Plextek
Business Development Lead
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Defence Business Development Lead – Maritime
South Cambridgeshire
Hybrid Working - 3 days office
About the position
Plextek’s breadth of experience in antenna design, high-frequency electronics, digital signal processing, and embedded systems means they are now a world leader in low size, weight, power and cost communications, radar, and sensing systems. Plextek provides broad and innovative design and engineering services across a range of sectors (consumer, defence, industrial, utilities, healthcare, automotive, security, and space). Consequently, the work is varied, interesting and often technically challenging. We are seeking an experienced Sales/Business Development Manager to own and drive the full sales lifecycle for campaigns within Plextek’s defence business: 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.
Role Purpose
- 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 Plextek’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 Plextek’s 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 Plextek 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
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Key Responsibilities
Sales Strategy and Market Development
- Build a structured defence sales plan aligned to Plextek’s growth priorities, technical strengths and target market segments as directed by the Growth Director
- Monitor defence market trends, funding priorities, procurement frameworks and emerging capability requirements to identify where Plextek can create differentiated value
- Develop clear customer and partner segmentation, focusing effort on opportunities where Plextek’s engineering depth, agility and technology heritage provide a strong route to win
- Position Plextek as a trusted technology partner able to support applied research, demonstrators, prototypes, system development and deployable solutions
Opportunity Creation, Qualification and Capture
- Generate new qualified opportunities through networking, referrals, industry events, direct outreach, partner engagement and structured account development
- Apply disciplined qualification to assess customer need, budget, authority, timing, competitive landscape, delivery fit and strategic value
- Shape opportunities before formal procurement wherever possible, ensuring Plextek is positioned around customer outcomes rather than generic technical capability
- Create compelling win strategies for more complex defence opportunities, including collaboration models for larger bids where Plextek may act as prime, subcontractor, specialist partner or technical authority
Proposal, Negotiation and Close
- Lead the commercial development of proposals, ensuring the customer problem, technical approach, delivery plan, price, value proposition and risk position are clearly articulated
- Coordinate inputs from engineering, delivery, finance, commercial and senior leadership teams to produce high-quality, timely and persuasive bid responses
- Support negotiation of scope, pricing, terms, milestones and commercial commitments while protecting Plextek’s delivery quality, margin and long-term customer relationship
- Drive opportunities to closure through proactive stakeholder management, decision tracking, objection handling and executive engagement where required
Delivery Handover and Account Growth
- Ensure a robust handover from sales into project delivery, including customer context, success criteria, commercial assumptions, relationship history and future growth potential
- 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
- Act as a voice of the customer inside Plextek, helping shape future propositions, investment priorities and market messaging
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Candidate Profile
- 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
Success Measures
- Sales growth in qualified defence pipeline and conversion of priority opportunities into contracted revenue
- Improved quality and predictability of account plans, forecasts, capture strategies and proposal submissions
- Increased customer awareness of Plextek’s defence-relevant capabilities and stronger positioning with target accounts and partners
- Successful transition of won opportunities into delivery, with clear handover, strong customer confidence and identification of follow-on work
- Development of strategic relationships that support repeat business, larger bids and long-term technology partnerships
The Rewards
We offer an excellent package, a stimulating environment, and a real interest in your development to encourage you to achieve your full potential. We are a versatile business, able to support career progression as appropriate. We are based just south of Cambridge with easy road and rail routes to the vibrant city centre. We provide a friendly and supportive working environment, including regular on-site and off-site social events.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London