_{09th August, 2026}

Build relationships. Win work. Grow with the business.
Our client is an established aerospace and defense manufacturer expanding its commercial presence in the U.S. market. As the Sales Lead, you'll be the front line of that growth by building relationships with the people who buy at the primes, getting in front of the right decision-makers, and closing work.
 
You'll sell precision machining, welding, assembly, and sustainment capability into a market you already know. If you have existing relationships with supply chain managers, program leads, and procurement teams at U.S. defense primes and Tier 1 suppliers, you already understand how they buy, what they value, and how to turn a quote into a purchase order.
 
This is a 90% sales role. You'll spend most of your time with customers - on the phone, in meetings, at their facilities, and at industry events - with the remaining time spent shaping pursuit strategy and identifying new accounts. Success is measured in revenue won, customers acquired, and contracts awarded.
 
What You'll Do
Revenue Generation — Your Primary Focus

• Own and drive toward revenue targets focused on building the customer base and winning first contracts
• Develop and close new sales opportunities across the target customer base - defense primes, Tier 1 suppliers, and government contractors
• Manage the full sales cycle from first contact through signed contract - you own it end to end
• Build and maintain a qualified pipeline of active opportunities with clear next steps and close timelines
• Respond to RFQs and RFPs, coordinating with operations, estimating, and finance to develop competitive, executable proposals
• Negotiate contract terms, pricing, and commercial conditions to close work profitably

Customer Relationships - Your Daily Toolkit

• Own a defined account portfolio and systematically develop relationships with the people who make buying decisions
• Get in front of supply chain managers, program leads, procurement directors, and engineering contacts at target accounts - in person where possible
• Build the company's reputation and credibility with customers who may not yet know it well, you'll be the introduction to the U.S. market
• Pursue referrals, introductions, and warm pathways into new accounts within your existing network
• Represent the company at industry events, trade shows, and customer capability days relevant to the defense manufacturing supply chain

Market Presence - Your Business Development Contribution

• Identify and qualify new accounts that fit the company's capabilities and growth strategy - quality over quantity
• Stay close to emerging programme requirements, platform transitions, and sourcing decisions at target primes
• Feed market intelligence back to the leadership team to inform U.S. growth priorities
• Help shape the company's capability story and value proposition as you learn what resonates with customers

What We're Looking For
We're looking for a commercially minded relationship-builder - someone energized by finding opportunities, earning trust with technical and procurement buyers, and carrying a deal all the way to signature.
 
Essential

• A proven track record of closing sales in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing - revenue won, contracts awarded, customers acquired
• Active relationships with supply chain, procurement, or program management contacts at one or more U.S. defense primes or Tier 1 suppliers
• Experience managing the full sales cycle independently - from first engagement through proposal, negotiation, and contract award
• Commercial fluency: you understand pricing, margin, risk, and what makes a deal work for both sides
• A self-directed individual contributor who generates their own activity and manages their own pipeline

Highly Regarded

• Experience selling manufactured parts, structures, machined components, or engineering services into the defense supply chain
• Familiarity with ground support equipment, sustainment programs, or a major airframer's supply chain
• Background at a Tier 2 or Tier 3 aerospace/defense supplier - you understand what it takes to sell to primes as a supplier
• Experience working with RFQs and formal quoting processes in a manufacturing context
• Familiarity with AS9100, ITAR, or DFARS requirements - you know what compliance means in this market

The Sales Environment
 
You'll be selling a company that's relatively new to the U.S. market but not new to aerospace manufacturing, with an established track record and a credible entry point into a major defense program. Your job is to translate that credibility into customer confidence - and customer confidence into purchase orders. You'll have a strong manufacturing story, a PE-backed business with real resources behind its growth, and the autonomy to build the commercial engine from the ground up.
 
Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary + Commission: Target OTE $180,000-200,000
• Comprehensive benefits package consistent with large employer standards
• Long-term incentive potential as the U.S. business scales

Eligibility
Due to the nature of this work, candidates must qualify as a U.S. Person under ITAR (22 CFR 120.62) - including U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and certain protected individuals.

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