Director of Business Development - Defence & Government

Director of Business Development - Defence & Government

• Full-time
• Location: London
• Department: Sales / Business Development / Bid Management
• Employment Type: Permanent

Responsible for line managing Business Development Managers (BDM) and coaching them to create the appropriate business winning environment for the Defence & Government sector.

Using detailed market understanding, plan and develop opportunities across their full lifecycle and pursue captures/campaigns in both the UK and International market.

Drive the business development and growth strategy for the Defence & Government market, which encompasses new build vessels, upgrade and conversion, and heavy fabrication and infrastructure. This includes articulating customer requirements to the business and advocating new solution developments to meet these needs, identifying teaming and partnering opportunities to deliver winning solutions and highlighting potential compatible technology and service solution provider acquisition opportunities for the Business.

Undertake customer engagement activities to support the business across our 4 sites, collaborating across 4 markets and 6 services.

Responsible for identifying, creating and developing new opportunities for the Business and maturing them until the point that the Business can take a pursue/stop decision.

Drive the success of the organisation through effective leadership, strategic planning, and relationship management within the Defence & Government market. The role’s key metrics are opportunity and order book growth and conversion.

Increase the Company’s revenue and profitability wherever possible by leveraging existing and new relationships, incentive mechanisms & initiatives and marketing activity.

The Role

• End-to-End Sales Process Management:
  • Take ownership of the entire sales process, from lead generation to order intake and provide comprehensive after-sales support.
  • Implement sales forecasting mechanisms and manage the sales funnel, ensuring seamless integration into the H&W Group.
• Strategic Planning and Growth:
  • Develop and execute strategic plans aligned with the H&W growth agenda, ensuring the achievement of order intake and business growth as outlined in the Business Plan.
  • Develop and implement strategies, aligned to the General Managers’ P&L, to ensure the achievement of targeted order intake.
  • Collaborate with General Managers and relevant teams to align operational resource plans with order intake forecasts, supporting workforce planning activities.
• Team Leadership and Opportunity Management:
  • Direct the BD team's activities, overseeing the identification, qualification, and delivery of opportunities for Capture, and guide the team through the bid cycle.
  • Collaborate with BD teams across 4 sites, 4 markets, 6 services, and the wider H&W Group to identify and leverage broader opportunities, sharing insights and best practices.
• Relationship Management:
  • Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with the UK and international customer community, local influencers, and relevant forums.
  • Collaborate with GMs, Operations, and other stakeholders to provide opportunity forecasting, supporting resource and workforce planning.
• In collaboration with Marketing & Communications, lead the development of marketing plans for events, exhibitions, and promotional activities, showcasing Defence & Government market products and capabilities.
• Opportunity Qualification and Stakeholder Management:
  • Actively participate in opportunity qualification, contributing significantly to bid/no-bid decision-making processes.
  • Develop and maintain robust internal stakeholder management plans, fostering strong and effective relationships.
• Market and Campaign Planning:
  • Lead the production and review of comprehensive market and campaign plans to support order intake targets, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.
• Innovation and Growth Models:
  • Identify and implement innovative, growth-focused business models and routes to market, exploring potential industry partnerships to enhance market presence.
• Team Development:
  • Develop the capabilities of the BD team to improve the win rate, providing mentorship, training, and support for professional growth.
• Compliance and Governance: Ensure all business-winning activities consistently comply with relevant governance requirements, upholding ethical standards and legal obligations.
• Extensive experience across the Defence & Government markets (UK, EU, or International), ideally as an end user, and then subsequent experience of business winning, strategy development, key account management and successful order book acumen.
• Senior leadership experience in a similar role(s), with demonstrable soft and hard sales skills.
• Degree (Hons) in a business or engineering discipline subject matter or equivalent.
• Strong technical knowledge within the Defence & Government market environment.
• Significant and successful experience is required to strategically navigate the right opportunity pursuits and successfully convert must win projects and crucially, to convert orders at pace to enable a series of fabrication and manufacturing throughput into the delivery centres (Belfast, Appledore, Methil and Arnish as appropriate).
• Broad, diverse network across Governmental / Regulatory stakeholders, Academia, and wider supply chain including but not exhaustive to Renewables sector
• UK and International mobility to Clients a must. Location flexible.

The Package:

• Company pension
• 31days holiday
• Life Assurance
• Medical cover
• L&D opportunities

If you experience difficulties or are unable to apply for a role on-line please contact us at [email protected] and one of the team will be in contact to help you.


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