Introduction
Saab UK is part of Scandinavia’s largest defence company, bringing together the best of Swedish and British innovation. Saab offers world-leading solutions and services in defence, aviation, space, and civil security to keep people and society safe. Our UK presence has been growing at pace, meaning we can offer a wide range of opportunities for personal fulfilment and career growth. We currently employ over 600 people across eight sites in the UK, and our specialisations include software engineering, underwater robotics, radars, AI, and armed forces training.
What you will be part of
Saab is a leading defence and security company with an enduring purpose, to help nations keep their people and society safe.
Empowered by its 28,000 talented people, Saab constantly pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer and more sustainable world.
Saab designs, manufactures and maintains advanced systems in aeronautics, weapons, command and control, sensors and underwater systems.
Saab is headquartered in Sweden. It has major operations all over the world and is part of the domestic defence capability of several nations.
The Role:
Saab Seaeye is seeking a highly motivated and commercially driven Global Defence Product Sales Responsible to drive growth in the sale of Saab Seaeye's market-leading Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and underwater robotic systems across UK and international defence markets.
The successful candidate will identify, qualify, shape and secure opportunities with naval organisations, defence ministries, government agencies, system integrators and prime contractors. Working closely with Saab's Global Sales Network, Customer Sales Responsibles (CSRs), engineering teams, programme teams and commercial functions, the successful candidate will lead capture activities from opportunity identification through to contract award.
This role requires strong commercial acumen, strategic thinking and customer engagement expertise, combined with the ability to understand complex underwater systems and effectively communicate their operational value to military and government customers.
The position is based in Fareham with hybrid working arrangements and will require occasional UK and international travel.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and maintain strategic relationships with defence customers, naval organisations, government stakeholders, military end users and industry partners.
- Identify, qualify and pursue new business opportunities aligned with Saab Seaeye's defence growth strategy.
- Shape and execute capture strategies for strategic opportunities, developing winning approaches and customer engagement plans.
- Analyse market trends, defence requirements, capability gaps and competitor activity to inform business development strategies.
- Conduct market intelligence and competitor analysis to identify emerging opportunities and threats.
- Collaborate closely with Saab's Global Sales Network, Customer Sales Responsibles (CSRs), Business Units and regional sales teams to coordinate international customer engagement activities and pursue growth opportunities.
- Lead and coordinate Product Sales Core Team activities, ensuring effective collaboration between engineering, programme management, commercial, bid and support functions throughout the sales lifecycle.
- Support the development of pricing strategies, commercial approaches and business cases in collaboration with sales and commercial teams.
- Lead customer-facing activities including presentations, demonstrations, exhibitions, industry events and site visits.
- Translate technical and engineering concepts into compelling customer value propositions aligned with operational requirements.
- Support proposal development activities and ensure solutions are competitive, compliant and aligned with customer expectations.
- Lead contract award, signing and handover activities, ensuring a smooth transition to project delivery teams.
- Ensure compliance with export control regulations, security requirements and Saab governance processes.
- Maintain accurate customer, market and opportunity data within the company's CRM system.
- Contribute to the development and execution of long-term business growth strategies within defence and underwater systems markets.
- Support achievement of order intake, revenue and strategic growth objectives.
Qualifications and Skills:
Required
- Proven experience in business development, capture management, sales or commercial leadership within defence, aerospace, maritime, engineering or technology sectors.
- Ability to understand complex engineering products and translate technical capabilities into customer value.
- Strong understanding of defence procurement processes and acquisition programmes.
- Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to engage at all organisational levels.
- Demonstrated negotiation and influencing capability.
- Experience using CRM systems to manage opportunities and customer engagement.
- Commercial awareness and risk management capability.
- Ability to work effectively within cross-functional and international teams.
- Willingness and aptitude to develop detailed knowledge of Saab Seaeye's product portfolio and applications.
Desired
- Experience within defence, subsea, offshore energy, maritime or underwater technology sectors.
- Knowledge and understanding of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) systems and underwater robotics.
- Experience with work-class ROV operations and applications.
- Knowledge of Saab Seaeye products and capabilities.
- Existing network within UK and international defence, maritime or offshore industries.
- Contractual and commercial negotiation experience.
- Experience working with UK MOD, NATO organisations or major defence prime contractors.
- Understanding of naval operations, mine countermeasures, subsea warfare or maritime security operations.
- Experience engaging with naval end users, fleet operators and defence operational stakeholders.
By submitting an application to Saab UK you consent to undertaking workforce screening activities that may include but are not limited to: Baseline Personnel Security checks, National Security Vetting, reference checks, verification of working rights and in all circumstances preferred candidates will be placed through a security interview.