Key Account Manager

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Key Account Manager – Defence to join our team.

You'll be responsible for facilitating significant and strategically relevant growth across our Defence sector, as part of our broader cross-Defence industry engagement, through the identification and conversion of sales opportunities. These opportunities will primarily be direct industrial projects with an awareness to complementary 'collaborative research & development' (CR&D) activities that are completed in partnership with industry organisations and a variety of public sector bodies. Ultimately the focus is on delivering high impact manufacturing transformation for individual organisations, industry sectors and UK Plc.

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is a research centre operating within Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 4-9, taking academic research and maturing it to the point where it can be exploited by industry. We work with global corporates and SMEs alike, helping them; embrace latest technology, improve productivity and maximise value creation opportunities & competitive advantage.

As Key Account Manager – Defence your key responsibilities will be to

• Lead significant revenue growth within Defence sector activities.
• Build and nurture relationships with key customers and prospects.
• Identify and close high-value sales opportunities, from initial engagement to delivery.
• Understand customer roadmaps and translate complex aspirations into tangible outcomes.
• Develop strategic account plans and collaborate with internal experts to deliver world-class solutions.
• Manage your pipeline with precision—owning every stage from lead generation to closing.

Who we're Looking For

This role will suit an experienced Business Development professional who has an established network of clients and contacts within the Defence industry and experience of operating at C-Suite level.

Knowledge and understanding of how the Defence industry is developing based on PEST factors and associated strategic opportunities

• We're also looking for somebody who has
• Experience of building and closing multi-million-pound sales pipelines
• Consultative / solution selling experience within Business Development roles
• Proven ability to identify and translate complex customer aspirations into realised outcomes
• Good written communication skills e.g. concise proposal writing
• Experience of working with and updating Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems
• Adept at managing customers' expectations in line with agreed project deliverables
• An agile mind with a passion for transformation
• Financially literate
• Ability to engage with internal stakeholders, particularly engineers, to gain and credibly communicate an understanding of technology and engineering opportunities
• A proactive, agile mindset with a passion for transformation.
• Driving licence

Desirable:

• Familiarity with Miller-Heiman methodology.
• Knowledge of engineering and manufacturing techniques.
• Degree in Business or Engineering (MBA preferred).

The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) was established in 2010 as an independent Research & Technology Organisation (RTO) with the objective of bridging the gap between academia and industry – often referred to as 'the valley of death'.

It represents one of the largest public sector investments in UK manufacturing and, after four years of planning and a 16 month build, the facility opened at Ansty Park in Coventry at the end of 2011.

In December 2011, there were 16 industrial members, 44 staff and just a few key pieces of equipment in the 'workshop'.

Over the following seven years the MTC's rapid growth has seen the expansion of our campus with the construction of three more facilities, including the opening of the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre and the National Centre for Additive Manufacturing.

Our role has also increased to cover not only R&D but also Training, Advanced Manufacturing Management and Factory Design.

We now have over 700 talented employees working with us.

During this time we have helped hundreds of companies across a range of industries and over 100 of them have become members of the MTC.