At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive revenue growth in defence sales, focusing on maritime opportunities.
- Company: Join Novatech, a leading tech company with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, uncapped commission, 25 days holiday, and hybrid working.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team with excellent networking opportunities.
- Why this job: Make an impact in the defence sector while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in business development or maritime defence is essential.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 75000 £ per year.
Salary £35,000 to £75,000 per annum including realistic OTE within the first 2 years of employment.
Location: Portsmouth
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full Time - 39.5 Hours per week - Monday to Friday
At Novatech, we deliver cutting-edge technology solutions. With defence as one of our core sectors, we’re looking for a Business Development Manager to join our defence sales team to support our growth strategy, focusing on the Maritime domain.
This is a consultative, collaborative and solution-led business development role focused on driving revenue growth. You’ll be supported by the Head of Defence Sales, Business Development colleagues (specialising in land and air domains), as well as sales support specialists and technical experts, enabling you to focus on high-value sales activity.
What you’ll be doing:
- Identify, qualify, and pursue new business opportunities to convert into sales, building a strong and sustainable pipeline.
- Maintain accurate pipeline visibility and forecasts using CRM tools.
- Develop high-value relationships with key stakeholders across defence, intelligence, and industry partners.
- Act as a trusted advisor, understanding customer challenges and delivering tailored, value-led solutions.
- Collaborate with internal technical and support teams to shape realistic, customer-centric propositions.
- Balance new business acquisition with account growth, expanding into new areas within existing customers.
- Stay ahead of defence market trends, procurement routes, and customer priorities.
What We’re Looking For:
We’re looking for someone who combines strong knowledge of the maritime defence sector with commercial drive and excellent relationship-building skills. You’ll bring experience in business development, sales, or a Defence (Maritime) environment, along with an understanding of procurement processes, frameworks, and tendering.
You’ll have an ability to generate new business through proactive networking and outreach, as well as building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders. With a results-driven mindset, you’ll be confident working towards targets and using your communication, negotiation, and consultative sales skills to turn opportunities into orders.
This role would suit either a former member of the Armed Forces with maritime experience who has transitioned into a commercial role, or a sales professional with experience working with defence customers. Either way, you’ll be confident navigating the sector and turning insight into opportunity. SC clearance is required, which we can support you with.
What You’ll Earn:
Your base salary will reflect your experience, with expectations discussed during the recruitment process. Your commission structure is directly linked to your base salary, providing a clear and transparent path to success. Defence sales often involve longer, strategic sales cycles, so your on-target earnings (OTE) will build as your pipeline matures, typically accelerating in year two and beyond. The key benefit? Your OTE is uncapped, meaning your earning potential grows alongside your success.
A bit about the team:
Our Defence Sales team is packed with expertise and strong industry connections. They’re often found getting out and taking up all networking opportunities, turning their deep sector knowledge and connections into exciting new opportunities for revenue growth. Collaboration is everything here. Defence sales are technical and precise, so we’ve got brilliant sales support specialists backing the team as well as technical experts to craft practical solutions that wow customers and exceed expectations. It’s all about delivering results and creating long-term, trusted partnerships. This is a team that's excited about unlocking new opportunities and they can’t wait to welcome new talent to support this.
What working at Novatech means for you:
There are heaps of other perks when working for us! For starters, we’re an accredited 'Great Place to Work', as voted by our amazing staff via the 'Great Place to Work' engagement survey. We embrace a non-corporate vibe and believe that when you can be your authentic self, that you enjoy your work more and take greater pride in what you do. We respect the skills and experiences everyone brings to the business - and we'll support you with delivering the ideas and strategies you bring to the table to support our growth journey. We’re all about your wellbeing and regularly organise team events, employee awards, and charity dos. We also care about the environment and have won awards for our efforts, which include being a net positive business (meaning we put more energy back into the grid than we use – which we are super proud of!).
Work-life balance is important to us. As part of our hybrid working arrangements, you'll initially be working in the office every day for at least the first month to complete your induction training, after this, you'll be working in the office for a minimum of 3 days a week. We are really lucky as we have good transport links to the office for when you come in, alongside free staff parking and a lockable bike shed for if you drive or ride.
Our benefits in a nutshell:
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (with the chance to buy additional days).
- Upskilling apprenticeship training.
- Cycle to work.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Social and wellbeing events.
- A great breakout room, kitchen and shower facilities.
About us:
Novatech work heavily in the B2B tech sector with some of the largest and most respected names in a range of industries. Whether it’s supporting businesses with their remote workforce under our Direct2Desk ground-breaking service, transforming defence companies with life-saving training simulators or implementing practical IT systems for businesses to thrive, there’s no end to the amount of fascinating and cutting-edge projects that we are involved in (some of which we can’t tell you about, yet). Pretty cool, right? This is your chance to get involved and help develop the future of our business - and yourself at the same time!
Business Development Manager (Defence Sales - Maritime) in Portsmouth employer: West Sussex.info
At Novatech, we pride ourselves on being a 'Great Place to Work', fostering a collaborative and non-corporate culture that encourages authenticity and innovation. Our Defence Sales team thrives on strong industry connections and teamwork, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development in the maritime defence sector. With a focus on employee wellbeing, competitive benefits, and a commitment to sustainability, working in Portsmouth offers a unique chance to contribute to meaningful projects while enjoying a balanced work-life environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development Manager (Defence Sales - Maritime) in Portsmouth
✨Get to Grips with Data Visualisation Tools
If you're aiming for a full-time role in business intelligence, brush up on your skills with popular data visualisation tools like Tableau or Power BI. Showcasing projects where you've transformed raw data into clear visual insights can give you a real edge.
✨Join Local Business Intelligence Meetups
Look for local business intelligence meetups or analytics conferences in your area. These events are not just great for learning but also for networking with industry professionals who could lead you to opportunities at companies like West Sussex.info!
✨Engage with Online BI Communities
Join online forums or communities focused on business intelligence—think LinkedIn groups, Reddit threads, or even dedicated Slack channels. Engage actively by sharing your insights and asking questions; this can help you build visibility and connect with potential employers.
✨Leverage Your University’s Career Support
If you're a recent graduate, definitely tap into your university's career services. Many have connections with companies in need of full-time BI specialists, and they can guide you on how to pitch yourself effectively—don't miss out on that!
We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Manager (Defence Sales - Maritime) in Portsmouth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.
Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.
Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at West Sussex.info, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!
Include Relevant Certifications:Certifications like Google Data Analytics or similar qualifications can really make you stand out in business intelligence. Include these in your application, as they demonstrate your commitment to the field and your willingness to stay current with industry standards.
How to prepare for a job interview at West Sussex.info
✨Show off your analytical skills
In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!
✨Practice your technical know-how
Expect some technical questions during the interview that dive deep into your understanding of data modelling and analytics frameworks. Brush up on your knowledge of data warehousing concepts and be ready to tackle any real case scenarios they might present. They’ll want to see how you approach problems using your BI toolkit.
✨Portfolio of Projects
Since it's a full-time role, having a strong portfolio is key! Compile case studies demonstrating your previous projects, preferably showing how your insights led to business improvements. This can help us display how you think through complex datasets and your problem-solving process, which is what employers are keen on seeing.
✨Know their business model
Get familiar with West Sussex.info’s business model and recent data-driven decisions. Be prepared to discuss how your skills can specifically support their objectives or challenges. Understanding their landscape shows that you’re not just a data buff, but you’re also genuinely interested in how BI can impact their bottom line.
