SoCode Recruitment
Senior Business Development Manager - Defence - Cambridgeshire Hybrid - Permanent Role
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Are you an accomplished business development professional with a strong technical understanding of RF systems, wireless communications, sensing or radar?
This is an opportunity to take a leading role in the commercial growth of an innovative, technology-led engineering business with world-class expertise across RF, antenna design, high-frequency electronics, digital signal processing and embedded systems.
Working across diverse markets including industrial, automotive, utilities, healthcare, security, consumer technology and space, you will be responsible for identifying and converting new commercial opportunities outside the traditional defence sector. This is not simply a sales role. You will act as the critical bridge between advanced engineering capability and customer needs, shaping propositions, opening new markets and turning complex technical challenges into high-value commercial opportunities.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Own and grow a high-quality business development pipeline, consistently delivering against ambitious revenue and growth targets.
- Identify, qualify and develop new opportunities across RF, communications, sensing and radar applications.
- Build relationships with senior decision-makers, technology leaders and commercial stakeholders across target industries.
- Develop compelling value propositions that translate sophisticated RF and sensing technologies into clear customer and business benefits.
- Understand customers’ strategic, commercial and technology challenges, and identify where specialist engineering capability can create genuine value.
- Work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to shape customer solutions, proposals and commercial strategies.
- Lead customer meetings, technical-commercial presentations, negotiations and opportunity development.
- Develop and execute targeted sales campaigns to open new markets and generate significant new business.
- Monitor market trends, competitor activity and emerging technologies to identify new routes to growth.
- Maintain accurate sales forecasts, pipeline reporting and commercial intelligence.
- Represent the business at relevant industry events, conferences and trade shows.
- Contribute to the commercialisation of innovative technologies and products, from early-stage R&D through to market adoption.
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What We’re Looking For
You will be an experienced, commercially driven business development professional who combines technical credibility with proven B2B sales success.
Ideally, you will bring:
- A good first degree, preferably in engineering, physics or a related technical discipline.
- 10+ years of post-graduate experience, including at least five years in a proven business development or technical sales role.
- Experience selling engineering, technology, consultancy or R&D services into commercial markets.
- Strong knowledge of RF systems, wireless communications, sensing, radar or related technologies.
- A demonstrable track record of securing £1m+ in new orders per year for at least three consecutive years within a B2B services environment.
- A strong appetite for opening new markets and building substantial pipelines from scratch.
- An established network across relevant technology-led industries outside defence.
- Experience taking technologies from research and development through to commercialisation.
- The ability to engage confidently with both technical specialists and senior commercial decision-makers.
- Excellent presentation, influencing, negotiation and communication skills.
- A strategic and entrepreneurial approach, with the drive to identify opportunities others may not see.
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Why Join?
You’ll join a highly capable and collaborative engineering environment where the work is varied, technically challenging and commercially meaningful.
With expertise spanning multiple technologies and sectors, you’ll have the opportunity to work on genuinely innovative solutions while playing a pivotal role in shaping the organisation’s next phase of growth.
In return, you can expect:
- A competitive overall package.
- A stimulating, technology-rich working environment.
- Genuine opportunities for professional and career development.
- The autonomy and support to make a visible commercial impact.
- A friendly, collaborative culture with regular on-site and off-site social activities.
- A convenient location just south of Cambridge, with excellent road and rail connections to the city.
Make Your Mark
If you are an ambitious Business Development professional who understands how advanced technology becomes commercial opportunity, this is a chance to take ownership of a high-growth market agenda and help bring innovative RF, communications, sensing and radar technologies to new customers and industries.
If you have the technical credibility, commercial track record and appetite to build something significant, we’d like to hear from you.
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