Our client, part of a highly successful international parent has been at the forefront of design, manufacturing and technology for an innovative and diverse range of products to worldwide customers within the demanding Aerospace and Defence sector.
As a result of rapid growth, they are seeking an ambitious, technically minded professional to readily establish credibility with the customer base and user community in order to develop & position activities for their personal parachute product, safety and survival solutions to achieve new international sales.
Reporting to a Business Unit Manager, you will act as the technical bridge, translating highly technical product specifications into business value by playing an outward facing, pro-active role in developing new business and routes to market. Promotion prospects are excellent and this position is viewed as being a highly visible route for the identification of and acceleration of future leadership talent.
The Role
- The short to medium term focus is on the development of a “winning strategy” for a new, high profile, upgraded product that has benefitted from significant investment
- Support the development and implementation of new strategies and routes to market that support the company’s planned growth
- Quickly establish and maintain technical credibility with customers in international militaries & governments, agents, defence primes and users of military platforms
- Travel regularly across core international markets; support customer requirements that enhance margin and profitability whilst proving exceptional value to the user community
- Undertake Pre-Sales & Technical Consultation activities including assessing client needs, configuring technical specifications and delivering technical presentations
- Quotation, Tenders & Contract Management duties including calculating costing plans, drafting scopes of work and negotiating technical terms
- Draw upon the vast technical expertise and cross functional resources available within the business, including Engineering and R & D teams to support the development of custom designs, new ideas and concepts to meet current and future customer needs
- Work closely with Project Management teams on integration, planning and operational delivery
- Utilise strong communication and sales skills in managing key accounts to further support long term customer Relationship Management
- Undertake post sales and ongoing account retention tasks, including technical troubleshooting, and the organisation of product training
- Drive added value to the customer offering, including the identification of opportunities for new services and ongoing through life support
- Keep updated with customer procurement & replenishment cycles; support capture by identifying user needs, opportunity assessment, tenders, product positioning and closing negotiation
- Take pro-active ownership of the sales business development of key products within the portfolio, obtain market intelligence, identify key milestones and capture plans in order to involve, drive and communicate with supporting teams
- Produce and maintain an accurate list of prospects and opportunities; regularly contributing to the updating of sales forecasts and booking plans
- Attend at military trials, defence trade shows, conferences & PR events as required
Candidate Profile
- Strong ethical and moral compass: able to work across functions within a non-political, open and honest business culture that has an overarching commitment towards “value creation”
- Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) or Master of Engineering (MEng) in Aerospace, Aeronautical, or Mechanical Engineering:- the ability to quickly establish technical credibility with the customer base is a pre-requisite
- Adaptability, having an entrepreneurial spirit, good communication skills, team working and a bias for action are some of the key behaviours and traits that are essential for success
- You will either be an existing Sales Engineer or a technically minded engineering professional who has an aspiration to develop their career in a sales environment. Direct customer interaction is important and consequently engineering roles such as a Solutions Engineer, Applications Engineer, Project Engineer or Field Service Engineer are viewed as particularly relevant
- A proven track record in a Military Aerospace & Defence manufacturing environment is highly preferred, although experience within commercial aerospace, including MRO could be relevant
- An exceptional current / ex- military (PJI/JADTEU) well networked user with an understanding of modern troop parachutes would also be considered. It would be advantageous if some success in a commercial environment (sales, engineering, programmes, logistics etc) has been acquired, but this is not essential
- Able to perform within a close knit, agile, highly responsive team based environment that specialises in low volume, highly complex products with long lead times
- A team player with an appreciation of cultural sensitivity and a genuine desire to work within a fast paced and fun team environment
- Well-developed presentation and technical skills with the ability to develop strong customer relationships:- understand their needs, provide expert guidance, design tailored solutions and prepare proposals that support new capability or the replacement of existing equipment
- Able to understand and operate successfully within the complex procurement processes that nations adopt within a defence environment
- Be self-sufficient, possess good negotiation skills and able to quickly grasp sales and technical knowledge of the company’s products, capabilities and branding
- Able to understand wider market opportunities, competitors, technologies and trends and exploit these for winning new business
- Financial & commercial understanding around RFQ’s, customer budget plans, the sales operating process, bid management, contractual terms, pricing and margin analysis
- Able to operate within a matrix organisation with competing demands on time and priorities
- Be responsive to the needs of customers and adhere to high ethics and codes of conduct
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications and manufacturing processes
- Proficient in the use of MS Office tools
- A willingness and ability to travel within the UK and overseas (Europe, Asia Pacific, MENA), sometimes at short notice
- Hold or be able to hold UK Security Clearance
