Business Development Manager - Defence & Space Consulting

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Business Development Manager - Defence & Space Consulting

Posting Date: 24 Jul 2025

Location: Chippenham, GB, SN15 1BN; Leatherhead, GB, KT22 7AJ; Lincoln, GB, LN6 7FL

Contract Type: Permanent

Level of experience: Intermediate

RINA is looking to recruit a talented and sales-driven Business Development Manager as part of our Consulting BD Team. You will join our Aerospace and Defence (ASD) Business Unit (BU) and be responsible for targeting and winning growth opportunities with existing and new clients within the UK. The role will be instrumental in driving the business to achieve ambitious and challenging growth targets.

RINA is a 'smart working' adopter: providing you are happy to travel occasionally, your UK location is not a concern, though our main UK offices are located in Chippenham, Leatherhead, and Lincoln.

The Role:

You will work as part of the ASD BD Team and collaborate with the Consulting leads to identify and win new and repeat business in the UK across our portfolio of consultancy services. The portfolio includes: Safety Engineering, Compliance Advisory, Human Factors Integration (HFI), Integrated Logistics Support (ILS/IPS), Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC), and Training & Learning Solutions.

Your responsibilities:

• Create and manage a pipeline of profitable new and repeat business through the identification of opportunities, both with the MOD, UK Space, or prime contractors.
• Campaign planning, contributing ideas and opportunities aligned with the wider business strategy;
• Act as the Key Account Manager for nominated key clients and prospects;
• Contribute to business-winning Tender and Proposal responses, acting as Capture Manager;
• Support RINA's focus on customer satisfaction, repeat business, and developing new markets (e.g., Space);
• Identify opportunities for strategic alliances and partnerships to enhance Client Value Propositions;
• Work across the wider RINA Group to develop Business Unit 'cross-selling' and collaboration;
• Track competitor activity and provide timely updates on news and intelligence;
• Plan for and attend events, expos, and conferences; collaborate with Marketing;
• Prepare and submit monthly reports of business development activities.

Qualifications & experience:

• Experience working for a service provider is essential; understanding of consulting or engineering services is advantageous but not mandatory;
• In-depth knowledge and a current network in the Defence sector, across air, land, sea, space, or autonomous domains;
• Strong understanding of UK Defence procurement processes;
• A proven track record in driving business growth within Defence and/or Space sectors;
• Previous roles in business development, sales, or related fields such as Client Relationship Manager, Account Executive, or Sales Executive;
• Significant experience in writing persuasive responses to Tender Opportunities and Requests for Proposals/Quotations;
• Candidates should be SC cleared or willing to undergo vetting, or be British citizens.

The Person: You will be highly motivated, a self-starter, goal-focused, and tenacious. Your communication and listening skills, combined with a proactive sales approach, will enable you to establish fruitful relationships with customers and colleagues. You should be able to present ideas effectively, negotiate strongly, and adapt to changing needs. Managing pressure in a fast-growing environment is essential.

The Company: RINA is a 6,000-strong global engineering corporation providing testing, certification, and consulting services across sectors including Defence, Power, Energy, Marine, Transport & Infrastructure, and Industry. With over 150 years of experience, we help clients turn ideas into success, transforming challenges into opportunities and solutions.

• Competitive salary and benefits including bonus, 25 days leave, life assurance, health insurance, flexible holiday options, and more.
• Support for professional development, qualifications, and memberships.
• Support for Military Reservists with paid leave.

At RINA, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all employees are respected and safe from discrimination or harassment.