growth in defence markets, particularly in the training and simulation domain. The ideal candidate will bring abroad industry perspective, established external networks, and the ability to challenge the status quo driving value through innovative approaches to customer engagement, partnerships, and solution development — supporting both UK and international growth objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute the Training & Simulation growth strategy to deliver a £100m+ per annum revenue business over the ISBP period, aligned with QinetiQ’s broader strategic objectives.
• Lead and develop the Business Development team, setting clear objectives and fostering a high-performance, customer-focused culture.
• Develop and oversee the Training & Simulation marketing strategy to drive brand recognition and market visibility
• Identify, shape and secure new business opportunities across UK and export defence markets, with a particular focus on:
• Synthetic and immersive training environments
• Operational experimentation to accelerate solutions into service
• Technology-enabled, data-driven training solutions
• Establish and maintain strategic relationships with key customers (e.g. UK MOD, DE&S, DSTL, Front Line Commands), industry partners, and international stakeholders.
• Support large QinetiQ Group opportunities by contributing domain expertise and Training & Simulation outputs to cross-domain, integrated solutions.
• Lead campaign strategies and win plans for priority pursuits, including bid leadership where appropriate.
• Monitor market trends, customer priorities, and competitive activity to inform business strategy and capability development.
• Represent the business internally and externally, acting as a key voice for Training & Simulation growth in senior forums and industry engagements.

Qualifications & Experience

• Proven track record of leading business development or capture activities in the defence sector, ideally within Training & Simulation.
• Significant experience in developing and delivering strategic growth plans, with demonstrable success in securing complex, high-value contracts (e.g. £20M+).
• Demonstrated ability to engage with senior customer stakeholders and influence programme and investment decisions.
• Strong understanding of training transformation trends, including synthetic training, LVC environments, experimentation-led capability development, and performance analytics.
• Ability to work collaboratively across internal functions to generate routes to market and shape competitive, deliverable solutions.
• A well-established external industry network and strong commercial acumen.
• Degree qualified; formal capture or BD training desirable.
• Eligible for UK SC clearance (minimum), with willingness to obtain DV if required.

Why Join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges.

As a QinetiQ employee, you’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experience enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you’ll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in a diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential. Visit our website to read more about our diverse and inclusive workplace culture. www.qinetiq.com/en/careers/life-at-qinetiq

Our Benefits

• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Competitive holiday allowance, with the option to purchase additional days.
• Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance
• Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more.
• We are proud to support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Volunteering Opportunities - helping charities and local community.

Our Recruitment ProcessWe want to make sure that our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible and we aspire to bring out the best in our candidates by creating an environment where everyone feels value, heard and supported. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your Recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting being completed, applicants who already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment. A number of roles are also subject to additional restrictions, which mean factors such as nationality or previous nationalities may affect the roles that you can be employed in.

Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.

UKSV National Security Vetting Solution: guidance for applicants - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)