Senior Business Development Manager – Commercial

This is a fantastic career opportunity and an exciting time for the Satellite Applications Catapult. We are at the forefront of the burgeoning UK Space Industry. Our purpose being to unlock the UK's potential to innovate and drive economic growth through the development and adoption of space data and technologies.  While exploration and space science get the headlines, the application of space to challenges on Earth will have the most significant impact.

More specifically, the Catapult has organised itself into four Mission areas: Beyond Earth, Connected Earth, Autonomous Earth, and Sustainable Earth. Each Mission is tasked with developing a strategic portfolio of Interventions through which projects and services can be designed and delivered to achieve market impact. To align the Missions to the Market, the Catapult has established four strategic accounts as the focal point for engaging customers across four discrete domains: Defence and Security, Government and Public Sector, Private Sector and Space Sector.

The Challenge:

The Senior Business Development Manager will play a pivotal role in realising the Commercial Strategic Account Director's vision for a commercially thriving space services business. This will involve:

• Identifying High-Value Opportunities: Collaborating closely with the Director to pinpoint critical business challenges faced by decision-makers at FTSE 250 companies, exploring how innovative space-based solutions can address them.

• Building a Strong Partnership Network: Working alongside the Director to forge strategic partnerships with leading consultancies, co-developing compelling space service offerings specifically tailored for these companies.

• Crafting Bespoke Service Packages: Partnering with the Director to develop customized service packages for large commercial accounts, leveraging the strengths of the UK space sector's offerings to deliver maximum value.

• Harnessing UK Space Expertise: Collaborating with the Director to design product and service bundles that fully exploit the diverse capabilities of the UK space ecosystem, ensuring clients benefit from the best the sector has to offer.

By ensuring alignment with the Director's vision and effectively managing business development resources dedicated to the Commercial Sector Account, the Senior Manager will significantly contribute to achieving annual sales targets for order intake, sales revenue, and margin retention within this strategic market segment. 

 As a Senior Business Development Manager, you will be responsible for:  

 Business Development- Oversee and implement the Business Development strategy for the Strategic Account, identifying and engaging with customers and ensuring that capabilities and requirements are fully captured and socialised. 

Sales Development - create and implement a comprehensive sales plan to achieve order intake, sales revenue, and margin retention targets for the Account. Set sales goals, establish sales plans, and continuously monitor and optimise the sales process in collaboration with other stakeholders in the business. Maintain oversight on bid and proposal work for Account sales opportunities, making sure they are persuasive and to the required professional standard.   

Sales Management - Continuously review the Account sales plan with stakeholders to ensure information is accurately recorded within the Catapult’s internal Sales reporting system. Qualify prospects and update sales forecasts with the latest market intelligence.  Work with internal stakeholders to accurately budget and forecast order intake, sales revenue and margin retention. Identify and secure high-value orders that contribute to the Catapult’s overall business objectives and which align to delivery of the Account strategy and Mission Road Maps. Formulate order capture plans and negotiate terms and agreements with customers to secure business within the required forecast parameters of the sales plan.  

Resource Management - Manage and mentor BD and sales resources assigned to the Account. Foster a collaborative environment to maximise team performance, encourage knowledge sharing, and align BD priorities to the needs of the Strategic Account. Develop and execute an effective opportunity lead generation ethos to identify and nurture potential new Customers.  

Market Research - In collaboration with the CEA function, conduct research to identify potential customers, assess market trends, and growth opportunities. Analyse industry data and competitor strategies to inform the Account sales plan. 

 You will also: 

• Contribute and inform the ongoing scope and focus of the Commercial Account Market Strategy and Mission Road Maps based on customer / market discussions and insights.    

• Work with Mission and Intervention leads to ensure customer insights and requirements are being fed back into the organisation, Catapult partners and wider industrial space community. 

• Identify and facilitate opportunities for commercialisation within the Strategic Account sales plan and work with internal stakeholders to qualify and support potential spin-out or Alliance opportunities that benefit the Strategic Account.    

• Understand and sell the Catapult’s investible propositions to customers, identifying opportunities to upsell and feedback to internal stakeholders any revisions / improvements required for success. 

• Contribute to the development of collateral and materials that support customer engagement, promote Catapult / UK Space Sector capability, ensuing that the tone and language are appropriate and relevant.    

• Inform the business of the capability and materials required to support customer engagement, promote Catapult capability and capture of business opportunities.   

  Skills and experience required:         

• Experience of selling innovation concepts, and the benefits of co-creating new products /services / solutions in an innovation environment.  

• Experience working within FMCG, Transport and Logistics, Financial, Consultancy, or similar sectors.

• Ability to build and sustain Customer and stakeholder relationships at the highest levels of an organisation. 

• Ability to prepare persuasive proposals, presentations, and pitches to secure new business opportunities. Ability to customise proposals to address customer needs and effectively showcase the Catapult’s strengths. 

• Track-record of forming networks with partners and staff at all levels. 

• Proven capability to build successful business development teams that deliver business growth and income generation. 

• Lead generation from initial Customer engagement, opportunity identification, and securing scalable, complex, and high-value sales. 

• Demonstrated experience in shaping complex and large commercial opportunities/sales.  

• Possess strong Commercial acumen and an aptitude for managing commercial risk. 

• A customer-focused approach that ensures the Catapult’s reputation as a neutral trusted entity is demonstrated and maintained, supporting customer success and advocacy for future opportunities.  

How we work….

We strive to create a high trust, high performance and inclusive environment that enables team members to bring their whole selves to work – this helps to create the foundations of an innovation culture. Our shared values are critical to this:

• We care - for our people, our partners, and our planet.

• We connect - and engage with people and ideas.

• We learn - and grow, as people and as an industry

Underpinning this is our belief in great teams, our combined efforts will always deliver outcomes beyond that of anyone providing we are honest through debate, experiment and reflect, and create shared resolutions in support of our purpose. Live these values, work to our principles, take ownership to deliver, and we are certain you will thrive with us.

This job description set outs the skills and experience we think are needed to be able to perform in this job. However, if you believe you can deliver in this role then we want to hear from you.

Important notice for applicants: We use tools to detect plagiarism and the use of AI or chatbots for applicant answers. If plagiarism, AI use (such as ChatGPT) or similar software are found to have been used in your application you will not be considered for this or future roles within the Satellite Applications Catapult. If you need any additional support during the application process, please do reach out and connect. We also invite you to share feedback via Applied.

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