Senior Business Development Manager

Our aerospace engineering consultancy has grown its client base substantially over the past year. We’re looking for someone to turn that momentum into new contracts, with a particular focus on UK defence opportunities.

Role Purpose

A key position within the well-established Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, this is an exciting opportunity to lead the identification, development and conversion of business opportunities across the defence and civil aerospace sectors, with a particular focus on growing the company’s commercial position within the UK defence market. Having grown its client base substantially over the past year, the aerospace consultancy now needs a full-time Senior Business Development Manager to make a significant impact on revenue growth.

The role will be responsible for developing strategic customer relationships, identifying and qualifying opportunities, shaping customer propositions and progressing opportunities through the full business development lifecycle. With a focus on revenue generation, this is a commercial position focused on driving long term, high impact, revenue generation for the consultancy business.

 

Working closely with senior leadership, engineering and programme teams, the Senior Business Development Manager will help position the company’s capabilities against current and emerging customer requirements and support the development of long-term, sustainable business.

 

The role will have a strong defence focus and requires demonstrable experience within the UK defence environment, alongside the ability to identify and develop opportunities across the wider civil aerospace market.

You’ll be the dedicated business development lead for the Aerospace Consultancy division of the business. You’ll work directly with our team of specialist engineers, who will deliver the work you win. You’ll own customer relationships from the first discussion through to contract award.

Role Responsibilities

• Develop and execute business development activity across defence and civil aerospace markets, with a strong focus on defence growth in relation to gaining and growing aerospace consultancy revenue.
• Identify, qualify and develop new opportunities aligned with the company's capabilities, technologies and strategic objectives.
  • Identify, develop and convert a robust pipeline of qualified opportunities aligned with the Aerospace Consultancy growth strategy.
  • Deliver business development activities that contribute to the achievement of annual revenue, growth and market expansion objectives.
  • Act as a strategic ambassador for Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, influencing customer thinking, identifying future capability needs and shaping market opportunities within defence and aerospace sectors.
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships across the UK defence ecosystem, including the MOD, Armed Forces, Defence Primes, major suppliers, government organisations and relevant technology partners.
• Develop relationships with civil aerospace customers, OEMs, operators, technology companies and strategic partners.
• Maintain a strong understanding of defence programmes, customer requirements, procurement routes and emerging capability requirements.
• Identify opportunities at an early stage and work with the technology and engineering teams to help shape solutions around customer requirements.
• Lead customer engagement from initial contact and opportunity qualification through proposal development, negotiation and contract award.
• Lead and support responses to RFIs, RFPs, ITTs and other formal procurement opportunities.
• Develop compelling commercial propositions and proposals in collaboration with engineering, programme, finance and commercial teams. Lead the gate process for developing opportunities within the business.
• Build and maintain a robust business development pipeline, using the CRM system to provide clear reporting on opportunity value, probability, timescales, prioritisation and next actions.
• Represent the business at industry events, conferences, exhibitions and customer meetings in the UK and internationally.
• Monitor market developments, competitor activity, government policy, funding opportunities and future aerospace and defence requirements.
• Identify opportunities for strategic partnerships, consortium activity and collaborative bids where these strengthen the company's market position.
• Support the development of long-term account strategies for key customers and partners.
• Provide commercial and market insight to senior leadership to support wider business strategy and investment decisions.

Role Requirements

Essential

• Excellent communication skills
• Natural strategic thinker
• Significant business development, sales, capture or commercial experience within the aerospace and defence sector.
• Demonstrable experience within the UK defence market, with a strong understanding of defence customers, procurement processes and routes to contract.
• Experience developing relationships with organisations such as the UK MOD, Armed Forces, Defence Primes and/or major defence suppliers.
• Proven track record of identifying, developing and converting complex, high-value business opportunities.
• Experience managing long and technically complex business development cycles.
• Experience contributing to or leading formal bids, tenders and proposals.
• Strong commercial awareness, including experience of pricing, contracting and negotiation.
• Ability to understand technically complex products, programmes and capabilities and translate these into compelling customer propositions.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the credibility to engage effectively at senior customer and executive level.
• Ability to work collaboratively with engineering and technical teams to develop solutions against customer requirements.
• Strong pipeline management, forecasting and opportunity qualification skills.

• Willingness to travel within the UK and internationally as required.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain UK Security Clearance (SC) as a minimum.

 

Desirable

• Experience within civil aerospace markets, including working with OEMs, operators, technology companies or other aerospace stakeholders.
• Experience within UAS/UAV, autonomous systems or uncrewed aviation programmes.
• Existing senior-level network within UK defence and aerospace.
• Experience within advanced aircraft development or other emerging aerospace technologies.
• Understanding of UK defence innovation and technology acquisition routes.
• International defence or aerospace business development experience.
• Experience working within a Part 21 Design Organisation or regulated aerospace environment.
• Understanding of UK Defence Digital, Future Combat Air System (FCAS), AUKUS, DSTL or Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) structures.
• Experience of strategic partnership development and consortium leadership.
• Experience selling engineering consultancy services.
• Understanding of aerospace certification and regulatory environments.