Stax - Deep Tech Talent
Head of Commercial (Defence) - Future CRO
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Head of Commercial (Defence) - Future CRO
The Opportunity
Stax are excited to be representing an early-stage Deeptech company developing next-generation battery technologies rooted in 15 years of research at the University of Cambridge. Backed by top-tier venture capital investors, they are at a critical stage of growth following a successful close of a major fundraising round.
Our client is looking to appoint a Head of Commercial (Future Chief Revenue Officer) to steer their go-to-market trajectory as they scale, having already secured purchase orders.
Based in Cambridge, our client develops cutting-edge, highly technical products tailored for a narrow universe of national security, defence, and strategic industrial customers. Operating with immediate access to the CEO, this role is designed for a high-octane operator who wants to own the entire commercial lifecycle and scale a business from early traction to a category-defining enterprise.
๐ฏ The Mission
You will lead:
- Day-to-day discovery, needs analysis, and solution shaping.
- Technical sales cycles with a dedicated customer set encompassing government buyers, primes, and OEMs.
- Deal execution at a 6-to-7+ figure (or higher) level, managing long-cycle contract processes.
- Collaborative partnerships: treating early customers as true design partners by bridging the gap between their sophisticated operational needs and our internal engineering teams.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet โ 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 โ and where to focus when applying.
๐ ๏ธ Key Responsibilities
- End-to-End Account Ownership: Take over conversations after CEO introduction, driving deals through:
- Qualification
- Negotiation
- Closing
- Ecosystem Mapping: Engage with key decision-makers and influencers across:
- MOD units
- Government buyers
- Integrators
- Strategic primes (aerospace, defence, heavy industrial sectors)
- Technical Value Selling:
- Host structured technical workshops
- Facilitate product demonstrations in partnership with the engineering team
- Commercial Cadence:
- Build a rigorous CRM pipeline
- Establish from scratch a clean and efficient commercial operating system
๐ค Ideal Candidate Profile
To thrive in this role, we seek an individual with:
- Defence Domain Credibility:
- Deep familiarity with UK/European defence procurement
- Experience with complex rank/role structures across buyers and integrators
- Background includes: ex-military, ex-civil servant, or a deep-tech defence sales expert
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
-
B2B Deal Execution:
- Proven track record of independently leading high-value, multi-stakeholder technical sales cycles of 1M+ per deal (1-2 figures relevant)
- Expertise in technical solutions with high ืชืฉืืืืื/integration risks (multiple packages enabled by internal engineering)
- Direct experience with:
- Pre-bid technical response submissions
- Technical Opportunity Assessment phases
- Proposal writing for defence contracts inclusive of FOI (Freedom of Information) considerations
-
Technical Fluency:
- Ability to seamlessly translate between federated technical engineers and non-technical stakeholders (buyers, contract managers, end users)
- Strong roots in productisation and systems integration
-
Startup Mindset:
- Hands-on execution-focused (not advisory)
- Self-driving momentum within a small core team
- Okay with volatility, long cycles, and unpredictable vendor demand
โ What This Role Is Not
-
High-volume outbound lead generation or standard SDR/BDR role
-
Passive Rolodex-owner or purely administrative function
-
Political or corporate infighting as the primary vector for growth
โIt 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 Iโve been looking for.โ
Jessica, London
Skills