Sales & Business Development Manager

SRS Recruitment Solutions; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology firm is seeking a Sales & Business Development Manager to drive growth in their defence sector. This role involves strategic targeting, managing the sales lifecycle, and building relationships with key stakeholders. The ideal candidate should have a strong technical background, proven sales experience, and the ability to work cross-functionally. This position offers a competitive salary, travel opportunities, and career development prospects.

Benefits

Car allowance

20% bonus package

Full product training

Pension

25 days holiday

Qualifications

• Proven experience in technical or solution-led sales, ideally within defence or engineering.
• Familiarity with MOD procurement processes and public sector frameworks.
• High levels of personal drive and organisation.

Responsibilities

• Drive commercial growth through strategic targeting and solution-led selling.
• Build lasting relationships with Defence OEMs and stakeholders.
• Manage complete sales lifecycle from prospecting to contract close.

Skills

Technical sales experience

Strong technical acumen

Relationship building

Commercial acumen

Education

BSc/Degree in Engineering

Tools

CRM tools

Job description

Vacancy No 5353

Job Title SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Location NATIONAL UK

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A FIELD-BASED TECHNICAL SALES ROLE, AND WHILE THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WOULD BE BASED IN THE MIDLANDS REGION, MY CLIENT IS OPEN TO CONSIDERING STRONG TECHNICALLY MINDED SALES PROFESSIONALS FROM OTHER LOCATIONS ACROSS THE UK, PROVIDED THEY ARE WILLING TO TRAVEL NATIONALLY AS REQUIRED.

Job Description

Are you a strategic, technically capable sales professional with experience in defence, energetic materials, or high specification engineered solutions?

We're exclusively representing a forward-thinking, fast-scaling UK manufacturer of energetic materials and pyrotechnic defence systems solutions as they look to strengthen their UK and international market presence with a new, high-impact commercial hire.

This is a rare opportunity to join a globally backed specialist where your voice will shape strategy, your expertise will unlock new revenue, and your success will directly influence critical national and international programmes.

This isn't just another sales role, it's a pivotal commercial appointment at a business making tangible impact in defence, national security and life-critical safety systems.

If you're driven by purpose, confident navigating technical complexity and ready to step into a role that blends autonomy with influence, we want to hear from you.

The Company

My clients operate from a secure facility in the Midlands and engineers and manufactures advanced energetic systems that support MOD, defence contractors, law enforcement, and public safety bodies. Backed by an international group, they offer the agility of a specialist SME with the infrastructure of a global brand.

Product Portfolio Includes:

* Military-grade initiators, rocket motors, and gas generators

* Advanced pyrotechnic actuators and cable cutters

* Custom-formulated energetic materials for specialist applications

* Blast-mitigation and explosive containment solutions

As part of a larger group, they benefit from a global reputation, world-class R&D, and access to Tier 1 international defence contracts.

The Role

As Sales & Business Development Manager, you'll drive commercial growth through strategic targeting, solution-led selling, and deep stakeholder engagement. This role sits at the intersection of technical expertise and commercial leadership, and will see you:

* Build lasting relationships with Defence OEM's, MOD teams, Defence Primes and law enforcement.

* Take ownership of bids, tenders, and technical proposals

* Represent the business at high-profile exhibitions, live demos, and field trials

* Lead with insight, credibility, and confidence in highly regulated environments

* Shape and implement a focused go-to-market strategy

Key Responsibilities

As a Sales and Business Development Manager, your core responsibilities will include:

* Identify, engage, and win business with key stakeholders across defence, emergency services, and industrial sectors

* Manage the complete sales lifecycle, from prospecting and qualification through to contract close and ongoing account development

* Deliver tailored, technically robust proposals in response to customer needs

* Work closely with R&D, engineering, and production to ensure solution alignment

* Maintain CRM accuracy, sales pipeline forecasting, and regular reporting

* Stay ahead of industry shifts, defence procurement frameworks, and safety standards

* Attend site visits, customer meetings and international events as required

* Reporting directing to the COO and UK MD

Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required - ESSENTIAL

* Proven experience in technical or solution-led sales, ideally within defence, explosives, engineering, or high-spec product environments

* Strong technical acumen, able to interpret specs and convert into compelling solutions

* Familiarity with MOD procurement processes, public sector frameworks, or security-cleared projects

* Commercial sharpness with the ability to influence technical and non-technical audiences

* High levels of personal drive, organisation and self-discipline

* Excellent mentoring, coaching and people management skills

* Proficiency in IT, web skills, CRM tools and sales reporting

* Strong Business acumen and industry expertise

* Working knowledge of ISO14001 / ISO18001, AS9100 QMS and experience of managing ISO9001 QMS

* Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel nationally and occasionally overseas for trade events and meeting customers.

Desirable: Background in M&E construction products, specialist defence equipment or safety-critical industrial solutions

Desirable: Hold a qualification in an engineering-based subject or BSC/Degree in Engineering

Person Specification | Candidate Profile

Energetic and self-starting, with a consultative, problem-solving mindset

Comfortable owning both sales strategy and hands-on client delivery

Natural relationship builder with excellent written and verbal communication

Capable of working cross-functionally with technical teams

Commercially aware with a solid grasp of margins, value creation, and growth levers

Positive, professional, and persistent trusted by clients and respected by colleagues

In the event of further security cleared contracts, my client we require the candidate to be a UK National to be able to obtain UK Security Check clearance.

SALARY & BENEFITS

HIGH BASIC SALARY (UP TO £70,000) + CAR ALLOWANCE (TBD) + 20% BONUS PACKAGE + PENSION + MOBILE + LAPTOP + 25 DAYS HOLIDAY + FULL PRODUCT TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES