Head of Commercial & Business Development

The Head of Commercial & Business Development is responsible for leading and delivering the company’s commercial strategy across aerospace and power generation gas turbine markets, with a strong emphasis on revenue growth, strategic customer engagement, and proactive business development. Reporting to the Managing Director, the role holds accountability for commercial performance, including sales growth, pipeline development, contract strategy, pricing, and bid governance. The position also plays a key role in identifying and securing new business opportunities, expanding customer relationships, and supporting market diversification. The role balances short‑term revenue delivery with long‑term value creation, ensuring sustainable growth across OEM, tier‑one, and aftermarket customer segments within highly regulated engineering environments.

PRIMARY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Commercial Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and deliver a commercial strategy aligned with the company’s overall business plan and technology roadmap.
• Act as a key member of the senior leadership team, advising the Managing Director on commercial performance, risk, and market opportunities.
• Lead, develop, and inspire the commercial team, fostering a high-performance and customer-focused culture.

Sales & Business Development

• Drive profitable revenue growth across existing and new customer accounts.
• Proactively identify, qualify, and convert new business opportunities, including long‑term agreements (LTAs), partnerships, and aftermarket opportunities.
• Develop and maintain a robust sales pipeline aligned to strategic growth priorities.
• Build and strengthen senior relationships with OEMs, tier‑one suppliers, and strategic partners.
• Support market entry strategies and diversification into new sectors, regions, or product lines.

Contracting & Negotiation

• Lead complex commercial negotiations involving high-value, long-term, and technically complex contracts.
• Own major customer contracts from award through full lifecycle management, ensuring balanced risk allocation and compliance with company governance requirements.
• Oversee contract variations, claims, price adjustments, and dispute resolution where required.

Pricing, Bids & Proposals

• Define pricing strategies reflecting lifecycle costs, capital investment, risk exposure, and targeted returns.
• Provide executive oversight and approval of major bids and proposals, ensuring disciplined bid governance and decision-making.
• Ensure commercial commitments are deliverable within operational, engineering, and supply chain constraints. Market & Customer Insight
• Maintain a strong understanding of global aerospace and power generation markets, including propulsion technology trends, sustainability requirements, and regulatory developments.
• Translate market intelligence and customer insight into clear commercial and strategic recommendations.

Governance, Compliance & Risk

• Ensure all commercial activity complies with applicable UK and international regulations, including export control, competition law, and customer-specific compliance requirements.
• Lead the identification and mitigation of commercial risk, including contractual, financial, and geopolitical exposure.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance to ensure commercial strategies are fully aligned with delivery capability.
• Support investment decisions, make-or-buy strategies, and new product introductions from a commercial perspective.
• Any other duties deemed suitable by your line manager and as reasonably required by the business.

COMPETENCIES:

1. Strategic Commercial Thinking – Develops and executes long-term commercial strategies using market insight, data analysis, and risk-based decision-making.
2. Executive Leadership – Leads, develops, and aligns commercial teams through clear direction, effective communication, and constructive challenge.
3. Financial & Commercial Acumen – Drives profitable growth through robust pricing, margin management, budget ownership, and lifecycle cost analysis
4. Operational Alignment – Ensures commercial commitments are deliverable through close alignment with operations, engineering, and supply chain functions.
5. Digital & Analytical Capability – Leverages CRM, contract management, and data analytics tools to inform decisions and improve commercial performance.
6. Commercial Risk Management – Identifies, assesses, and mitigates contractual, financial, and geopolitical risks across long-term agreements.
7. Regulatory & Contractual Expertise – Applies strong understanding of export controls, compliance requirements, and contract law within regulated industries.
8. Innovation & Change Leadership – Anticipates market and customer trends and adapts commercial models to support new technologies and business approaches.
9. Customer & Partner Focus – Builds trusted, long-term relationships that deliver value for both the customer and the business

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:

Education:

• Degree in Engineering, Business, Economics, Law, or a related discipline.
• MBA or equivalent executive-level qualification desirable

Experience:

• Significant commercial experience within aerospace, gas turbine, power generation, or similarly regulated engineering sectors.
• Proven track record in sales growth and business development, including winning new contracts and expanding existing accounts.
• Experience in negotiating and managing complex commercial agreements.
• Strong understanding of OEM, tier‑one, and aftermarket commercial models.
• Experience working cross‑functionally within engineering and manufacturing environments.

Skills:

• Strategic thinker with strong execution capability
• Commercially driven with a growth mindset
• Confident engaging with senior customers and stakeholders
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• High integrity with a structured approach to governance
• Resilient, adaptable, and outcome‑focused
• Collaborative and able to work effectively across functions

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