Chief Business Development Officer - Defence in London

A rare opportunity to shape and accelerate the growth of an established Aerospace & Defence engineering business. I am partnering with a privately owned, international Aerospace & Defence group to appoint a senior defence business development leader who can help accelerate the organisation’s growth across the global defence sector. The business is an established engineering and manufacturing organisation with a strong reputation for delivering complex precision components and solutions into major aerospace and defence programmes. With operations across the UK and internationally, it supports some of the world’s leading OEMs and prime contractors across both civil and military markets.

Following continued success and investment, the organisation is now entering an exciting phase of growth and is looking to appoint an exceptional leader to define and deliver its next stage of defence expansion. Reporting directly to the CEO and operating as part of the senior leadership team, this role will have a clear mandate: to identify new opportunities, build strategic relationships, and secure the defence programmes that will shape the future growth of the business. This is not a traditional sales leadership position. It is an opportunity to build influence across the defence ecosystem, shape market strategy, and create long-term partnerships with major defence organisations, OEMs, prime contractors and emerging defence technology companies.

The opportunity will include:

• Developing and executing the defence growth strategy across existing and emerging markets
• Building trusted relationships with defence OEMs, prime contractors, government stakeholders and strategic partners
• Identifying and progressing new programme opportunities across the defence landscape
• Leading capture activity and supporting the successful conversion of complex opportunities into long-term contracts
• Providing market insight and strategic guidance to the executive leadership team
• Building capability and driving a disciplined approach to business development and opportunity management

The ideal candidate will bring:

• A strong track record in defence business development, capture or strategic growth roles
• Established relationships across the defence ecosystem
• Experience winning complex, high-value programmes and developing long-term customer partnerships
• An understanding of defence procurement, supply chains and the route to market for advanced engineering and manufacturing businesses
• The credibility to operate with senior stakeholders across OEMs, primes and government organisations
• The ambition and entrepreneurial mindset to help shape and accelerate a growing defence capability

Experience within aerospace, precision engineering, advanced manufacturing or defence technology environments would be highly advantageous. This is a confidential retained search assignment for a leader who wants to have genuine impact. Someone who can combine defence market knowledge, commercial judgement and relationship-building capability to help create the next chapter of growth for an established engineering organisation.