Commercial Manager

Commercial Manager – Electronics & Defence

As a leader, a Commercial Manager, your skill is motivating, mentoring and coaching others, delivering key commercial outcomes for the business and the client alike. We truly value integrated partnerships, being the go‑to experts for our clients. You'll be working with major names in the defence sector, managing a portfolio of ca GBP 15 million.

BASIC SALARY: GBP 65,000 – GBP 75,000.

• Up to 20% annual bonus
• Car allowance £6,500 pa
• 25 days holiday
• Company quarterly incentive plan ca GBP 2,600 per annum
• 3× life assurance
• 5% pension contribution

LOCATION:

Hybrid – with an average of 50% office based (Bedford). Commutable to Northampton, Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Luton, Peterborough, Leicester, Birmingham, Oxford, Stevenage, Harlow, Huntingdon, Coventry, Banbury.

• A leadership role with genuine autonomy and board‑level visibility.
• A culture built on integrity, excellence, and delivery.
• The opportunity to shape commercial growth in a sector that’s critical to national capability.

• Lead, coach and inspire a sales team (3 direct Account Managers and 5–10 indirect cross‑functional professionals) operating within complex, highly regulated markets.
• Oversee and develop major accounts worth ca GBP 15m, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Shape commercial strategy, working cross‑functionally with engineering, operations, and quality to deliver world‑class outcomes.
• Champion best practice in leadership, forecasting, and client engagement.
• Work closely with the VP of Sales, accurately reporting forecasts, budgets and performance.
• Spend 50% of your time (or two long days) based on site at the manufacturing facility.

You’ve managed technical or engineered product portfolios and understand what it means to balance innovation with regulation. You’re not just commercially astute, you’re operationally aware, capable of reading a P&L as easily as a customer brief. Most importantly you’ll be someone who values creating human connections, being present with both your team and the wider business functions in creating solid relationships.

The ideal candidate would have experience of the defence sector, electronics and sub‑contracting; we are interested in the right person with the right values, although it is likely you’ll have at least one of the three.

• Leading teams before; small enough to know each individual’s strengths, but large enough to need real leadership.
• Operating within compliance‑critical frameworks, highly regulated, governed sectors: aerospace, defence, medical devices, or pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Managing high‑value complex, demanding corporate clients with multi‑million pound spends (GBP 5m+).

We are a global business specialising in advanced electronics manufacturing. Operating at the heart of the aerospace, defence, and high‑technology sectors, we combine cutting‑edge manufacturing capability with a highly skilled workforce. We operate to the strictest industry standards, maintaining long‑term partnerships with major primes and Tier 1 suppliers. Known for our agility, technical collaboration, and commitment to excellence.