Business Development Manager - Defence

Defence Business Development Lead 

Location: Cambridge | Hybrid  

Salary:  Competitive

Overview: 

First Military Recruitment are currently seeking a Defence Business Development Lead with experience in at least one of the following areas – Maritime, Satellite Communications or Defence Tech.

We are seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to own and drive the full sales lifecycle for campaigns within our client’s defence business – seeking specialists with either a background in Maritime, Satellite Communications or Defence Tech : from market insight, account strategy and opportunity creation through to capture planning, proposal development, negotiation, contract award, handover and long-term account growth. This role is suited to a commercially astute, technically credible sales professional, who can build trusted relationships across military commands, prime contractors, defence SMEs, government stakeholders and specialist technology partners.  

Our client encourages applications from ex-military personnel however all candidates will be given due consideration.  

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Lead end-to-end sales activity for defence opportunities, taking ownership from early market engagement and qualification through to close, mobilisation and account expansion. 
• Develop and execute targeted account plans across defence primes, MOD-facing organisations, innovation frameworks, specialist SMEs and relevant partner ecosystems. 
• Translate the company’s advanced engineering capabilities into compelling customer propositions, particularly across RF, sensing, communications, radar, electronic warfare, AI/ML, resilient navigation and low-SWaP technology solutions.  
• Build trusted, consultative relationships with technical, commercial, procurement and operational stakeholders, acting as a credible interface between customer need and engineering expertise. 
• Identify, qualify and shape opportunities early by understanding customer missions, capability gaps, procurement routes, funding timelines and competitive positioning. 
• Own capture planning for priority opportunities, including stakeholder mapping, win themes, partner strategy, bid/no-bid input, pricing assumptions, proposal coordination and negotiation approach. 
• Work closely with technical teams to scope solutions, develop value propositions, create proposals and ensure a high-quality transition from sales into delivery. 
• Support client management during project delivery, ensuring customer confidence, commercial awareness, delivery alignment and identification of follow-on opportunities. 
• Represent the business at defence events, industry forums, trade shows and customer meetings, using existing networks while also creating new routes to market. 
• Maintain a clear pipeline, accurate forecasting and disciplined sales governance, ensuring opportunities are tracked from lead generation through to revenue recognition and account growth. 
• Remain engaged through delivery to maintain customer confidence, identify emerging needs and support timely resolution of any commercial or relationship issues.  
• Develop long-term account plans that convert successful projects into repeat business, framework activity, adjacent opportunities and strategic partnerships.  

Skills and Qualifications: 

• Proven success in defence, security, aerospace or adjacent technology sales, with experience selling complex engineering, R&D, consultancy, systems, services or capability led solutions.  
• Strong understanding of the UK defence ecosystem, including MOD, defence primes, specialist SMEs, procurement routes, innovation funding, frameworks and collaborative bid environments. 
• Demonstrable ability to manage the complete sales cycle, including prospecting, qualification, solution shaping, capture, proposal leadership, negotiation, close, handover and account expansion. 
• Technical credibility, ideally supported by an engineering, science, electronics, communications, systems, software, RF, sensing or related technology background. 
• Ability to absorb complex technical briefings and translate them into customer-focused commercial propositions that are clear, relevant and outcome-led. 
• Confident engaging at multiple levels, from engineers and project leads through to senior military, government, commercial and executive stakeholders. 
• Structured and disciplined sales approach, with strong pipeline management, forecasting, account planning and CRM hygiene. 
• Collaborative working style, able to bring together technical, delivery and commercial colleagues to pursue opportunities and maintain customer trust. 
• Existing networks across defence customers, primes, SMEs, technology partners, military users or innovation communities would be highly advantageous. 
• High levels of initiative, resilience and curiosity, with the ability to create opportunities in an often complex, long-cycle and relationship-driven market. 
• Strong presentation skills and the ability to develop and deliver effective sales campaigns.