XTEND
Business Development Director
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Business Development Director
Head of Defence & Government Business Development (UK) - Xtend UK
This role exists to move Xtend UK beyond its current single-customer base into the Royal Navy, RAF, Army HQ, Strategic Command, and selected private security channels. You will own pipeline and revenue contribution – we are not looking for passive relationship management; instead, we need someone who builds pipeline, opens accounts, and converts opportunities into signed business.
Core Responsibilities
- Expand MOD clientele: Build and execute the wider-MOD Business Development (BD) plan targeting Royal Navy, RAF, Army HQ, Strategic Command, DE&S, Front Line Commands, and enhance engagement in critical defence sectors. Open long-standing closed doors.
- Parallel private security & homeland channel: Develop and establish a separate channel for private security and homeland security (e.g., CORPS, Level Peaks, ETC), progressing opportunities into closed deals.
- Manage full BD lifecycle: Identify, qualify, position, and capture opportunities; hand over qualified leads to the internal bid team for closure. Own pipeline health, revenue forecasts, and performance disciplined like a sales leader, ensuring numbers drive execution.
- Drive revenue contribution: Focus on converting opportunities into signed contracts – your revenue scorecard predicts success.
- Customer-centric engagement: Represent Xtend UK at key industry events (DSEI, Three Counties) to convert presence into qualified opportunities and ensure a strong company profile in key markets.
- Align roadmap with customer needs: Collaborate with VP BD, MD, and global engineering teams to align product development with evolving UK defence-customer requirements.
- Prime & subcontractor partnerships: Secure prime and trusted subcontractor relationships with UK defence primes where they accelerate win rates.
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Requirements
- 8+ years in BD & capture within UK defence: Proven experience developing accounts across at least two MOD domains (e.g., Army, Navy, RAF, DE&S, primes, contractors).
- Proven wilderness: Personal track record of bringing new accounts from engagement to signed contract, with verifiable references.
- Hunter mentality: Measured by qualified pipeline and closed revenue, not vanity metrics such as meetings booked.
- MOD Best Value deep knowledge: Expertise in DEFCON, Single Source, ITT, CP&F, and the political landscape of defence procurement.
- Cross-discipline fluency: Confident engaging with senior military, civil servants, and principals/CEOs at all levels—expect to speak at both meetings within the same week.
- Fluency & Work Authorisation: Native English speaker; eligible to work in the UK.
- Advantageous Background:
- Ex-military officer (Maj/Lt Col/Sqn Ldr/Cdr ranks or equivalent).
- Prior experience with UAV/ISR/counter-UAS capabilities.
- Existing Security Clearance (SC or DV level) to streamline assessments.
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Environment & Expectations
Xtend UK is a fast-growing defence-tech company operating with urgency, governance in progression, and team autonomy.
- Noöderity to work: Expect input beyond formal scope. Teamwork and mission focus extend beyond typical hierarchies—process and bureaucracy come after capability that especially matters to operators.
- Opportunity-driven: Own creating value from nothing—door opening and momentum creation needs to keep changing what was possible yesterday.
- Lean infrastructure: Work without heavy support dependency; you bring network, discipline, and a proven close-to-sale instinct. We provide product networking/resources backing.
- Business travel: Maximum time spent engaging customers in market presence—issue not exception.
- Execution rate: Our mantra is expedition speed, total ownership, bias toward action. Ideas closing rapidly drive value and competitive advantage.
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