Business Development Manager – Defence in Cockermouth

Business Development Manager – Defence

Location: Haydock, St Helens (minimum of 2 days per week in either office)

Cockermouth, Cumbria (minimum of 2 days per week in either office)

Job type: Permanent / Full-time

Contracted hours: Full time – 36hrs per week (we offer an option to condense full-time hours into 4 days Monday – Thursday)

About the role

Overview of the role

As Business Development Manager – Defence Sector Growth, you will be responsible for driving the growth of Delkia’s Defence sector. Working closely with the Managing Director – Defence and the wider leadership team, you will shape and deliver the sector growth strategy, build strategic customer and partner relationships, develop a high-quality opportunity pipeline and convert targeted campaigns into sustainable revenue. This is a senior, externally focused role for a commercially astute Defence professional who can influence customers, shape opportunities early and position Delkia for long-term success in the Defence market.

You will take a lead role in growing the Defence sector, combining market insight, customer engagement, commercial judgement and delivery awareness to identify where Delkia can create value. You may have built your career in business development, account leadership, commercial, capture, projects, programme delivery, operations or a related customer-facing Defence role.

What you’ll be responsible for

In this role, you will lead Defence sector growth activity, including:

• Own and deliver the Defence sector growth plan, translating strategy into targeted customer, account and campaign activity.
• Build, maintain and grow senior relationships with Defence customers, primes, partners and stakeholders, positioning Delkia as a trusted strategic delivery partner.
• Develop and manage a qualified Defence opportunity pipeline, ensuring clear priorities, robust qualification, timely progression and strong visibility of future revenue.
• Identify and shape strategic opportunities early, using customer insight, market intelligence, frameworks, portals, partner engagement and sector knowledge.
• Lead capture activity for priority opportunities, influencing win strategy, customer positioning, partner approach, commercial strategy and bid readiness.
• Work with technical, commercial, operational and delivery teams to shape credible propositions that address customer needs and maximise Delkia’s competitive advantage.
• Provide senior insight to the Managing Director – Defence and leadership team on market trends, customer priorities, competitor activity, pipeline performance and growth risks.
• Drive conversion of strategic opportunities into orders, revenue and long-term customer value.

About you

Essential experience

We are looking for a senior Defence growth professional who can demonstrate:

• A proven track record of growing business within Defence programmes, Defence customers and/or Defence supply chains.
• Experience owning or significantly contributing to sector, account, campaign or market growth plans.
• Strong senior-level customer engagement skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships with Defence customers, primes, partners and internal stakeholders.
• Experience developing, qualifying and managing opportunity pipelines, with clear evidence of converting opportunities into revenue or long-term customer value.
• The ability to shape opportunities early, influence win strategy and connect customer challenges with credible technical, commercial and delivery solutions.
• A strong understanding of how Defence customers operate, including stakeholders, requirements, procurement routes, decision-making and delivery environments.
• Commercial confidence, with experience influencing bids, tenders, proposals, frameworks, negotiation, pricing or revenue growth activity.
• Eligibility to obtain and maintain the appropriate level of UK security clearance, including any nationality requirements associated with Defence work.

Desirable experience

The following would strengthen an application, but they are not essential. We welcome candidates who bring relevant Defence sector growth experience from a range of career paths:

• Experience leading strategic account plans, capture plans, customer engagement plans or sector growth campaigns for Defence customers.
• Working knowledge of Defence acquisition, CADMID, Defence Lines of Development and/or relevant MOD commercial and procurement routes.
• Experience working with Defence capability, equipment, infrastructure, digital, engineering, service or transformation programmes.
• Experience leading or influencing major bids, tenders, frameworks, portals, partner campaigns or strategic growth initiatives.
• Professional development or membership in business development, commercial management, programme delivery, procurement, project management, engineering or a related discipline.

The Person

This is a senior role requiring judgement, ownership and the ability to influence across customers, partners and internal teams. Alongside the experience above, we would like to see:

• o collaboration and teamwork
• o integrity, trust and accountability
• o safety and security
• o client focused
• o positive social value and impact
• o continuous improvement

What we offer

In return, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

Ways of Working

• 36 hours full time working
• Optional 4 day working week (Monday to Thursday)
• Hybrid working for many roles (minimum of 2 days per week on site)

Time Off

• 23 days holiday, plus 3 discretionary days to cover the Christmas closedown period (plus bank holidays)
• Option to purchase up to 36 hours additional holiday
• Birthday day off (in addition to your holiday entitlement)
• 1 STEM Day per year

Other benefits

• Healthcare cash plan – allowing you to reclaim the cost of everyday healthcare
• Employers pension contributions of 5%
• Life Assurance (Death in Service) benefit
• Cycle to work scheme
• Professional membership fees (if required for your role)
• Free onsite parking
• Free refreshments and fruit in the workplace

Security and Vetting

We take the security requirements of our industry, client and customers very seriously so before joining the team you’ll be required to undertake a number of checks. Depending on your role, you may be subject to UK national security vetting restrictions. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK and satisfy requirements for national security vetting clearance as appropriate to the role applied for.

Equal Opportunities

We believe in equality, diversity and inclusion and positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. If you require any reasonable adjustments during any part of the application process, please get in touch to discuss.

Confidentiality

All applications received will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence and restricted to those involved in the recruitment process.