Job Description

Job Title:  International Business Development Director - Helmets

Location:  Melksham, UK - Hybrid

Business Unit:  Head Protection

Purpose of Position:

Reporting to the VP, Commercial Growth, the role is accountable for leading the organisations’ international (excluding DOD/NA Commercial) performance and growth for Team Wendy. They will be a highly effective leader and communicator and have extensive experience and understanding of the military, police and specialist user markets. With an ability to develop long-standing and productive relationships at all levels of an organisation including Governments, OEMs and partners, they are charged with delivering a strategy that rapidly enhances top-line growth for helmets & develop a 5 year growth plan within the international market space. The role will develop a regionally located team of business development, product category management, technical support and customer experience professionals and is a key member of the commercial leadership team. The role is based in Europe and is expected to have extensive international travel requirements. 

Essential Duties and/or Functions:

• Contributing to transformative change across the business unit
• Developing and implementing the SBU business and operating model internationally
• Implementing agreed SBU-wide objectives and monitoring progress at SBU level 
• Alignment with NA Commercial team
• Develop and implement the overall sales and growth strategy for the International business, ensuring financial goals are met or exceeded 
• Defining multi-year strategic goals and building the key campaigns and strategic initiatives that will deliver these goals
• Leading the identification, qualification, development and execution of new business development opportunities and campaigns to grow top-line sales performance including the delivery of winning proposals in response to customer requirements
• Delivering order intake in line with budgeted expectations 
• Build and strengthen customer and agent/channel partner relationships, establishing Head Protection aligned as needed with Respiratory as the primary organisation for customers to turn to in support of their business objectives.
• Be a key member of the Integrated Head Systems team and drive forward strategy to meet future soldier procurement strategies aligned with selected capability partners
• Drive Product Category Management focus and strategy in developing near and longer-term product roadmaps that meet regional customer expectations and rapidly expand the head global product portfolio. 
• Shaping Head Protection to deliver market leading technical support, training, and product service supporting the through-life needs of our products.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Technical undergraduate degree; with MBA preferred or extensive experience in a related end-user or customer environment
• Extensive and demonstrable experience in international strategic planning, business development and sales management
• Extensive track record of leading and successfully completing major international growth / new business campaigns in a complex technical environment
• Demonstrated background as a proven Sales Director/Manager or equivalent role with validated high value sales solutions experience and senior level relationship management
• Demonstrated ability to build long-standing relationships with international customers and partners that deliver value for the organisation
• Strong understanding and appreciation of Government defence and security procurement programs with an emphasis on ROW Defence and broader Government 
• Proven experience and understanding of Commercial markets (Police, Special Operations and professional industrial markets) procurement programs 
• Significant negotiating and commercial management experience with large, sophisticated customers.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead cross-functional teams in delivering programs of change
• Highly skilled in building strategic business insight to understand complex external and customer issues
• Creative thinker with the ability to structure and execute complex initiatives and strategic growth programs, leveraging a strong technical understanding of products
• Outstanding communications skills, with the ability to clearly and concisely present complex concepts and business solutions to senior leaders and cross-functional audiences
• Experience and demonstrated success working in an international environment across multiple time zones and cultures

About Avon Protection:

We design and produce life-critical personal protection solutions for the world’s militaries and first responders.  With a portfolio that includes Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (“CBRN”), protection.  We do this through our two brands, Avon Protection and Team Wendy. Our mission is to provide unparalleled protection for those who protect us, giving them the confidence to tackle challenging situations and helping them get home safe. At Avon Protection, we recognize that our success relies on the collective efforts of our talented team. As an organization, we welcome individuals who embody our #FIERCE company values - fearlessness, integrity, excellence, resilience, collaboration, and the ability to execute.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays)
• Training and development opportunities including 24/7 e-learning on LinkedIn Learning
• Medical and health cash-back scheme
• Pension matched up to 7.5%
• Share incentive scheme.

This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with this job. While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job requirements, management reserve the right to modify, add or remove duties from particular jobs and to assign other duties as necessary.

Do not apply via the links below.  Interested applicants should apply by sending their CV to: ria.wakefield@avon-protection.com and helen.stevens@avon-protection.com 

This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with this job. While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job requirements, management reserve the right to modify, add or remove duties from particular jobs and to assign other duties as necessary.