Head of Sales and Marketing (Defence)
Location: Lincoln
Salary: £70,000 - £75,000 + 20% bonus + £5,400 car allowance
Lead Growth in Global markets
Ever envisioned leading an SME’s global growth where your strategic mind and hands-on grit can truly stand out?
Hays in Lincoln is recruiting a Head of Sales and Marketing for a client that’s navigated the extended sales processes typical in the defence sector and significant product research and design for nearly 25 years. With a base salary of £70-75k, a 20% bonus tied to revenue and profitability, and a £5,400 car allowance, you’ll lead a team of three (a Marketing Manager, Business Development Associate, and Sales Administrator) to drive double-digit growth, thriving in a lean SME over a corporate maze.
This role puts you front and centre: crafting a business development and marketing strategy for an industry of long lead times, evaluating large enquiries, and completing detailed tender responses to secure multi-year contracts across the UK, Europe, Middle East, and Far East; both direct to end users and via agents. You’ll exhibit at UK and international trade shows, manage key accounts with regular client visits, and target Middle East expansion by growing existing relationships and re-engaging past customers. Mentoring your team, you’ll foster a culture of accountability while aligning efforts with the SME’s goal of sustained profitability, all without the crutch of multiple departments.
The rewards match the challenge: you’ll enjoy unmatched autonomy to shape a worldwide customer base plus a compensation package that reflects your impact, with travel (averaging one week per month) to build partnerships, whether it’s a Middle East venture or quick UK/Europe hops. You’ll provide market insights for new product development, maintain CRM accuracy for forecasting, and feed into the S&OP process, all while leading from the Lincoln office where your mentorship will elevate a team hungry for growth.
This is a role where your SME savvy turns strategy into action.
If you’ve got 3+ years leading sales and marketing in an SME, a proven record managing international agents and achieving tender-driven targets, and a flair for inspiring a team through lengthy sales cycles, this is your stage.
Bring your proactive mindset, stakeholder management skills at a senior level, willingness to travel, and a hardworking ethos with integrity.