Marketing Manager

Are you an experienced B2B marketing professional looking for the opportunity to build and lead a marketing function? Can you turn complex technology into clear propositions, persuasive campaigns and practical sales tools? Are you ambitious, commercially minded and ready to make your mark in a growing UK technology company?

Due to continued growth, Drone Defence Services Ltd is looking for a Marketing Manager with broad, practical experience in B2B technology marketing to take ownership of our marketing activity and help build the function for the next phase of the company’s development. Drone Defence develops drone detection, tracking, airspace intelligence and counter drone technology for customers operating in complex and security sensitive environments. Our products combine radio frequency sensing, computer vision, data fusion and cloud software to help organisations understand and respond to activity in the airspace around them.

This is a hands-on role with genuine strategic responsibility. Initially, you will personally deliver much of the work while establishing the plans, systems, standards and evidence needed to support a larger marketing team as the company expands. You may currently be a Senior Marketing Executive or Marketing Manager who is ready to take broader ownership and develop into a future Head of Marketing.

Location: We are headquartered in Retford, Nottinghamshire, with a direct rail link from London and the North, along with direct access from the A1 motorway.

Working Hours: This is therefore a full-time, predominantly office-based role, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Limited flexible working may be available once the successful candidate is established in the role, providing objectives are met and positive communication is maintained.

Salary: £45,000 to £50,000 depending on experience and the calibre of the candidate.

Reporting Line: The Marketing Manager will initially report directly to the Chief Executive Officer and work closely with sales, product, engineering, software and operations.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• You will take ownership of the company’s marketing function, combining strategic judgement with practical delivery.
• Your role will be to improve how Drone Defence understands its markets, presents its products, supports sales and creates measurable commercial demand.
• Specific duties include:
• Marketing strategy and planning: Develop and maintain a focused marketing plan aligned with the company strategy, priority markets, revenue objectives and product roadmap.
• Product positioning: Create clear positioning, messaging and value propositions for our products, capabilities, customer segments and use cases.
• Technical translation: Work with engineers and product owners to convert complex technical capability into accurate, compelling and commercially useful language.
• Customer and market insight: Develop a strong understanding of customer needs, buying behaviour, market structure, competitors and emerging opportunities.
• Sales enablement: Produce and maintain presentations, product briefs, brochures, case studies, demonstrations, comparison material and other assets that help progress opportunities.
• Campaign management: Plan and deliver integrated campaigns across web, email, social media, public relations, events and partner channels.
• Content creation: Write and produce high quality content including articles, customer stories, thought leadership, product material, video, photography and campaign assets.
• Website ownership: Manage the company website, ensuring its structure, content, search performance and customer journeys support the company’s commercial priorities.
• Digital marketing: Use search, email, social media, remarketing and other appropriate channels to build relevant audiences and generate qualified engagement.
• Events and exhibitions: Plan and support exhibitions, demonstrations, customer events and industry engagement, with clear objectives and disciplined follow up.
• Partner marketing: Support distributors, resellers and strategic partners with consistent messaging, campaign material and joint market activity.
• Public relations: Identify credible stories, manage external communications and build relationships with appropriate trade, technology and business media.
• Brand stewardship: Maintain a consistent and professional brand across products, communications, presentations, events and customer touchpoints.
• Measurement and reporting: Establish useful performance measures and report on campaign effectiveness, customer engagement, pipeline contribution and return on marketing investment.
• Budget and suppliers: Manage agreed budgets and external agencies or suppliers, maintaining high standards, commercial control and clear accountability.
• Future team development: Define the capabilities and specialist roles required as the company expands, then help recruit, develop and lead the future marketing team.

Experience, Skills and Knowledge:

• The successful candidate is likely to have at least five years of relevant marketing experience and evidence of increasing responsibility.
• B2B marketing experience: Strong experience marketing products or services to business, government or institutional customers through a considered sales process.
• Technology or technical markets: Experience in technology, software, security, aerospace, engineering, industrial systems or another field where products require explanation and evidence.
• Product marketing: Evidence of developing propositions, messaging, market segmentation, launches or sales enablement for complex products.
• Campaign delivery: A record of planning and delivering coordinated campaigns across several channels, with clear objectives, budgets and measures of success.
• Commercial understanding: An appreciation of sales pipelines, customer acquisition, opportunity progression, tender activity and the distinction between marketing activity and commercial results.
• Content and copywriting: Excellent written English and the ability to produce accurate, concise and persuasive content for technical and senior audiences.
• Digital capability: Practical experience of website management, content management systems, email marketing, search optimisation, social channels and analytics platforms.
• Creative capability: Sufficient design, photography or video capability to create and improve day to day material, while knowing when specialist support is required.
• Data and analysis: The ability to interpret performance data, identify what is working, test assumptions and make evidence led recommendations.
• Project management: The ability to manage several priorities, coordinate internal contributors and external suppliers, and deliver complete work to agreed timescales.
• Stakeholder management: Confidence working directly with the CEO, technical specialists, customers, partners and commercial teams, including the ability to ask difficult questions and challenge vague claims.
• Personal ownership: A record of taking responsibility for outcomes rather than waiting for detailed instructions or treating activity as completion.

Desired Experience:

• Marketing to defence, security, law enforcement, critical infrastructure, aviation or public sector customers.
• International B2B marketing and support for distributors, resellers or strategic partners.