Radar Sales Manager in Crawley

Location: Reading, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Other: permanent, full-time, hybrid, with 30 - 50% domestic & international travel.

Lead the capture of next-generation radar solutions and play a key role in shaping the future of UK air defence.

What the role has to offer:

• Shape the Future of UK Radar Capability - influence and secure major Radar programmes that support national defence, security and critical infrastructure.
• Drive the adoption of next-generation technologies and help define future capability roadmaps.
• High-Impact, High-Visibility Role - work at the heart of strategic customer engagement, leading complex capture activities and partnering with senior decision-makers across UK Government, the MoD and industry.
• Cutting-Edge Radar Innovation - join a global technology leader and collaborate with world-class engineering teams delivering advanced Radar solutions across land, naval and integrated air defence domains.

Our Opportunity:

Reporting to the Sales Director (AOW), you will be responsible for driving order intake growth, maximising GMOI and strengthening customer satisfaction across the UK market. You will identify, qualify and mature strategic opportunities, undertake detailed customer mapping using the Blue Sheet methodology (or equivalent), and develop winning capture plans that engage key stakeholders within complex customer organisations.

As Capture Leader, you will define and execute long-term capture strategies, align cross-functional teams and lead opportunities from early shaping activity through to contract award. Your primary focus will be on air defence and air surveillance radar solutions across both land and naval domains, supporting some of the UK's most critical defence programmes.

To succeed in this role, you will bring a strong track record of leading multinational capture or campaign teams and securing complex technology opportunities within UK Government, the MoD, policing or critical national infrastructure sectors. You will combine radar domain expertise with exceptional stakeholder engagement, negotiation and proposal development skills, and be comfortable operating within challenging, high-profile environments. A proactive mindset, collaborative approach and ability to obtain and maintain security clearance are essential.

Building a Future, we can all trust.

Focus on customers and Innovation are two key values at Thales, and they are at the heart of our Strategy, Marketing and Sales teams globally. Digital technologies that play a crucial role in our future, such as AI, Quantum, 6G, Cybersecurity and Neuroscience, account for nearly half of our innovations. Joining Thales means being part of a community driven by passion and the determination to go the extra mile for our customers, to make the world a better place.

IAS sits at the centre of armed forces operational priorities and is a major growth area for Thales. Its mission is to ensure national airspace sovereignty and to support the Armed Forces in protecting populations and critical infrastructure from all forms of aerial threat. The portfolio is built around three core product lines: national-level airspace security solutions using advanced radars and command-and-control systems; medium-range weapon systems that protect regional airspace against diverse threats; and short-range weapon systems that deliver close-in, tactical-level air defence over a few kilometres.

What We Offer You:

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package designed to support our employees’ wellbeing and professional growth, which includes:

• Performance-related bonus
• Car cash allowance
• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00
• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)
• 24 hours volunteering paid for
• Private healthcare
• Pension scheme
• Life cover
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app
• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers
• Gym membership discounts

Main Responsibilities:

• Lead the UK Radar growth strategy, identifying, qualifying and securing new business opportunities across defence, security and critical national infrastructure markets while building a sustainable opportunity pipeline.
• Own strategic capture and bid activities from opportunity shaping through to contract award, leading customer engagements, tender responses, solution demonstrations, negotiations and winning proposals.
• Develop and maintain influential customer relationships with key stakeholders across Government, the MoD, industry partners and wider defence ecosystems to strengthen Thales' market position.
• Drive market intelligence and future capability development, leveraging customer insight, competitor analysis and emerging threat trends to influence strategy, product development and technology roadmaps.
• Champion cross-functional collaboration and governance, working closely with engineering, commercial, bid, marketing and programme teams to deliver customer-focused solutions while ensuring full regulatory, export control and cybersecurity compliance.

About You:

At Thales, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don't match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world's most critical challenges.

Essential Experience & Skills:

• Proven success in sales, business development or capture leadership within the defence, security or advanced technology sectors, including the delivery of complex solutions to UK Government, MoD, policing or critical national infrastructure customers.
• Strong understanding of Radar systems and air defence capabilities, with the ability to translate technical solutions into compelling customer value propositions across land and naval domains.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills, with a track record of building trusted relationships, leading negotiations and creating winning proposals.
• Demonstrated leadership and resilience in complex environments, including experience leading multinational capture teams, managing high-value campaigns and engaging senior decision-makers.
• Self-driven and collaborative approach, with the ability to operate effectively in matrix organisations, embody Lead@Thales behaviours (Think Big, Make it Happen, Together) and obtain and maintain the required security clearance.

If you're ready to influence the future of UK air defence and take on a high-profile role with real strategic impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Security Clearance Statement: This role will require SC Clearance. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the National Security Vetting (NSV) Agency - United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities.

Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!