Business Development Manager - Maritime & Defence - South East

Business Development Manager - Maritime & Defence Drive Growth Across the UK Defence & Maritime Sector Our client is a specialist engineering and infrastructure organisation that delivers deployable infrastructure solutions for some of the world's most challenging operational environments. Due to continued growth, they are seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to join their team and help expand their presence across the UK maritime and defence markets. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially focused professional who enjoys developing customer relationships, identifying new opportunities and working closely with clients to understand complex operational requirements. Working alongside engineering, operations and bid teams, you will play a key role in supporting the company's future growth strategy. The Opportunity As Business Development Manager, you will be responsible for identifying, developing and securing new business opportunities while strengthening existing customer relationships within the maritime and defence sectors. Responsibilities Build and maintain relationships with existing and prospective customers across defence and maritime markets. Identify, qualify and progress new business opportunities aligned with the organisation's capabilities. Support the development and management of a robust sales pipeline. Monitor market trends, customer priorities and competitor activity. Represent the business at customer meetings, industry events and exhibitions. Support early-stage customer engagement activities ahead of formal procurement processes. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to develop customer-focused solutions and value propositions. Assist with capture planning activities and proposal development. Develop and maintain relationships with strategic partners, suppliers and industry stakeholders. Why Apply? This position offers the opportunity to: Work across a broad range of defence and infrastructure programmes. Engage directly with key customer stakeholders and decision-makers. Influence opportunities from the earliest stages of the sales cycle. Collaborate closely with technical and operational teams. Join an organisation with a strong reputation for delivering complex projects in demanding environments. Enjoy a varied role where no two opportunities are the same. Candidate Requirements Essential Significant experience within business development, account management, client engagement or a similar commercial role. Experience within defence, maritime, engineering, infrastructure or another technically complex sector. Strong communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills. Proven ability to manage customer relationships and develop opportunity pipelines. Commercial awareness with an understanding of procurement and bidding processes. Ability to operate independently while working collaboratively across multiple functions. Eligibility to obtain UK Security Clearance. Desirable Previous experience working with UK Defence customers, including the Royal Navy and wider MOD community. Experience supporting bids, tenders or proposal development activities. Knowledge of modular, deployable or infrastructure-based solutions. APMP, Shipley or equivalent business development qualifications. Degree-qualified or equivalent professional experience. Experience working alongside industry partners and supply chains. About You Our client is looking for an individual who: Enjoys developing long-term customer relationships. Has a genuine interest in understanding customer challenges and requirements. Communicates effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Takes ownership of opportunities and drives them through to completion. Thrives in a collaborative and fast-paced environment. What's on Offer Opportunity to support high-profile defence and government programmes. Exposure to senior stakeholders across the maritime and defence sectors. Long-term career development opportunities within a growing business. Collaborative and supportive working culture. The chance to make a direct impact on future commercial growth. Benefits Competitive salary (£70,000 DOE) Performance-related bonus 25 days annual leave Flexible 37.5-hour working week Private medical insurance Life assurance (3.5x salary) Pension scheme Salary sacrifice benefits, including cycle-to-work and electric vehicle schemes Access to wellbeing and employee support programmes Location This role is offered on a hybrid working basis, with a combination of home working and office-based collaboration in Dorset. Regular travel to customer sites, industry events and exhibitions will be required