Sales Manager – Global Partnerships

Roke Manor Research Limited; Romsey; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Roke Manor Research Limited seeks a Sales Manager – Global Partnerships to drive revenue growth with major defence primes across multiple countries.

You will shape and convert a strategic pipeline, engage early in programmes, and navigate complex, matrixed organisations to win multi‑national opportunities, aligning cross‑country activities for strong commercial outcomes.

Qualifications

• Proven sales leadership in defence or government-related markets.
• Track record of closing multi-million pound opportunities and shaping pipeline.
• Experience navigating matrix organisations and cross-country deals.
• Strong commercial, financial and contractual acumen with primes.
• Ability to identify routes to market in restricted environments.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive revenue growth through major defence multinational primes across several countries.
• Develop, manage, and convert a strategic pipeline from lead to contract award.
• Engage early in programmes to shape requirements and maximise win probability.
• Navigate centralised and distributed decision-making across HQ and country entities.
• Establish routes to market in non-UK and restricted environments.
• Own end-to-end sales execution including qualification, pursuit, negotiation and closure.
• Coordinate cross-country sales activity and align stakeholders to drive engagement.
• Collaborate with capture, bid, technical and delivery teams to secure opportunities.
• Monitor market dynamics and refine strategy to improve win probability and forecast accuracy.
• Deliver revenue and forecast accuracy through disciplined pipeline management.

Skills

Sales leadership

Strategic pipeline development

Stakeholder engagement

Contractual acumen

Forecasting pipeline discipline

Multi-country / matrix environments

Negotiation skills

Defence sector experience

Market access strategy

Job description

Roke, Roke Manor, Romsey, Hampshire, United Kingdom

Job Description

Great ideas come from different minds. That’s why we bring together engineers, scientists, analysts, and creatives from every background — and give them the trust, tools, and freedom to make a difference. What connects us is the mission: solving meaningful problems and building capability that protects what matters most.

And as the challenges evolve, so do we — working on the technologies that will shape tomorrow, not just today.

Role Purpose

The Sales Manager – Global Partnerships is responsible for driving revenue growth through major defence multinational prime organisations, focusing on identifying, shaping, influencing, and winning strategic opportunities, as well as identifying and securing long-term strategic partnerships that support market access and revenue growth.

The role centres on engaging with centralised decision‑making at prime HQ level, navigating complex, matrixed organisations to position the business early in programme lifecycles and convert opportunities into revenue. Operating across a matrix environment, the role aligns cross‑country sales activity and leverages strategic partnerships where appropriate to unlock multi‑national opportunities and deliver commercial outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive Sales Growth – Generate and win revenue through major multinational organisations and Primes operating across multiple countries
• Develop & Convert Strategic Pipeline – Build, manage, and prosecute a high‑quality pipeline from lead generation through to contract award
• Shape & Influence Opportunities – Engage early in programme lifecycles to position, influence requirements, and maximise win probability
• Sell into Complex, Matrix Organisations – Navigate centralised and distributed decision‑making across HQ and country‑level entities
• Establish Market Access & Positioning – Identify and execute effective routes to market within non‑UK and restricted environments
• Lead End‑to‑End Sales Execution – Own the full sales cycle including qualification, pursuit, negotiation, and closure
• Coordinate Cross‑Country Sales Activity – Align stakeholders, both internally and externally, across geographies to drive consistent engagement and conversion
• Collaborate to Win – Work closely with capture, bid, technical, and delivery teams to secure strategic opportunities
• Monitor Competitive Landscape – Monitor and develop a deep understanding of the market and competitive landscape to identify emerging opportunities, position the organisation ahead of requirements, and strengthen win probability
• Deliver Revenue & Forecast Accuracy – Achieve revenue targets through disciplined pipeline management and accurate forecasting

The role is focused on driving revenue through complex, pan‑global B2B sales opportunities within large, prime‑type organisations (multi‑national contractors operating across multiple markets), requiring strong ownership of pipeline development and conversion. This includes generating opportunities, maintaining momentum through consistent follow‑up, and progressing deals through to successful closure.

A key aspect of the role is the ability to engage early and influence opportunity direction, positioning the business ahead of formal procurement and increasing win probability through strong commercial and strategic alignment.

Operating across matrixed, multi‑country organisations, the role requires navigating both centralised and local decision‑making structures to effectively progress opportunities and unlock value. Success depends on understanding where influence sits and how to align stakeholders across different entities.

Working with the Head of Sales, the Sales Manager – Global Partnerships must also establish effective routes to market, particularly in non‑domestic environments, building presence and credibility while overcoming structural and access barriers.

Close collaboration with capture, bid, and delivery teams is essential to ensure opportunities are shaped effectively and progressed with clarity and pace.

The role carries clear accountability for pipeline health, conversion rates, and revenue delivery, supported by disciplined forecasting and strong sales execution.

Candidate Profile

Sector Experience

Proven experience in Defence, National Security or Government‑related sales environments, ideally with Global markets exposure

Prime & Complex Organisation Exposure

Strong experience working with or selling into major defence primes or large multi‑national, matrixed organisations

Commercial & Contractual Acumen

Strong sales, commercial, financial & contractual acumen, with Tier 1 organisations and platform providers or integrators

Strong sales experience, evidencing full sales cycle closure of new opportunities (+£1M) and ability to develop, manage, and convert strategic pipeline

Proven ability to build, manage, and proactively progress complex, multi‑year pipeline delivering in excess of £15M per annum, demonstrating disciplined follow‑up and deal conversion

Opportunity Shaping & Influence

Strong track record of shaping opportunities early and influencing requirements to improve win probability and positioning

Market Access & Entry Strategy

Demonstrated ability to establish routes to market and navigate barriers to entry within new or restricted environments, particularly across non‑domestic markets

Multi‑Country Experience

Experience operating across pan‑continent or multi‑country sales environments, managing cultural, commercial, and organisational complexity

Stakeholder Influence in Matrix Environments

Experience influencing senior stakeholders within complex, matrixed organisations, often without direct authority

Defence Ecosystem Network

A well‑developed and active network within the Defence ecosystem, with the ability to rapidly open doors, position the organisation, and convert relationships into tangible sales opportunities

Programme & Supply Chain Understanding

Experience contributing to or selling into large‑scale programmes or complex supply chains where decision‑making is centralised and execution is distributed

Key Skills and Experience

• Strong sales and commercial acumen with a track record of achieving or exceeding revenue targets
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, including senior‑level engagement
• Ability to build, manage, and convert a strategic pipeline with strong forecasting discipline
• Ability to operate effectively in complex, matrixed and highly regulated environments
• Strong communication, negotiation, and deal‑shaping skills
• Experience contributing to capture activities, bid development, and proposal writing
• Strategic thinking with the ability to identify and shape multi‑national opportunities
• High level of organisation and ability to manage multiple priorities across countries and accounts
• Proven pedigree of winning business within Defence, B2B or related sectors, with experience owning and executing the full sales lifecycle from opportunity creation through to contract award

Personal Attributes

• Proactive, self‑motivated, and results‑driven with a strong focus on winning business
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and discretion
• Strong team player with the ability to collaborate across functions and geographies
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast‑paced, complex international environment
• Commercially focused with a strong drive to convert opportunities into revenue
• High levels of motivation, ownership, and accountability for sales outcomes

Travel

The role will require regular UK and global travel, which may involve overnight stays. All travel and related expenses will be reimbursed in line with company policy.

Given the demands of the role, there may also be occasions where working outside of standard hours is required to support business needs.

The Next Step

Click apply, submitting an up‑to‑date CV. We look forward to hearing from you.