Sales Lead

At Leonardo, there is a fantastic opportunity for a Sales Lead to join their Sensors sales team with a specific focus on Complex Weapons in the United Kingdom (UK) but with a desire to grow exports through targeted campaigns. The role of the Sales Lead is to identify, develop and execute new business winning opportunities. You will be responsible for engaging closely with customers, industry partners and end-users in both the UK and abroad, in order to close deals that meet sales targets.

The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of both the UK and International defence and aerospace markets, as well as experience and proven success in strategic selling of Complex Weapons or associated technology, leveraging experience working with both domestic and International industry. This is a high profile role focused on a key growth area for the organisation, with the successful applicant regularly briefing senior leadership with the opportunity to visibly excel and become a significant contributor to the organisation’s success over the next decade. Experience of leading business capture and devising and implementing complex strategies is highly valued.

The Sales Lead reports to the Head of Sales for the Sensors business unit and is responsible for key stakeholder management and engagement, identifying, developing and executing multiple strategies to meet both customer and business requirements. They will be responsible for working with key industry partners, both in the UK and abroad, managing, and reporting all aspects of those relationships.

The Sales Lead will be the main external Leonardo point of focus for the Precision Guidance business area and work closely with the Precision Guidance IPT to ensure coherence of approach and provide advice and feedback for the future direction of product development. An understanding of global Complex Weapons developments and future direction of travel would be beneficial.

This will require considerable external engagement with customers, weapons primes and end users. Therefore, the role holder must have excellent communication skills and be credible when engaging with customers to negotiate commercial and technical solutions. The successful candidate will be required to build a detailed capture plan based on the bid strategy to secure pursuit, bid and resourcing approvals. They will also develop bespoke win strategies, generate the price to win for individual supporting aspects of the campaign and provide oversight and input into the drafting of proposals.

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrable record of success in leading complex business pursuits, with a focus on meeting customer needs. An understanding of Complex Weapons is desirable, but applicants with adjacent experience will be considered.

• Secure order intake to meet forecast targets for current and future years (IBP) by managing and delivering a portfolio of campaigns and sales opportunities.
• Identifying and generating new Complex Weapons business in the UK and through exports.
• Meeting or exceeding annual sales goals.
• Develop bespoke win strategies; generate the price to win for pursuits as part of a broader global strategy.
• Be the primary Leonardo point of contact for the Precision Guidance line of business.
• Provide SME knowledge into the Precision Guidance programme teams.
• Develop and maintain relationships with Customers & End Users.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders including Regional and Divisional Marketing, their Capability function and other Leonardo lines of business.
• Track opportunities, present detailed prospects to SLT in order to secure pursuit, bid and resourcing approvals.
• Identify, create and validate opportunities for future sales and growth.
• Provide input to and support marketing & communications (MARCOM) events (exhibitions, demonstrations, conferences), as planned and directed.
• Assist in the preparation of private venture (PV) investment business cases to develop new capabilities.

• Relevant sector experience and commercial knowledge, in particular, knowledge of Complex Weapons.
• Self-starter and highly motivated and able to set short and long-term planning goals in line with campaign and business needs.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team as required.
• Innovative thinker able to anticipate and overcome problems in a complex international sales environment.
• Experience of export campaigns, International customers and influence of UK MOD to support Defence exporter opportunities.
• Significant experience in developing, managing and leading strategic campaigns within the Defence sector.
• Excellent communication, influence and presentation skills.
• Experienced and confident briefer, comfortable in all environments, from senior internal stakeholders, across industry, UK Government and International partners and customers.
• Required to make frequent visits (including overnight stays) to customer facilities in both the UK and overseas.

Primary location: GB - Basildon - Home Based

Additional locations: GB - London, GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300, GB - Southampton