Senior Business Development Manager (Telecommunications and Digital Technology)

Reports to: Commercial and Partnerships Director

Please note, we may look to interview before the advert close date due to the critical nature of the role. The advert will close if a suitable candidate is found before the deadline.

 The Challenge - The Catapult is organised into three Mission areas: Beyond Earth, Autonomous and Connected Earth, and Resilient Earth. Each Mission is tasked with developing a strategic portfolio of interventions which represent the highest opportunity for growth in the space sector. These interventions have been designed to lower the barriers to growth for UK businesses. The Catapult uses its products and services to deliver these interventions and to achieve market impact.

The Catapult’s business development team are responsible for engaging with customers, businesses, government organisations and the wider space sector to support the delivery of Mission objectives. Through our Mission strategy development, the Catapult has identified the following key market areas to support UK business growth: Utilities and Infrastructure, Transport, Telecommunications and Digital Technologies, Defence and Security, Healthcare and Financial Services. In addition, there are opportunities for the Catapult across a variety of funding agencies. These markets are the focus of our business development team.

As Senior Business Development Manager (SBDM), Telecommunications and Digital Technology, you will be responsible for opening up the market to UK space businesses using our established products and service offerings. You will use your deep industry networks and knowledge of this market area to identify and secure high-value opportunities that align with our Missions. You will be responsible for a sales target for the market area and will deploy a sales strategy to secure contracts to meet this target. As SBDM you will act as a high-level liaison between industry innovators and Government departments and manage the relationships between the Catapult and the telecommunications and digital technology sector. You will work as part of a team of eight business development team members reporting into the Director of Commercial and Partnerships.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and deliver the Telecommunications and Digital Technology sales plan, using the Catapult’s products and service offerings, in line with the Missions strategies to hit your annual revenue target and to support UK space sector growth.

• Cultivate existing and develop new relationships and leads within the Telecommunications and Digital Technology sector

• Create and deliver high-impact stakeholder presentations and proposals and represent the Catapult at key market facing events and forums. Typically, 2-3 days per week visiting customers for in person meetings.

• Present product capabilities to customers, create quotations and commercial proposals based around customer requirements.

• Understand customer requirements to input into sales opportunities use these insights to shape, steer and author input into the bid capture process in partnership with the Work Winning Services team.

• Negotiate terms and agreements that secure sustainable revenue while protecting the Catapult’s intellectual and commercial interests in partnership with the Commercial Services Team.

• Work closely with the Mission Leads and Mission Managers to ensure the seamless transition of opportunities from initial concept, qualification, bid, order, and into successful delivery.

• Work with the Business Growth Team to understand the capabilities of high potential businesses and match these into the bids you develop for your market area.

• Maintain a transparent, real-time CRM based sales forecast to provide the Commercial and Partnerships Director with actionable visibility into future growth.

• Monitor the industrial landscape to ensure the Catapult’s offerings remain complementary to private sector capabilities, actively seeking ways to fill "innovation voids" or areas where Catapult can de-risk innovation for UK businesses and act as a neutral convener for collaborative growth.

• As a Senior Sales leader, be prepared to support and mentor other members of the sales organisation

Skills and Experience Required:

• Significant experience in a senior business development or commercial leadership role within the telecommunications and digital technology sector, with an understanding of its unique procurement and contracting nuances.

• Demonstratable history of securing high-value contracts and funding streams, with an excellent track record in hitting sales targets and sales of innovation products and services.

• Strong existing networks within the telecommunications and digital technology market areas that can be used within this role.

• Solid understanding of the space sector or satellite applications.

• Proven ability to build, sustain, and leverage influential relationships at the senior levels within industry and government.

• Proven success in managing long-term sales cycles (12-24 months) involving multiple stakeholders.

• Adept at translating complex, technical solutions into clear, persuasive ideas for diverse audiences, including non-technical customers and external partners.

• Demonstrated ability to oversee the entire pipeline, from initial market engagement and lead generation to shaping and closing scalable, high-value opportunities

• Robust commercial and financial acumen, with a sophisticated ability to manage commercial risk and negotiate complex agreements.

• Highly skilled at working within a matrix organisation, with the ability to assemble and lead multidisciplinary teams to deliver bids.

Highly Desirable:

• Knowledge and experience of the UK Space Sector, including the practical application of satellite technology and data alongside emerging market trends.

• Evidence of successfully influencing Government departments, regulatory bodies, or trade associations to drive sector-wide growth.

About us & 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 any individual, 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.  If you believe you can deliver in this role then we want to hear from you.

We offer a hybrid policy which is designed around collaboration, one 'anchor' day per week working with your direct team and another flexible day per week to be spent collaborating or working with other colleagues.

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.

At Satellite Applications Catapult, we're committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce. We welcome candidates from all corners of the globe, but due to legal and logistical considerations, we want to be transparent about the potential visa-related challenges that could arise. Our ability to offer sponsorship will depend on the level of interest for our roles and salary level.

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.