Capture Lead​/Capture Manager - Mission Systems Engineering

Capture Lead / Capture Manager - Mission Systems Engineering

Department: Revenue Operations

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Bristol, UK

Reporting To: Hamish Rosser

We're building the UK's next generation engineering powerhouse, providing critical technology that strengthens national security and resilience. N.b. This role may also suit candidates with titles such as:
Capture Manager, Business Development Director, Bid Director, or Sales Director (Defence).

At Rowden, we design and integrate advanced mission systems that sense, connect, and protect data in environments where fast, informed decision-making is vital. Our goal is to deliver mission advantage to those working to safeguard national security, public safety, and critical infrastructure.

As Capture Lead, you'll be responsible for leading and delivering complex captures in regulated procurement environments. This is a senior role with dual focus: leading from the front on major government sales (across defence, national security, CNI and emergency response), whilst amplifying the impact of the wider sales team.

This role will suit a professional with strong first-principles analytical ability and genuine creativity - someone who can deconstruct complex problems, generate original approaches and shape competitive strategy from the ground up, rather than simply replicating processes learned elsewhere. This is an ideal role for someone who has experience leading high value (GBP 10m+) complex captures looking for their next challenge as part of a dynamic, high growth business.

We are offering a competitive base salary with performance-linked OTE (details to be discussed during the process). We welcome candidates at different stages of their careers, and the salary will reflect the skills and experience you bring to the role.

Due to the sensitivities of work involved, candidates must be willing to obtain UK National Security Vetting clearance, with SC required and DV desirable.

First and foremost, this role is about converting qualified sales opportunities into contracted work in our order book. You will work across sales, engineering and delivery to make that happen, but you will be expected to do the substantive work yourself - shaping bids, structuring arguments and driving submissions. This is not a managerial post; it is a hands‑on capture role with direct accountability for outcomes.

• Lead enterprise-scale sales opportunities (typically GBP 10M+) from origination to closure, ensuring momentum across qualification, capture, bid, negotiation, and contracting.
• Develop clear win strategies, including competitor analysis, differentiation, and risk mitigation.
• Identify, evaluate, and secure strategic industry partners to form bid winning teams.

• Work closely with revenue operations and executive leadership to ensure robust sales discipline and accountability.

While this is not a line management role, we would expect you to use your experience to raise the standard of capture across the business - coaching colleagues, sharing judgement and helping others think more clearly about how we pursue and win work:

• Role model the behaviours and habits of a high-performing sales organisation - energising the team, reinforcing customer-centricity, and fostering accountability and ownership.
• Guide and coach the wider team to develop capture strategies across key verticals: defence, national security, emergency response, and Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).
• Serve as a coach and mentor: encouraging creative thinking and helping team members overcome technical, commercial, or political blockers.

You do not need to meet every criterion in this section - we are more interested in capability and potential than a perfect checklist - but a consistent track record of converting opportunities into won work is essential.

• Strong track record of closing complex enterprise sales (ideally GBP 10M+ deals) within the public sector.
• Deep knowledge of UK public sector procurement regulations,…