Head of Business Development (Maritime UK)

Harris Geospatial Solutions; West of England; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working where possible

Private medical insurance

Pension scheme

Life Assurance 4x salary

Group income protection

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies Bristol serves as the Headquarters for the Maritime UK business, delivering integrated marine control systems and simulation products for vessels worldwide. The Head of Business Development will shape growth strategy, lead the Business Winning team, and collaborate across functions to secure new opportunities.

You will influence strategic investments, develop business cases, and ensure high performance through strong leadership and stakeholder management.

Qualifications

• Significant business development experience in defence & security markets.
• Extensive experience dealing with international customers and cultures in maritime contexts.
• Strong leadership to coach and mentor teams to success.
• Deep understanding of customer requirements across the BU portfolio.
• Strong market-driven approach with capability to assess markets and build relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Maritime UK Business Winning team and drive growth across the business.
• Own and deliver the full business performance against short- and long-term targets.
• Develop and maintain KPIs to improve approaches and outcomes.
• Drive strategic planning (5-year) and AOP in collaboration with the wider business.
• Build and maintain relationships with key customers and internal stakeholders across functions.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Business development

Maritime market knowledge

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Team coaching

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Job Title – Head of Business Development (Maritime UK)
Job Code – BDM6
Job Location – Bristol, UK
Job ID – 43845

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

About this opportunity and L3Harris UK

Operating at 11 sites in the United Kingdom, L3Harris supports Britain’s mission to secure and strengthen the country by delivering sovereign innovation across the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains.

L3Harris’ Bristol location is the Headquarters for our Maritime UK business – a leading global supplier of integrated marine control systems and simulation products for warships, submarines and high-end commercial marine vessels worldwide. Since its inception, L3Harris has continuously iterated upon our Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) technology and successfully exported and delivered the system to over 300 vessels across 27 navies worldwide. We have additional Maritime UK sites in Burgess Hill, Barrow-In-Furness and Portchester. Together, we are powering the Royal Navy’s adoption of autonomous surface vehicle technology as well as delivering autonomous capability to UK ports, harbours and offshore energy service providers.

Following an internal promotion, we are seeking an exceptional Head of Business Development to join the Maritime UK Senior Leadership Team.

In this strategic leadership role, you will shape and deliver our growth strategy, leading the Business Winning team while working collaboratively across the wider organisation to identify, pursue and secure new business opportunities.

We are seeking a highly credible leader with extensive knowledge of our Maritime portfolios, a strong commercial mindset, and the ability to inspire teams and stakeholders to achieve ambitious business objectives.

A few of our employee benefits are:

• Hybrid working where possible, three days onsite per week
• Flexible or part-time working arrangements considered upon request
• 25 days holiday per year (plus bank holidays), increasing with long service and with the opportunity to buy/sell up to 5 days
• Private medical insurance with optional family cover
• Pension scheme of up to 8% employer contribution
• Life Assurance 4x salary (flexible up to 10x)
• Group income protection
• Flexible opt-in extras such as a health care cash plan, dental insurance, gym membership, critical illness cover, cycle to work scheme, travel insurance and electric car scheme
• Employee Family Assistance Program providing mental health and wellbeing support
• Professional membership reimbursement (discretionary)

What the role will involve

The responsibilities of your role will include the following:

• Strategic senior leadership team member, demonstrating organisational values and always leading by example.
• Own and drive the full business financial performance against short- and long-term business targets.
• Have a people centric leadership style ensuring the growth and development of the team, driving for high performance in both delivery and engagement.
• Lead Business Winning activities to successfully achieve the agreed Annual Operating Plan (AOP) as well as contributing to and driving the strategic vision of the overall Business Unit. This will be through 5-year planning, annual strategic priority achievement and collaboration across the wider business.
• Be comfortable working in a matrixed environment, establishing and maintaining relationships with; key customer representatives, strategic industry and internal stakeholders across multiple functions and skills set.
• Ensure the BU team is collectively offering the most attractive, highest PWin offers to our customers.
• Support the development of business cases for key strategic investments, e.g. IRAD and products.
• Develop and maintain appropriate KPIs to ensure we are always looking to improve our approach.
• Contribute to the profitable growth of the BU by identifying and growing new routes to market, developing new market opportunities and supporting the sales team in closing key opportunities.
• Coaching and developing key members of the team whilst driving accountability for professional success in line with the business’ values and performance needs.

What you’ll bring

The role requires the following experience and skills:

• Significant business development and growth experience operating within the defence & security markets.
• Extensive experience of directly dealing with international customers and cultures in a business context specifically within the maritime domain.
• Leadership skills demonstrating the ability to coach and mentor team members to success.
• Deep understanding of the customer requirements and user needs spanning the BU portfolio.
• A strong market driven approach including market assessment, analysis and relationship development.
• Track record of best practice, developing business winning campaigns, effective capture plans and closing complex prospects.
• Strong understanding of customer and market dynamics and requirements.
• Willingness to travel and work in a global team of professionals.
• Existing network of customer and industry contacts at all levels and spanning the domains of interest.
• Detailed knowledge of current and future capability acquisition programmes and the associated procurement processes.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to interact and lead internal and external senior customers across all levels.
• Gravitas, presence and negotiation skills commensurate with the role.
• Excellent communications skills both written and oral; confident presenter.
• Strong commercial & business development focus with extensive experience of working with the UK Government, MoD, and other agencies, and good knowledge of the UK Government’s latest thinking.

Important to know

Due to the nature of our work many our roles require a UK nationality and the ability to obtain a security clearance. Applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment must meet the requirement of right to work in the UK and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and will be subject to government security checks.

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and offers equal opportunities for all. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.