Senior Business Development Manager - Defence

CGI; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading IT and business consulting firm in the UK is seeking a Senior Business Development Manager with expertise in Defence. This role offers the opportunity to drive strategic growth and lead innovative initiatives within the Defence sector. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in business development and a strong understanding of MOD procurement processes. Join us to shape the future of the industry with your contributions and benefit from a competitive salary and comprehensive perks.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Excellent pension

Private healthcare

Share scheme

Qualifications

• Several years experience in business development or sales within Defence.
• Strong understanding of Defence Prime and DNE environments.
• Demonstrated success in leading complex sales cycles.

Responsibilities

• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders across Defence Primes.
• Identify and shape strategic new business opportunities.
• Create and lead strategic business development campaigns.

Skills

Business development experience in Defence

Strategic sales capability

Leadership & influence

Commercial acumen

Job description

Senior Business Development Manager - Defence

Position Description

At CGI, we don't just follow industry trends, we shape them. As a Business Development Manager, you'll lead transformative initiatives, with a key focus on business growth within across the Defence Prime and Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) sectors. You'll be empowered to drive strategic growth, champion innovation and collaborate with passionate, expert teams. Join us to help redefine the industry while building a career of purpose and lasting value.

CGI was recognised in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list 2025 and has been named one of the Financial Times' 'Best Employers'. We offer a competitive salary, excellent pension, private healthcare, plus a share scheme (3.5% + 3.5% matching) which makes you a CGI Partner not just an employee. We are committed to inclusivity, building a genuinely diverse community of tech talent and inspiring everyone to pursue careers in our sector, including our Armed Forces, and are proud to hold a Gold Award in recognition of our support of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant. Join us and you'll be part of an open, friendly community of experts. We'll train and support you in taking your career wherever you want it to go.

Your future duties and responsibilities

Reporting to the Director for this domain, this is a unique opportunity to help shape strategic, high-impact digital transformation programmes in some of the UK's most sensitive environments. You will be instrumental in expanding CGI's presence in secure back office IT, cyber security, and secure manufacturing IT, working closely with Defence clients and industry partners.

• Client Engagement & Relationship Management Build strong relationships with key stakeholders across Defence Primes, MOD, and DNE-related organisations.
• Strategic Opportunity Development Identify, qualify, and shape strategic new business opportunities in secure digital transformation, including cyber resilience, secure IT infrastructure, and operational technology (OT) in manufacturing.
• Campaign & Bid Leadership Create and lead strategic business development campaigns, overseeing multidisciplinary bid teams to drive compelling proposals through to successful contract award.
• Proposition Development and Bid Writing Collaborate with technical and delivery experts to create and write tailored solutions that align with each client's digital ambitions
• Partner Ecosystem Development Forge relationships with key industrial and technology partners to enhance CGI's value proposition and market positioning.
• Go-to-Market Strategy Collaborate with sector and sub-sector leadership to define go-to-market strategies, develop client contact plans, and create differentiated win strategies.
• Revenue and Pipeline Management driving new business wins that contribute to annual revenue and margin targets, maintaining a healthy sales pipeline with accurate forecasting.

Required qualifications to be successful in this role

• Several year experience in business development or sales within Defence, ideally focused on secure IT, cyber, or digital transformation programmes.
• Domain Expertise Strong understanding of the Defence Prime and/or DNE environments, including MOD procurement processes, cyber assurance, and secure manufacturing IT.
• Strategic Sales Capability Demonstrated success in leading complex sales cycles, developing capture plans, and winning high-value IT or engineering contracts.
• Leadership & Influence Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to engage credibly at senior levels across both client and partner organisations.
• Commercial Acumen Experience with bid budgeting, pricing models, and contract negotiation in the public sector.

Desirable Qualifications and Certifications

• Knowledge of MOD information assurance policies, Defence Digital frameworks, and NCSC cyber principles
• Understanding of Industry 4.0, digital twins, Zero Trust architectures, or AI in manufacturing and cyber domains
• Prior SC or DV clearance

Together, as owners, let's turn meaningful insights into action.

Life at CGI is rooted in ownership, teamwork, respect and belonging. Here, you'll reach your full potential because

You are invited to be an owner from day 1 as we work together to bring our Dream to life. That's why we call ourselves CGI Partners rather than employees. We benefit from our collective success and actively shape our company's strategy and direction.

Your work creates value. You'll develop innovative solutions and build relationships with teammates and clients while accessing global capabilities to scale your ideas, embrace new opportunities, and benefit from expansive industry and technology expertise.

You’ll shape your career by joining a company built to grow and last. You'll be supported by leaders who care about your health and well-being and provide you with opportunities to deepen your skills and broaden your horizons.

Come join our team-one of the largest IT and business consulting services firms in the world.