Business Development Manager

UK Defence Sector

Livingston, United Kingdom

Remote

Job ID

R041418

About us

At Plexus, our vision is to help create the products that build a better world. By embracing an innovative culture of excellence, we pride ourselves on designing, manufacturing and servicing some of the world’s most transformative products. From life-saving medical technology and mission-critical defense solutions to sophisticated industrial automation, we’re proud to partner with our customers to bring their complex ideas to market.

Visit Plexus.com to learn more about our unwavering commitment to our vision.

Living Our Values

With a vision rooted in the wellbeing and inclusive engagement of our team members, our customers, their end users and our communities, people are the heart of what we do and who we are. Our values unite and guide us in everything that we do.

Our values include: Growing our People, Building Belonging, Innovating Responsibly, Delivering Excellence and Creating Customer Success.

As part of our team, you’ll do impactful work within an inclusive environment where everyone works together to achieve extraordinary outcomes. You’ll be empowered to reach your full potential through managing your own personalised development plan and access to our learning and development programs.

Business Development Manager – UK Defence

Location: UK – Remote

As global defence supply chains demand unprecedented resilience and technological sophistication, Plexus stands out as a stable, deeply trusted partner. We are expanding our footprint and winning record-breaking global programs. To drive this next phase of growth in the UK Defence sector, we are seeking an ambitious, relentless Business Development Manager.

This is a high-growth, high-visibility role designed for a sales professional who has the hunger to hunt down multi-million-pound opportunities across complex MoD supply chains, Tier 1 primes, and aerospace networks.

The Leadership Pathway: We are explicitly looking for a candidate with high potential whom we can actively coach and mentor into our future Business Development Director for UK Defence. If you bring the raw drive to open doors and the humility to hone your executive deal-making skills, we will provide the playbooks, executive backing, and structured development to elevate your career.

What You’ll Do

• Drive the Win: Proactively identify, qualify, and capture high-value opportunities. Build and manage a target list of qualified accounts fitting our "Customer of Choice" strategy.

• Leverage the Value Chain: Partner with cross-functional engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing teams to turn complex customer requirements into winning solutions utilizing Plexus’s full Product Realization Value Chain.

• Deploy Strategic Networks: Proactively reach out to and build multi-level relationships across the UK MoD, Tier 1 Defence Primes, and key industry stakeholders.

• Master Market Intelligence: Maintain a working knowledge of UK Defence funding cycles, market trends, and competitive dynamics to inform our overall capture strategy.

• Execute Strategic Selling: Utilize active listening and long-cycle sales methodologies to uncover customer pain points and sell value over price.

Who You Are (The Personality Profile)

• Relentless Hunter: Highly self-motivated with an inner fire to cold-outreach, navigate complex organizations, and unlock hidden revenue.

• Curious & Coachable: Eager to learn complex B2B selling methodologies (e.g., Shipley, Challenger), absorb executive feedback, and build your leadership toolkit.

• Natural Communicator: Executive presence in the making—confident, persuasive, and capable of building instant credibility externally and internally.

• Autonomous Problem-Solver: Objective, decisive, and able to push opportunities through long sales cycles with minimal supervision.

Qualifications & Security Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with a track record of sales or business development experience (experience or strong exposure to the UK Defence/Aerospace sector is highly preferred).

• Demonstrated ability to generate sales pipelines and manage complex B2B customer relationships.

• Security Clearance (SC): Due to the sensitive nature of our UK Defence work, holding an active UK SC clearance is highly advantageous. Candidates eligible and willing to undergo SC vetting (generally requiring continuous UK residency for the last 5 years) will be fully considered.

What We Offer

• Tailored 1-on-1 coaching directly focused on accelerating your path to Business Development Director.

• Competitive salary and a high-reward, performance-driven incentive structure.

• Comprehensive benefits package and full UK remote-working flexibility.

Your Rewards and Wellbeing

We believe in rewarding your contribution with a comprehensive package designed to support your life both inside and outside of work.

• Growth: Bespoke development plans and volunteer time off
• Health: Private medical insurance, Employee Assistance Program and vision care
• Wealth: Enhanced pension contributions, life assurance, and group income protection
• Lifestyle: Electric Vehicle and Cycle to Work schemes, plus 33 days of annual leave

Application Process

At Plexus, we don't look for culture fit, we look for culture add. We value the unique perspectives you bring and review every candidate holistically, balancing professional experience, education and individual journey.

Accessibility and Accommodations

As a Disability Confident employer, we recruit purely on the basis of skills and merit, ensuring an equitable process for everyone. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities or special requirements. If you require support during the application process, please contact us at GHQ.TA@plexus.com with your contact information and a description of your needs.