Account Director - Defence

Job title – Account Director - Defence

Location – Hybrid (Warwick, Camberley or London)

Job type: Permanent

At Telent, you will have the opportunity to be a part of something bigger. To keep things moving, to connect people. It's important work that we are passionate about. Learning fast, inspiring colleagues, and making the entire organisation run smoother and better. Join us and help keep the nations critical networks connected and protected 24/7.

This is an interesting and highly rewarding opportunity for an individual with previous experience in the Defence sector, to join us in our exciting journey in embedding Telent as a key partner to UK Defence over the next 5 years.

As an Account Director, you will lead the development and acquisition of key customer target accounts by shaping compelling propositions, conducting comprehensive research, and providing invaluable insights into defence challenges, nuances, and needs.

Reporting to the Network Services (NS) Sales Director, working closely and in collaboration alongside the existing Account Director you will be responsible for business development to drive new, long term, profitable orders with multiple customers in the Defence sector. 

What you’ll do:

1. Drive strong business development activity to win new landmark customers, in line with the Defence sector, 5-year plan.
2. Lead the development of propositions within key and emerging accounts within the sector.
3. To grow orders with the key customers and new contracts; applying focus to those contracts that will provide long-term sustainable revenue growth to Telent.
4. To fully engage as a member of the Sales team, working with other team members to support the development of strategy and the best possible performance for NS.
5. To seek maximum profitability in all business won.
6. To ensure forecasts recorded in Salesforce are continually kept up to date and accurate over a 5-year period.
7. Build share and action Account Development Plans for key customers and target prospects with the wider NS team to support a collaborative sales strategy.
8. Provide Industry knowledge and whitespace analysis of the Defence marketplace which maps against NS solution offerings.
9. Using the above knowledge (objective 4), to clearly identify and provide a plan for named opportunities and pipeline over a 5-year period.
10. Understand the partner/vendor landscape in Defence and build key partnerships with joint target plans to support growth of orders and strong collaborative partnerships.
11. Continuously develop and share understanding of the competitor marketplace/positions to support Telent to increase its influence, position, and solutions in the Defence market.
12. To support Marketing with driving new business development campaigns. Support the development of solutions collateral for use in customer presentations, telent marketing brochures and the telent.com website.
13.  To build, lead and maintain strong customer relationships and monitor Telent customer satisfaction.
14. To work with the NS team to support the development of efficient business winning solutions working with the Operations/Delivery Heads to ensure Telent customers are provided with clear and concise service/solution offers in the Defence market.
15. To work with the appropriate Customer Services Management, Project Management and Engineering/Operations departments to ensure common understanding of commitments made to customers and support collaboratively. 
16. To ensure there is a formal handover to the Customer Service Management & Engineering/Operational departments for all business won.
17. To capture, collate and act upon opportunities identified by the delivery departments in working with customers.
18. To work with Bid Management to continually improve the quality of Telent proposals to its customers; measure, learn from and work to improve the success rate of bids.
19. To follow governance relating to the bid process.
20. To minimize cost selling and speed of response by using the Sales Desk, price books (using CPQ) and standard collateral where appropriate.
21. To apply risk management techniques to sales proposals that ensure Telent has the most competitive offer with minimal risk severity impact to both Telent and its customers.
22. To optimise the use of available data to increase efficiency and sharing of knowledge across the business. 

 Who you are:

With a focus on Sales growth, you will develop and drive new Defence business with annual sales in line with the Network Services 5 Year Plan. Requiring breadth and depth of sector experience and a collaborative attitude you’ll deliver sales and business development strategy, promote new customer relationships, drive profitable growth and support the development of sales solutions and capability to ensure you meet and exceed the order/sales growth targets.  In alignment with the existing Defence Account Director, you will be responsible for the growth of the Defence sector, with a strong focus to win landmark new customer contracts.

The ideal person will have proven experience and relationships in the Defence market with key defence primes as well as working relationships with UK MOD, Front Line Commands and associated MOD departments.

It is expected, the appropriate candidate will have SC clearance, as a minimum and be willing to undergo the DV clearance process.[AE1] 

Key requirements:

Essential Skills/Qualifications:

1. Proven current track record of Key Account Director and Business Development with Defence sector experience.
2. Degree/HND/HNC or equivalent in an appropriate discipline is desirable. Depth and breadth of experience will be taken into account where these qualifications have not been attained. 
3. Higher Management or equivalent is also desirable.
4. Travel to client sites is essential to this role.

Desirable Skills/Experience:

1. Experienced Account Director with a proven sales track record in a technology or services sector.
2. Deep domain knowledge of the Defence market.
3. Customer facing experience with excellent communication and presentation skills.
4. Ability to define, construct and articulate complex service solutions.
5. Broad understanding of telecommunications product, technologies, and services.
6. Understanding of operational, commercial and financial aspects of technical services contracts.
7. Strong interpersonal, organisational, & communication skills.
8. Ability to communicate at all levels in an organisation.
9. Able to complete risk analysis of factors contributing to profitability.
10. Demonstrable intellectual capacity to develop and deliver simple solutions to complex challenges.
11. Thorough understanding of Business Development processes.
12. Financially astute with proven ability to interpret P&L.

What we offer:

A career at Telent can span sectors, roles, technologies, and customers giving you the opportunity to develop, learn new skills and make an impact. We are growing and we rely on our committed Team to deliver.

We nurture the talent that makes this happen, by our on-going commitment to creating an inclusive culture that respects and values difference, that celebrates diverse ideas. We want everyone to feel they can be themselves and to thrive at work.

The additional benefits with this role:

• Benefit 2 car allowance
• Employee only medical
• 34 days holiday, including public holidays, plus the option to buy or sell five days each year
• Company pension scheme
• A range of family friendly policies
• Occupational health support and wellbeing Portal
• Discounts on Cinema, Restaurants and Shopping with Telent Reward scheme

About Telent

Telent is a leading technology company and specialist in the design, build, support and maintenance, drawing on decades of experience in mission critical communications and technology.  of the UK’s critical digital infrastructure. The work we do helps connect thousands of people and communities, using the best technology and innovation available. When you join us, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real impact on all our futures by fulfilling your potential and delivering high performance. We work together to make everyday life work better for everyone. You’ll be part of a team of more than 3,000 brilliant, dedicated people committed to getting the job done well. 

Brilliance brought together.

We are guided by our values and behaviours:

• Be Inclusive
• Take Responsibility
• Collaborate
• Be Customer-focussed