Managing Director

Managing Director Value Creation & Exit Strategy Sector: Aerospace, Defence & Security Location: East Midlands Compensation: Base salary Circa £110k

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- £130k bonus executive benefits six-figure Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) The Brief: Take Command.

Accelerate Growth.

Deliver the Exit.

Our client is a pioneering technology provider operating at the heart of the Aerospace, Defence, and Security landscape.

Their core mission, safeguarding people, assets, and critical operations, is delivered through cutting-edge solutions deployed for national governments, military agencies, and high-risk commercial enterprises worldwide.

This is not a conventional leadership role.

It is a high-definition, outcome-driven mandate.

We seek a commercially sharp, relentlessly results-focussed Managing Director who will assume complete strategic and operational command with one singular, non-negotiable goal: to design, drive, and deliver a rapid growth trajectory that ends in a premium trade sale.

This is a value-creation and value-realisation role.

It is underwritten by an exceptional, direct, and material Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP)a high six-figure rewarddesigned to lock your personal success directly to the ultimate shareholder outcome.

The Mission Architect: From Growth to Exit As Managing Director, you will hold full P&L authority and possess genuine freedom to reshape, scale, and position the business for maximum valuation.

You will serve as the engine of growth, operational rigour, and strategic market positioningdirectly influencing every lever that drives a superior exit.

Key Strategic Objectives Map and Execute the Exit Pathway: Formulate and deliver a multi-year strategic blueprint prioritising rapid revenue acceleration, market share capture, and meaningful EBITDA expansion to attract top-tier acquirers.

Activate Value Multipliers: Identify and action every commercial and operational leverincluding contract structure, pricing models, supply chain efficiency, and scalable workflowsthat directly elevates enterprise worth.

Embody the Value Narrative: Operate as the primary external face of the business to markets, strategic allies, and prospective buyers, crafting a compelling story of proven scalability, loyal client relationships, and technological indispensability.

Forge a Sale-Ready Organisation: Embed world-class corporate governance, transparent financial reporting, and operational resilience to present a low-risk, highly scalable, and acquisition-ready asset.

Core Accountabilities Strategic & Commercial Leadership: Own the end-to-end growth agenda, pursuing both domestic and international expansion.

Secure and nurture long-term, high-value contracts with government and defence customers.

Use deep sector intelligence to outmanoeuvre competitors and establish the business as an irreplaceable partner.

Financial Value Engineering: Assume full P&L responsibility with an obsessive focus on margin enhancement, profitability, and cash generation.

Oversee the full lifecycle of complex, high-stakes contracts to optimise returns and mitigate risk.

Deploy rigorous financial and operational KPIs mapped directly to exit valuation metrics.

Operational Excellence at Scale: Lead, develop, and energise a senior leadership team around a shared exit goal.

Overhaul operational processes for efficiency, quality, and repeatability, building a resilient and transferable business model.

Ensure the organisational structure and talent pipeline are due-diligence ready and capable of supporting accelerated growth.

Stakeholder & Exit Readiness: Act as the trusted strategic partner to key clients, ensuring exceptional retention and an unimpeachable reference base.

Collaborate closely with the founder and board to align commercial execution with technology roadmaps.

Prepare every facet of the operation for eventual sale, ensuring all functions withstand intense acquirer scrutiny.

Candidate Profile The Value Creator You are a strategic executor motivated by a clear, high-consequence outcome.

You see this role as the defining project of your career to date.

Proven Track Record: Demonstrable success as a Managing Director, General Manager, or equivalent P&L leader within Defence, Security, Aerospace, or a closely related advanced engineering/technology sector.

Direct experience engaging with military or government bodies is highly advantageous.

Growth & Value Architect: A documented history of driving substantial revenue growth, EBITDA improvement, and operational transformation that directly increased business valuation or led to a successful exit event.

Commercial Pedigree: Deep expertise in negotiating and managing high-value B2G or B2B contracts.

Superior financial modelling, pricing, and commercial structuring skills.

Leadership DNA: An inspirational and motivational leader capable of building a high-performance, exit-obsessed culture.

A compelling communicator adept at influencing teams, boards, clients, and future partners.

Mindset: Ambitious, driven, and outcome-obsessed.

You are energised by a defined mission with a clear finish line and find reward in the tangible, measurable results of your leadership.

The Value Proposition A True Partnership in Outcome A Defined and Rewarded Mission: Lead with one singular, compelling objectivea successful, high-value trade sale.

Unmatched Earning Potential: A highly competitive base package, significantly amplified by a high six-figure LTIP payout upon successful execution of the exit strategy.

Autonomy and Impact: Genuine strategic and operational authority to fundamentally reshape the business and its future legacy.

Purpose and Legacy: Steward a business with tangible global impact, guiding it to its next phase of growth under new ownership.

As a specialist boutique executive search firm, Executive Recruit partners with organisations to secure the calibre of leadership that drives meaningful change. xwzovoh

Our bespoke methodology ensures clients access exceptional executives who combine strategic vision with proven execution, ultimately strengthening leadership depth and board performance.