Senior Strategic Development Manager

Location: Houghton Le Spring

Senior Strategic Development Manager

Location:

Hybrid Role (12 days per week in Bedfordshire) Package: £65,000 £ 80,000 Bonus Comprehensive Benefits ( CBRN & Hazardous Materials Solutions ) About the Role We are seeking a dynamic and strategic-minded Senior Business Development Manager to drive growth across the UK, Europe, and APAC regions. This role is central to expanding our footprint in the CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) and Hazardous Materials response sector through the delivery of cutting-edge solutions.

You will act as a trusted advisor, employing a consultative approach to educate and influence key decision-makers across defence, government, and related organisations. Your mission will be to identify, develop, and secure new business opportunities while strengthening our market position as a leader in incident response preparedness.

Key Responsibilities Develop and execute strategic plans to identify and capture new business opportunities within assigned territories. Build and nurture high-level relationships with government, military, and industry stakeholders, including strategic planners, procurement officers, and technical champions. Maintain a structured and well-managed pipeline of opportunities, from early identification through to contract closure. Lead the full sales cycle, including tailored solution demonstrations, proposal development, tender responses, and contract negotiation.

Understand and navigate client procurement processes, funding pathways, and decision-making structures. Represent the company at international trade shows, conferences, and industry events to enhance visibility and generate leads. Identify, evaluate, and manage a network of representatives, distributors, and channel partners, subject to board approval. Develop capture plans and business cases for key opportunities, aligning them with organisational goals and market trends.

Monitor competitor activity and industry developments to continuously refine our value proposition in the CBRN/Haz Mat space. Skills & Experience Required Proven experience in strategic sales or business development, preferably within defence, government, or high-stakes regulated industries. Demonstrated success in consultative or solution-based selling to senior government and military stakeholders. Strong knowledge of CBRN/Haz Mat protocols, practices, or related simulation and training markets is highly desirable.

Experience operating in international markets, with the ability to manage cross-cultural partnerships and remote representatives. Skill in articulating complex technical solutions and customising demonstrations to match client operational procedures. Comfort working in an agile, owner-managed SME environment, with the ability to contribute beyond a traditional sales role. Excellent negotiation, presentation, and relationship-building skills. Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience is preferred.

Willingness to travel internationally as required.