At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive client engagement and build partnerships in the Defence sector for Plexal.
- Company: Join Plexal, a dynamic innovation and growth company in the tech sector.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, annual bonus, generous pension, private healthcare, and 25 days holiday.
- Other info: Embrace a diverse and inclusive culture with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in Defence while collaborating with top industry players.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in UK Defence business development and strong stakeholder relationships.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Defence is a critical sector for Plexal’s Innovation Services business, where Plexal supports across a range of areas, from embedding innovation practices, designing new models for technology adoption and accessing new and disruptive technologies. The Senior Customer Lead, Defence, reports to the Director of National Security and Defence in Plexal’s Go-To-Market function and is responsible for driving client engagement across a range of stakeholders (from MOD to Defence Primes) to deliver tangible growth for Plexal in the Defence sector.
What You'll Do
- Act as Account Manager for Plexal’s existing Defence clients, ensuring strong, resilient partnerships through the whole life cycle of Plexal’s client engagement from prospecting, proposal development, opportunity identification, and customer satisfaction in project delivery.
- Drive Plexal’s growth in Defence through building creative and diverse partnerships for revenue across the UK Defence sector, including MOD (especially National Armaments Director Group), wider MOD bodies, and significant defence suppliers/primes.
- Own and manage senior relationships and build new routes to market from scratch.
- Provide high value defence sector expertise and a pre-existing network in defence to illuminate routes to market and opportunities for Plexal’s defence sector growth.
- Lead on critical Defence GTM activities including partnership with defence primes, collaboration with bid consortia and securing Plexal’s position on defence frameworks.
- Develop, validate and sell new propositions into the Defence sector, working closely with internal teams to create offerings that address critical client needs and enable strategic, long-term growth in the Defence sector.
- Contribute to the strategy and overall delivery of the NS & Defence GTM team, supporting NS&D strategic campaigns across a diverse portfolio of client delivery.
- Be a valued contributor to the evolution of Plexal’s GTM function and delivery teams working in defence.
Requires regular business travel across all Plexal sites. Needs the ability to manage and influence through both face-to-face and virtual team environments. The role requires SC clearance (minimum); DV (preferred).
Your Experience
- Essential: 8+ years of experience in UK Defence sector business development/GTM (e.g. consulting, technology delivery or Defence primes). Extant, valid SC (essential) or DV (highly desirable) clearance. Extensive experience of working directly with key UK Defence stakeholders, especially National Armaments Director Group organisations and defence primes. An established and wide network in UK defence, and significant subject matter expertise on UK defence challenges, technology requirements and procurement. Proven and wide-ranging experience of winning new business, proposition development, and building high value revenue growth with defence clients.
- Highly Desirable: Experience of working on technology adoption, innovation ecosystems, or organisational change in government, especially Defence or National Security.
Who You Are
- Able to operate autonomously as an individual contributor, delivering against GTM objectives and targets.
- Accountable for personal delivery, and able to work collaboratively in a wider GTM team contributing to overall NS&D objectives.
- A strategic mindset, able to anticipate medium-long term client demand and opportunities for Plexal’s defence growth.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, able to develop rapport and strong relationships with clients, understand client needs and align Plexal to deliver against them.
- A strategic thinker, able to understand long-term trends in clients and develop credible Plexal propositions.
- A collaborative worker, with a strong bias to supporting and enabling broader teams (both GTM and London-based Plexal colleagues).
Why us?
Plexal’s Values: Mission: We inherit the mission of UK government and deliver it in an agile and creative fashion. Collaboration: We believe in the power of working together. Equality: We strengthen ourselves as a team by embracing the different. Care: People are at the heart of what we do; we care about our customers, members and colleagues. As a start-up, we thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced work environment dedicated to empowering innovators. We embrace individuals who leverage technology and creativity to tackle our greatest challenges head-on. We strongly advocate for maintaining a harmonious work-life balance, our goal is to ensure every member of our team can authentically be themselves and live their best lives. We firmly believe that innovation and creativity flourish when we cultivate a diverse workforce, comprising highly skilled individuals with a wide range of perspectives to contribute.
In return we will offer you:
- Salary: £80,000 - £100,000 depending on skills and experience
- Annual bonus scheme
- A generous pension scheme (with a company contribution of up to 10%)
- Private healthcare, life assurance and critical illness cover
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Volunteering day
Plexal is an equal opportunities employer and we actively encourage applicants from individuals from all backgrounds. We are a Disability Committed employer and are willing to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
About us
Plexal is the innovation and growth company helping to strengthen the UK’s technology capabilities through collaboration. With teams in London, Manchester and Cheltenham, we work closely with government, industry, startups and academia to drive economic growth and reinforce national security. Founded by Delancey in 2017, Plexal delivers four core services: creating workspaces for innovators, running innovation programmes and consultancy, building regional tech clusters and helping SMEs scale strategically. By closing the gap between early-stage and established organisations – across the public and private sectors at home and abroad – we’ve impacted over 1,200 businesses, added £731m to the UK economy and helped create 9,400 jobs. Headquartered at Here East on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Plexal partners with organisations including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the National Cyber Security Centre, Airbus, Amazon, Barclays Eagle Labs, Google Cloud, TfL, The Alan Turing Institute and the University of Oxford.
Senior Customer Lead, Defence in London employer: Plexal
Plexal is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work environment that empowers employees to drive innovation in the Defence sector. With a strong commitment to work-life balance, competitive salaries, and comprehensive benefits including private healthcare and generous pension contributions, Plexal fosters personal and professional growth through diverse opportunities and a culture that values creativity and inclusivity. Located at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, employees benefit from a vibrant setting that inspires collaboration with leading organisations and government bodies.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Customer Lead, Defence in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the Defence sector. Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential contacts on LinkedIn. The more connections you make, the better your chances of landing that Senior Customer Lead role.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers or clients, make sure to highlight your experience and knowledge in the Defence sector. Share insights on technology adoption and innovation practices to demonstrate your value and understanding of the market.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job openings to pop up. Reach out to Plexal directly through our website and express your interest in the Senior Customer Lead position. A little initiative can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm and commitment to joining our team.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by researching Plexal’s projects and partnerships in the Defence sector. Understand our mission and values, and think about how your skills align with what we do. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets what we’re all about!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Customer Lead, Defence in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Senior Customer Lead role. Highlight your experience in the UK Defence sector and how it aligns with Plexal’s mission. We want to see how you can drive client engagement and growth!
Showcase Your Network:Don’t forget to mention your existing connections within the Defence sector. We’re looking for someone who can leverage their network to build partnerships, so let us know about your relationships with key stakeholders!
Demonstrate Strategic Thinking:In your application, illustrate your strategic mindset. Share examples of how you've anticipated client needs and developed successful propositions in the past. We love seeing candidates who think ahead and can contribute to our growth strategy.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step!
How to prepare for a job interview at Plexal
✨Know Your Defence Sector Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the UK Defence sector. Familiarise yourself with current challenges, key players like the MOD and defence primes, and recent innovations. This knowledge will not only impress your interviewers but also help you articulate how your experience aligns with their needs.
✨Showcase Your Network
Highlight your existing relationships within the defence sector during the interview. Be ready to discuss how these connections can benefit Plexal. Whether it's potential partnerships or insights into client needs, demonstrating your network's value can set you apart from other candidates.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that ask you to solve hypothetical situations related to client engagement or project delivery. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully navigated similar challenges. This will showcase your strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Teamwork
Plexal values collaboration, so be sure to share examples of how you've worked effectively in teams. Discuss how you’ve supported colleagues in achieving common goals, especially in high-stakes environments like defence. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a lone wolf but a team player who can contribute to their mission.
